Entrepreneurship & Growth
Meet Alfa Duru
16 September 2026 · 2 min read
Alfa Duru knows the modelling industry from the inside, and he knows exactly who it leaves out. That is why he founded Duru Talents, a talent agency built to give people overlooked by traditional modelling agencies a chance to work in front of the camera.
A model who saw the gap
Alfa has been modelling for more than two years and has worked with some of the biggest brands around, including JD, Adidas, Manchester United and Myprotein. He is honest about why: he is over six foot, something completely out of his control. As he told the investors on Pitch'd or Ditch'd, plenty of people are more talented and better in front of the camera than him, but never get the opportunity simply because they are not tall enough.
The very top brands, he explained, want models who fit a narrow set of height and appearance requirements. Upcoming brands are different. A young clothing label with a small following usually just needs people who are confident and comfortable on camera. Alfa saw a gap between those brands and the models who are being turned away, and Duru Talents exists to bridge it.
Early traction
By the time Alfa pitched, Duru Talents already had an operational website. He had opened sign-ups only two days earlier and already had more than 20 applicants and 14 approved models, and he had completed shoots for two brands. The agency earns a percentage of each booking.
His plan for investment was clear: to fund an automated system that removes the friction between a brand looking for a model and actually booking one. Models would list their skills and strengths, and when a brand sends a brief, the system would show a shortlist of the best-matched models.
Opening doors
Alfa's story is a simple one with a big idea behind it: talent should matter more than the things people cannot change about themselves. Duru Talents is his way of turning his own lucky break into opportunities for others.
Alfa Duru joined us on The Legacy Bench for Pitch'd or Ditch'd, "6 Entrepreneurs Pitch for £5,000 — Would You Invest?" — read the episode story or watch the full conversation.
