Challenges and Opportunities of the Young & the beautiful

By:- Biruk Gebremedhin


The fashion industry is a fast-paced, ever more complex world of creativity of design, knowledge driven business, and technology that many people find fascinating and alluring.

Modeling art for several years depict how that fashion industry could have made a cultural and economic development through the courage of inspirational, beautiful, elegant and charismatic models.


Fashion is seasonal, and as an augmentation industry gives many challenges in career opportunities. “In order to be successful, you must have a passion for fashion with a real burning desire to work in the industry. For many successful people in this business, fashion is their life-they live it and think it constantly. This industry values work experience and education” said Amleset Muche.


Amleset is one of a very few Ethiopian models featured in fashion runway shows in USA, Italia, China, Poland and here in Ethiopia. Born 1987 in Gonder, she is model, social advocate, film producer and actress who have a multitalented personality. She has studied BA in Journalism and Mass Communication here in Addis and has also acquired further studies in New York Film Academy. She has also honored an International Stylish Award in Poland in 2006.

Despite such a growing business and personal achievements, here in Ethiopia, she argues that, it has a number of challenges on the sector from less public attitude to less payment for their performance. And that is the main reason for her to deviate from modeling into film production. And In 2008; Amleset produced the film- production entitled “Selefiker’ (about love).

Fashion designers conceptualize and create new clothing and accessory designs. They analyze fashion trends and work closely with production and marketing to design, produce, and promote a finished, ready-to-wear product for apparel manufacturers, specialty and retail stores, and individual clients.

The present-day model Hiwot justifies the fashion industry interlink and interdependent nature of business that could not be easily successful without the art of modeling.

Hiwot Assefa, 20, born in Diredawa and a graduate of Tour Operator said “The industry has gradually growing with constraint of budget and thus taken us for less payment for our act with the margin of 500 to 1000 Ethiopian birr per stage. And it is true that such a law wages can not enhance anyone’s concern.” She added “for most models it is a par time job and difficult to be a permanent one”.


With all these challenges, Hiwot performed in Algeria, South Africa, Turkey and here in Ethiopia. She has also awarded Miss Intercontinental Award in Belarus 2006.

To overcome such challenges, She further noted that Modeling agency has to be flourish for uncompromising excellence and attributes our success to the professionalism of our commitment to able to find internationally acclaimed employment in the fashion industry at all levels. And the government has to play its key role with adequate institutions and resource for betterment of the industry.

Source: EthiopianReporter