Bahian model paraded for the first time at AFD in 2022 and now lives in Shenzen

Alan Macedo was discovered by the Model Club Agency by chance, through his Instagram. During the pandemic, the engineering student from Feira de Santana was distracted by creating scenarios and taking photos for his social networks, which began to attract attention. “I didn’t think I was cute, no; I have always been a person who had very low self-esteem. But people said on the street that I had a profile. I started taking photos at home. Then they called me, I went, and I’m here now. I didn’t imagine this would happen at all”, he reveals.

Still inexperienced, Alan had the opportunity to participate in the AFD selection in 2022, being approved and debuting on the blackest catwalk in Brazil. Expectations were high: “I already knew the scale of the event, which was super important, especially for black people; it represented several opportunities, a spotlight on us”, he states. Everything became even more special when he found out that he would be showing the look of the brand Inttuí, champion of that year’s designer competition, which, by chance, had a personal friend of his as its designer. An unforgettable experience for Alan. “It was my first show in my life for a lot of people, with a huge catwalk. There are a lot of people watching you, but it was a very good experience”, he recalls.

See the complete mini-doc about Alan Macedo:

With the success of the event, he saw new opportunities arise, expanding his visibility and opening doors for jobs in Salvador. In 2023, he participated once again in AFD. “I was much more mature, more sure of myself, more confident, and it was very important, right? Because it was after that year that I got this international offer”, he says. Initially going against his family, who wanted Alan to complete college, the young man stopped studying and left for Shenzhen, China, where he has lived for four months. “I wasn’t afraid, because it was something I really wanted. It was the first time I set foot on a plane, leaving the ground, going to another state and country. Crazy”, he reports on the radical change.

Huge studios, work for brands like Salomon and Baseurs, and unconventional shoots. “There was an electronics brand that was something totally different, like, I flew. I never imagined flying. They tied a bunch of cables to me and made me levitate. I thought: ‘Really, now it’s finally sunk in where I am’”, he jokes. He describes the experience in China as culturally rich and professionally challenging, mainly due to the language barrier and dietary differences, as well as the need to adapt to Chinese customs and lifestyle. When he misses home, Alan’s solution is to go to the kitchen: “I make beans”, he says.

Alan emphasizes that being a model is a demanding profession, requiring adequate psychological preparation. For him, it is crucial to have perseverance, as things do not always happen quickly or as expected. “It’s important to know that it’s a job like any other, that requires investment, time and dedication, but the reward is good,” he said. His next stop will be South Korea, after the end of his stay in China, where new ambitions await him.

Mini docs Afro Fashion Day:

Media and Digital Strategy Editor: Jorge Gauthier

Culture intern: Luiza Gonçalves

Media team: Eduardo Bastos, Arthur Leal and Gabriel Cerqueira

Afro Fashion Day is a project by the newspaper Correio with sponsorship from Avon and Bracell, support from CAIXA, Shopping Barra, Salvador Bahia Airport and Wilson Sons and institutional support from Sebra