From the war-torn Congo to the face of online retail giant ASOS - David Mbunzama is one of Scotland’s top black male models.
The striking 24-year-old, who came to Glasgow as a refugee aged five, is already the darling of the E-comm world and is about to make it big in the States.
At 6ft3 with a 44in waist and wearing XXXXL clothes it’s no wonder larger-than-life David is having such a huge impact in modelling - a career path he never dreamed he would follow.
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The call centre worker, who is on the books of Scotland’s top agency Colours, admitted he’s not your typical model but hopes he can inspire more big black guys to give it a go.
David, whose brother is TikTok star Bash the Entertainer, said: “I’m living my best life as a model. I’m doing it for all the big guys out there. I want them to see me and think if David can do it so can I.
“I’ve always loved fashion and when I was younger the minute I got paid I would go onto ASOS and start shopping for clothes as no one else had my sizes.
“I would see all these big black guys on the website and think how cool they were. My friends would be telling me to shop somewhere else but I always refused and told them that one day it would be me modelling on the site.
“Even though being an ASOS star became one of my dreams I never imagined it would one day be a reality and that I would be logging on to buy outfits modelled by yours truly.”
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In 2017 David was scouted on Instagram by Colours’ head booker Mark Conlin and admitted at first he thought it was a joke. He said: “My brother Emile was just getting into photography back then and I started doing shoots with him in and around Glasgow which I used to post on my social media.
“Out of the blue I got a message on Insta from Mark at Colours asking if I had ever considered modelling. At first I thought it was a scam because I had been burned by a fake agency who had invited me to London.
“Even when Mark asked me to come into their headquarters I was happy but skeptical as I doubted they would be serious about taking on someone of my size, build and complexion.
“I needn’t have worried as Mark loved my look and my big personality and they signed me on the spot - I couldn’t wait to tell my family and friends.”
He added: “The first year was tough because lockdown had started and I didtn’t get any jobs so I became a bit demoralised but then things started to take off.
“I got a job for Lyle and Scott and not long after Mark phoned to say ASOS wanted me to go down to London for a test shoot and interview. I couldn’t believe it.
“I had just started working in luxury clothes shop Cruise at the time but they let me have the time off and told me to go chase my dream. I smashed the test shoot and went back the next week to shoot their campaign.
“They told me they loved my energy and since then I have done lots of work with them including adverts and have shot their Spring/Summer collection. Now I’m one of the guys I used to see on the website and think, ‘wow!’”
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Colours are now working on placing David with an agency in the States where his look would go down a treat. He said: “It has taken a bit of time to sort out my passport and my Visa because I came here from the Democratic Republic of Congo but now that’s taken care of I could soon have the chance of modelling in the US. It’s very exciting.
“I would love to make modelling my full-time career but until then I am topping up my income working on the Nationwide Building Society helpdesk.”
David said he loves the diversity of the modelling world amd admitted although, his family were made to feel welcome when they sought asylum in Scotland, he has faced racism in other jobs.
He said: “My mum came to Glasgow first with my two older brothers and then I followed with my other siblings. My mum wanted to take us out of the firing line in the Congo.
“It was a bit of a culture shock for me as I only spoke French and didn’t know a word of English and it was oh so cold. My older siblings experienced more racism at school than I did. My brother Bash got spat on during his first day at Toryglen Primary. They were tough times for him but I loved school and went on to college to study construction.
“Being the only young black guy on a building site wasn’t the easiest and I got hit with a lot of stereotypes but luckily I was strong enough to handle it. I just brushed it off as joke and although, it was frustrating at times, I just got through it using my gift of the gab.”
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David, who lives near Silverburn in Glasgow, added: “Luckily the world of modelling is much more diverse. It does have a way to go but at least when you go to buy clothes online now there are real people who look like you wearing the clothes you want to buy. Modelling has brought me out of myself and given me so much confidence. I hope I can be a role model to others.”
Mark of Colours said: “David has made a big impact in the world of E-comm and we think he could do really well in America. He has an infectious personality and an energy brands love.”
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