Francesca Raft

BlueAcadia · July 7, 2021

British born Francesca Raft is an fashion model that worked professionally during the 1980s in Australia and is one of the famous and popular Dolly Magazine (Australia) cover girls. Represented by Camerons Modeling Agency (Sydney), she went on to become a successful international model and also landed some great acting roles, such as a reoccurring role as Ros in Vietnam (which also starred fellow Dolly/Aussie models Nicole Kidman and Imogen Annesley!) She is now a very creative and talented painter with work featured in high-end art galleries.

"She was the Silkience girl (a range of hair care products) and has also featured on the cover of Cosmopolitan and the fashion pages of Follow Me and Vogue. But her first job ever was on Dolly's cover. At just 13, Francesca fronted up at Cameron's Modeling Agency in Sidney with some test shots a friend of her sister had taken of her. But it was not to be, “Sorry you're too short”, they said. Well, that wasn't going to deter her. At 15, Francesca was still determined and considerably taller. Now at 17, she's successfully working as a model and landing the occasional acting role. “I'd love to go to Tokyo in October and then to New York for a white Christmas. I worked in New York last year and I loved it.” Acting is Francesca's main ambition now, she was in Vietnam and has a role in Candy Ragentag as the prostitute's friend (the prostitute is played by Imogen Annesley another Dolly model). I love modeling, but I'd be much happier if I could get regular acting work. There's an acting school in Greenwich Village in New York where I'd love to work. I can see myself living happily in New York now.”
- Excerpt from Dolly Magazine, late 80s

"A life lived surrounded by artists, architects and creatives in fashion, film and theatre which she traversed in her many evolving incarnations at an early age. Francesca’s first love was photography, having started her career in front of the camera, she found being behind the camera a creative revelation, this developed into a professional pursuit and one that combined her desire to capture the moment and the beauty of this world and the people in it. On her travels working and absorbing diverse artistic scenes in Tokyo, New York, Paris and finally London, Francesca realized her hidden passion for painting. Returning to Australia ignited her love for the light, landscape and the unknown which she continues to paint and photograph from her studio in Sydney, if not being lured by her HERO Sister to paint tempera paintings on walls in far off places."
- Excerpt from herosisters blog (link below)