WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS - LEAH PAO
LEAH PAO
Retail Manager / Model
Niuean / Tongan
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My name is Leah Pao aka the Queen of Tonga aka the Golden Girl. I am a proud descendant of the Pacific and I reign from the islands of Tonga and Niue. I am a retail manager and have recently embarked on my journey as a model. I’m a massive advocate for self love and believe that it is the medicine to heal the world.
You recently walked NZ Fashion Week for the first time - how was that experience for you?
Walking in NZ fashion week was literally a dream come true. That was the ultimate goal for 2018 and when I walked my first show, I was overwhelmed with emotion because I REALLY DID THAT!!!! I’m still emotional about it to be honest. Things like this don’t happen for girls like me that often, hence why I’m so emotional. Not here for the lack of People of Colour but that’s the industry I guess out of all the 100s of models, I literally saw about 4 Pacific Islanders. It’s so sad.
What was cool about being a Pacific Model at NZ Fashion Week?
It's amazing being a Pacific Model during Fashion Week. I just think that representation is everything and I just think that this is NZ Fashion Week and there are so many beautiful, Pacific Islanders out there so for me to get the opportunity to walk Fashion Week is seriously like a dream come true.
Besides yourself do you know of any other Pacific Island Models who walked this year?
In the shows that I've walked in - No! In the shows that I've been walking I've seriously been the only Pacific Islander and I think the reason there are so few is because the fashion industry in New Zealand is mainly caucasian dominated and thats the reality - it's so sad. The thing is, I did casting and even at casting - I'm talking about visbily brown skin - there would have been 5 of us out of hundreds and hundreds of models. So Pacific Island models are not even getting the opportunity to do the casting for Fashion Week.
Whats unique about your style and what you want to represent on the catwalk?
I think what makes me stand out is that I'm very unapologetic about my style. I wear what I want and I have sovereignty over my body. I think I stand out because you can see that I have brown skin, I've got a shaved head and I've dyed my hair blonde. I'm here to f#*k it up - I'm here to tell everyone that Pacific Islanders are beautiful and we're here and we make up a good part of the population in NZ. I want to rep Pacific Islanders. I want to rep Tonga, I want to rep Niue - thats what makes up my ethnicity but I just want to rep the Pacific Islands as a whole. I also want to rep real bodies, anyone that's a little bit different, I'm repping the LGBTQI community - I'm just repping minorities as a whole.
What is your professional background & what were the pathways that helped you get to where you are now?
I am a Store Manager at women’s retail store, that’s my 9-5 job and my side hustle is modelling/ influencing. I started my retail career 5 years ago and have slowly worked my way up the ranks. I have been a store manager for about a year now and was an Assistant Store Manager for about 2 years prior. I think my strong work ethic has got me to the position I’m at now. My determination to make it in a “white dominated” industry has really pushed me to succeed and it has worked. Plus I’ve always been my authentic self/ natural leader so find that people always gravitate towards me for direction.
How has your culture (Tongan/Niuean) shaped you into the woman you are today?
My Tongan/ Niuean heritage is EVERYTHING!!! It is the reason my skin is brown and golden. It is the blood that runs in my veins. It is why I can sit in the sun for hours w out getting burnt and have a massive love for water. My parents are why I’m here (mum is Niuean, dad is Tongan) so I feel like I owe them the world. I have to leave a legacy for them. My heritage has definitely shaped me into the bomb ass woman I am today.
Who are your biggest inspirations and why?
My biggest inspiration without a doubt has to be my mum. She is the lady that has ALWAYS had my back and told me I was great. She keeps me humble and puts me in my place when need be and I love her for it. She’s supported me since day one and is the hardest working person I know. She’s the type of mum that my friends can confide in. She’s my friendship circle’s fav Aunty and tbh, I owe everything to her!! I love my mum so much!!!! SHE'S MY INSPO EVERYDAY TO GIVE MY ABSOLUTE BEST AT EVERYTHING I DO!! (Side note: apart from my mum, the other inspiration would be myself. Duh hahahaha)
You can follow Leah on her FB talkshow here
and on IG here