African Stars: Their Dreams and Yours.
African Stars: Their Dreams and Yours.
Doing the catwalks on the runways of major fashion brands is one tough cookie to crack yet we have seen the likes of Oluchi Onwuagba, Imam, and Alek Wek not only walk the runways for this major fashion brands, but also featuring on highly rewarding campaigns in the US, France, and the UK. It’s a trend; there are more African immigrants in the West emerging on international stage by day. Let’s not only gossip here about these worthy beauty ambassadors of Africa, but also attempt tracing some paths to your own dreams in theirs:
- Betty Adewole –
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDUAkIgRs7I/?tagged=bettyadewole
Betty Adewole was born in England to Nigerian parents. This London based model was reportedly discovered on a Tottenham Court road shopping. She was fifteen years old at the time, and her fame began at age 17. Betty’s career has already seen her walk the runways for many fashion’s biggest names such as Tom Ford and Givenchy. She has graced the pages of British vogue.
Tips– You’d never know when that butterfly of luck and opportunity will fly by, so stay conscious, and pray goodness on yourself as often as you can.
2. Khoudia Diop –
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRoUQMYBMhY/?hl=en&taken-by=melaniin.goddess
Khoudia Diop is a 21 years old African immigrant from Senegal. You can’t but gosh at her flawless ebony dark pigmentation. She is beautiful, and she knows it, dubbing herself on her Instagram page the “melanin goddess.” Based in New York, Diop catwalks the runway of most fashion shows. Lately, she has been using her platform to speak against skin bleaching calling all African women to love their own skin. The idea of skin bleaching, as thought of by many, is trying to be less dark and more fair. In other words, less African, more European. Some have argued that everyone is born with their own skin shade, and applying lotion that helps emphasize that shade isn’t at all a white-skin-wannabe.
Tips- Everyone has their own naturally given endowment. Find your own edge. Embrace and nurture that thing that makes you different instead of being sensitive and insecure about it. Even if you don’t runway with it, you might somehow ‘upway’ with it.
3. Herieth Paul –
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlV0wK4gC1j/?hl=en&taken-by=heriethpaul
Herieth Paul is a Tanzanian born model who arrived at Ottawa Canada at age 12 with her mom. This African beauty is almost 6 feet tall! She’s equally comfortable in her own skin and her natural hair. Though her modeling career began at age 14, she has always dreamed of becoming a model even as a young child while still in Africa. Paul had debuted as one of Victoria Secret’s famous angels at the spectacular annual fashion show in Paris. Before then she had featured in the events for the likes of Armani, Tom Ford, Diane von Furstenberg, and Cavalli. She appeared on the cover of Elle and Vogue Italia at age 16. Paul is a global sports model for that big cosmetic brand called Maybelline.
Tips- It’s okay to still believe in that big dream of yours even if it’s been since childhood. If you are able to travel to another country or live in a different culture, ask yourself, “what might this (new place) have to do with my dream?,” because there are chances that creator is aligning you close to your dreams. If you’ve been trying to leave Africa for another country, and somehow visa isn’t working for you for whatever reasons, ask yourself, “what might I be doing right here where I am to stay true to my dreams?”
Now that you’ve enjoyed little gossips about our African idols and ethnically unambiguous pack of beauty, it’s time for you to head out there, and shine. Connect with your dream, and bring out your star game.
