The black models whose dreams came true on Brazil's fashion runways

Gloria Maria Fonseca Siqueira poses during an interview at the headquarters of Ford Models in Sao Paulo, Braziil. Photo: AFP

Afro-Brazilian models Shirley Pitta and Gloria Maria Fonseca Siqueira had dreamed of the runway since they were girls, but in a Brazilian fashion world much whiter than the country itself, it remained a far-away fantasy until recently.

In a sign of changing times in Brazil and elsewhere, the pair saw their dreams come true at this year's Sao Paulo Fashion Week (SPFW).