20 TOP AFRICAN MODELS ROCKING THE FASHION WORLD

These sexy, African models hail from all over the African Continent and are known throughout the world for their beauty, poise and elegance. This list is in no special order. Enjoy my list of 20 top African models making us proud on the international scene.

Honorine Uwera

Honorine Uwera is a fashion model born in 1987, in Rwanda. She moved to Canada in 1998 were she was found by the IMG modeling agency. She is presently one of the hottest black models on the Catwalks of Milan, New York, Paris and London.

Career Highlights:

2004:  Debuts at the spring Akris, Costume National, Viktor & Rolf, and Yves Saint Laurent shows in Paris

2006: Appears in Nordstrom catalog,  Appears in Elle editorial, Walks the spring Catherine Malandrino and Marc Jacobs shows in New York, Walks the 30-year retrospective of Jean Paul Gaultier in Paris, wearing a gold lamé bodysuit from his 1992 collection, Photographed by Steven Klein for Italian Vogue

2007: Appears in Nordstrom catalog, Featured in Trace, Appears in Mixte editorial, Photographed by Peter Lindbergh for Moschino fall ad campaign, Face of Moschino Hours & Minutes fall ad campaign, Attends the "Blacks in Fashion" discussion at Bryant Park Hotel with Iman and Naomi Campbell (14 SEP)

Flaviana Matata
Flaviana Matata (born June 9, 1987) is a Tanzania beauty queen and fashion model. Flaviana won the first edition of the Miss Universe Tanzania pageant in 2007, and went on to represent her country in the Miss Universe pagent the same year, where she placed among the Top 15 semifinalists and ended up in 6th place after the evening gown competition. She was the first contestant from Tanzania to compete at Miss Universe 2007, and compete with a shaved head.

She has recently modelled print advertisements for Sherri Hill . In March 2011 Matata won the Model of the Year award by Arise Magazine at the Lagos Fashion Week, she has also featured in the US magazines Dazed & Confused, Glass Magazine, L’officiel and also ID Magazine. Flaviana Matata has also done some runway modelling for brands like Mustafa Hassanali, Vivienne Westwood, Tory Burch, Suno, and Louise Dray and has featured in the Alexander McQueen film tribute and Topshop Spring 2011 ad campaign.

Tiguida Sissoko

Tiguida is a 21 year old Malian model whose flawless beauty has been featured in several magazines and on several catwalks.  She is currently with Mannequin modeling agency in Paris, France

Ajuma Nasenyana
Ajuma Nasenyana is a Kenyan model. She has worked with Victoria Secret and Carlos Mienes, among other designers.

Nasenyana was born in the town of Lodwar, situated in the Turkana District of Kenya.

Her first foray into modeling was in the Miss Tourism Kenya competition in 2003, where she was crowned Miss Nairobi. Here, she came to the attention of Lyndsey McIntyre of Surazuri Modeling Agency.

Soon afterward, Gamma Photo Agency came to Kenya to do a story on McIntyre's scouting work and were so taken with Nasenyana that she became the main feature of the story, which later ran in France's Gala magazine. The pictures taken anchored Nasenyana's portfolio, presented to international agency Ford Models, who entered her in Ford's Supermodel of the world competition.

In November 2003, Nasenyana traveled to Europe to build her portfolio prior to the Supermodel finals in New York City.

Nasenyana participated in the New York Fashion Week alongside Naomi Cambell and Alek Wek for designers such as baby Phat and Carlos Mienes before traveling to Milan to model for fashion houses such as Ungaro during the Italian Fashion Week. Paris was the final destination during the winter show season and British designer Vivienne Westwood made her the lead model in her show.

Liya kebede
Liya Kebede (Ethiopia): Kebede’s modeling career took off once she debuted at the Ralph Lauren and BCBG Max Azria shows. She was also chosen by Tom Ford to walk in the Gucci F/W 2000 fashion show. Kebede has featured on the covers of several magazines including Italian, Japanese, American and Paris Vogue; in ad campaigns including Yves Saint-Laurent, Dolce & Gabbana, Victoria’s Secret, and Louis Vuitton. In 2003, she made history becoming the first ever black model to represent cosmetic company Estee Lauder. 

