SECOND ACT

CHARLEE FRASER CHATS WITH NATHAN MCGUIRE, WHADJUK BALLARDONG NOONGAR MAN, MODEL AND FOUNDER OF MOB IN FASHION FOR ISSUE 11 TO TALK COLLABORATION, HERITAGE, REPRESENTATION AND WHAT’S AHEAD IN 2025.

<Nathan McGuire> Hi Charlee. How are you feeling at the moment, how’s life in general?
<Charlee Fraser> You know, if I’m being completely honest, the last few days I’ve felt quite stressed. But I actually think when I look into the astrological planetary alignments, which is something that I’m very interested in, there’s been a lot of heavy shifting happening. I woke up this morning feeling super fresh and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s gone now.’ So just moving with the universe.
<NM> That’s so good. I actually felt very similar recently too. Yesterday I had this overwhelming moment of gratitude while I was driving. Something about this year that feels like what you said; transitional, like moving into a new era. 2025 must be a good number.
<CF> I’ve actually heard some friends, that are into numerology, say that they really love the idea of 2025, and energetically, I think we’re all feeling quite good about this year as well. I’m here for it. Year of the Snake.
<NM> I saw that. And it’s the most transformative, spiritual animal, isn’t it. All right, I’ll dive into some of the questions that I’ve got for you. As we know, fashion and modelling are a huge part of your world, but can you take us back a little bit, how did you get into the industry in the first place? And what have been some of the standout moments for you that come to mind?
<CF> I was sort of scouted. There was this photographer in my hometown who had spotted me, wanted to take some pictures, and send them to an agency. Soon after, I had a meeting with them, which ended up being my first official modelling agency in Sydney. From there I moved to IMG and was with them for a very, very long time (10 years). So many big things have happened during that time! A really memorable moment was my very first international fashion circuit. That was huge for me because I learned so much about the industry and myself during that experience. But I think in terms of my career, it was the season after that, I was actually the model who walked the most amount of shows in that entire season. I walked in something like 30 or 40 shows. That’s crazy when I think about it. Another one would be my very first Vogue cover— that was a special moment. It’s something that a lot of us [models] dream of when we start modelling, especially me. There’s been a lot of other things that have happened in my career, like being awarded Model of the Year at the Australian Fashion Laureate Awards and branching out and producing a few of my own projects. They’re a few of my favourites.
<NM> You’ve got some stellar moments in your career! As we know we want to talk about our impacts as First Nation models, and I feel like you and I were at such a critical point in Australian fashion history. You were the first Aboriginal model to work for major fashion houses like Chanel and Prada (just to name a few). How has it shaped your connection to the impact you’ve had around our First Nations community and what advice do you have for the next wave of Indigenous talent?
<CF> I would say the first thing with all of that is while it was happening I didn’t know that I was one of the first Indigenous models to have gone overseas and done these things. We had the beautiful Samantha Harris and Elaine George, who really paved the way at the beginning. So, I want to credit them; they have done incredible things and have also travelled internationally. I think I have been the first to have worked for some of the high fashion houses, you know, campaigns, and walking for them. It wasn’t until after having worked and living overseas for so many years and coming back to Australia, people started to bring that forward. I found it really hard to believe for a very, very long time that I was the first one to have done some of those things. Now I can look back and appreciate those experiences for myself, both as a human being and as someone representing my community. Being able to connect with community through the work I do with First Nations Fashion and Design (FNFD), and through the growth of Indigenous representation in the industry, I’ve had other models, and people from the fashion world approach me and say how cool it is and how much they appreciate it. It just melts my heart. It’s not something that I thought I was doing; I was just doing me. Following my dreams and doing what I loved.
<NM> It really means something; I can relate to that. And like what you said, fulfilling your dreams inspires others, and in turn, inspires your community; the people that are wanting to see your face, wanting to hear your story, that makes the work seem so much more important and so much more special. You get to reflect, it’s kind of like chapters, right?
<CF> You’re so right! It really feels like chapters, and it’s often, even now, in all the things that I’ve done. You’re IN what you’re in, in the moment, and you’re enjoying it, and doing what you’re doing. And then once it all moves through you the realisation of it all comes when you reflect back on everything, like ‘Oh, I did that!’. There’s gratitude and appreciation. I mean, you still have it in the moment, but it grows as you move on from it. Reflecting on all of that, years later, just blows my mind. It’s very much like chapters, and the more I go through different things in life, the reflection I have just gets bigger and bigger.