South Sudanese Models Are Walking Paris Couture—While Juba's Rising Talent Remains Grounded

Models from the Juba-based agency Jubalicious practise their runway walks during a training session at a hotel in Juba, South Sudan, on February 19, 2026. (Credit: Luis Tato/Getty Images)

On February 19, 2026, a group of models dressed largely in black moved in formation across the cracked paving stones of a hotel courtyard in Juba, South Sudan. Photographer Luis Tato captured the training session for AFP and Getty Images as members of the Juba-based agency Jubalicious practiced the turns, pauses and measured strides of a runway walk.

The photographs, produced for an AFP report published in March, show the work that precedes a fashion show: repeated movements, close observation and disciplined formation. The setting is far removed from the carefully controlled environments of Paris couture, but the professional ambition is unmistakable.