By Casey Neill
Springvale has a Fashion Hero in Hung Pham.
The 21-year-old will represent Australia in season two of reality television show The Fashion Hero.
The global movement focuses on real people and atypical beauty by breaking down the unrealistic standards in the modelling field.
Hung said it wasn’t all about height, size or skin colour but personal style, self-expression and confidence.
“Being a fashion model has always been a dream of mine,” he said.
“However, the industry, simply does not allow someone who is short and not buff enough to undertake the role.
“I believe it is simply not fair to those who were born skinny or not fit the type of the standard look.
“I am very much ecstatic to be representing Australia in The Fashion Hero for 2017.”
Hung told the Journal he had always been very skinny.
“Usually, when people start judging you about how you look, or why don’t you gain weight, it does hurt me a little bit,” he said.
“It’s really who I am as a person.
“I saw a friend of mine involved this year in the season held in Canada.”
So he signed up for a tilt at season two in September.
Through a public vote, he made the cut.
“It’s pretty much like Australia’s Next Top Model,” he said.
“I am going to go there for a month.
“I believe we’re going to undertake a lot of challenges.
“There’s lot of photo shoots, there’s lots of facing your fear challenges.
“I’m no good with underwater stuff, but I’m definitely going to try!
“It’s going to be a very tight competition.”
He said that unlike the Next Top Model format, no one was eliminated.
“There’s four designers involved,” he said.
“At the end, they’ll pick out who they want to be the face of the brand.
“At the moment, I’m not really thinking about it. I don’t want to get my hopes up too high.”
Hung is not sure where and when the filming will take place.
“We’re going to hear more information probably when season one starts airing in America,” he said.
Breaking down barriers is his main goal.
“Other than that I’m there to really have fun, meet other people from different countries,” he said.
“I want to learn more about myself and what I can do and what I can’t do.”
The event planner has volunteered at the Melbourne Fashion Festival for four years and loves the industry.
“I like to keep on-trend, but at the same time I like to wear trends that are classic,” he said.
“At the moment I like to wear gold, anything metallic will grab my attention.”
Earlier this year, Hung was crowned Mr Diamond Australia in a pageant that celebrates “the beauty and diversity of individuality”.
He’s been stashing away money so he can represent Australia at the world Mr Diamond contest next year, after hearing a whisper it could be taking place in the UK.