Kebede has also starred in three movies, one of which was the film-adaption of the bestselling autobiography Desert Flower by former supermodel Waris Dirie. Liya Kebede is an activist and travels to Ethiopia to support maternal health projects, she’s worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on their Living Proof Project and currently serves as the Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health for the World Health Organization. Furthermore, she founded the Liya Kebede Foundation, whose mission is to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality in Ethiopia and around the world. In addition to being married with two children, she launched a clothing line in 2007 called Lemlem to help preserve the art of traditional weaving in Ethiopia and to offer work opportunities to local artisans. Lemlem is various stores including sold at Barney’s and Net-a-Porter.com.

Alek Wek

Alek Wek  is a Sudanese rufugee turn to international supermodel. She has walked in some of the world’s coveted fashion shows including Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Oscar de la Renta, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix and Diane von Furstenberg. She has also appeared in ads for brands such as Victoria Secret, Moschino and Issey Miyake, and in several magazines including German Vogue and Elle. 

In addition to contributing her time to UNICEF, she is a member of the U.S. Committee for Refugees’ Advisory Council, an ambassador for Doctors Without Borders in Sudan and a missionary for World Vision, an organisation which combats AIDS. In 2001, Alek Wek launched a range of designer handbags called “Wek 1933” which is sold at select high-end stores across the U.S.

Oluchi Onweagba

Oluchi Onweagba (Nigeria): After winning M-Net’s Face of Africa competition, Oluchi moved on to grace the covers of several magazines including Italian Vogue; walked in runways of the likes of Chanel, Christian Dior and Victoria Secret; awarded cosmetics contract with Cover Girl; appeared in catalogue and print ads for brands including Lancome, Victoria Secret, and the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in which she appeared on the cover four times.

Oluchi also volunteers her time and her image for NGOs such as LEAP Africa, an entrepreneurship incubator. In 2008, she launched a modeling agency in South Africa called Omodel Africa as a way of giving back to the continent and inspiring young African women. Oluchi is married to Luca Orlandi, the founder of luxury label, Luca Luca.

Yasmin Warsame

Yasmin Warsame was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1976. She moved to Canada when she was 15 years old. Her first modeling job was for a Sears Catalog and her first big breakthrough came with a feature for Italian Vogue.

She has walked an impressive list of fashion shows including Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Dior, Elie Saab and Alexander McQueen. She has appeared on the covers of Italian and American Vogue, and American and British Elle. She has featured in ad campaigns for brands such as Chanel, Valentino Couture, Banana Republic and Dolce &Gabbana, Shiseido, Escada, H&M and GAP.

Yasmin has worked for Next Toronto/Montreal, Next Paris, Next London, IMG New York, View Barcelona and Tony Jones Amsterdam. In 2007, Yasmin Warsame was a judge on Cycle 2 of Canada’s Next Top Model. –

Betty Adewole 

Betty is a Nigerian model grew up in UK. She has walked for Emanuel Ungaro, Loewe and Martin Margiela; and starred in editorials for V, Pop, Volt and Bullett magazine. Standing at 5’11 with long lanky limbs, a seemingly perfect facial structure, and glistening brown eyes; this young model has the versatility to be edgy, and drop dead gorgeous. Her features are soft, delicate and languid; and her images have a depth and an intensity of a model beyond her years.

Ataui Deng

Ataui Deng was born in November 11 in Khartoum, Sudan. She’s a niece of Sudanese-British fashion model Alek Wek. Together with her family she moved to the United States (San Antonio, Texas) in 2004. Just 4 years later her modeling career started when she signed a contract with Trump Model in New York.  

Since then she has walked the catwalk for renowned names such as Zac Posen, Lacoste, Christian Dior and John Galliano. In 2010, She closed the S/S 11 Lanvin show in Paris alongside Ajak Deng, Jeneil Williams, Melodie Monrose and Jourdan Dunn.

She also appeared in magazines such as Teen Vogue, V magazine, and appeared on the cover of French Revenue de Mode. Furthermore she was for campaigns by fashion brands Kenzo and Benetton, among others. She’s currently signed with Trump Models in New York and with Elite Models in Paris and Milan.

Ajak Deng 

Sudanese-Australian model Ajak Deng has walked for Jean Paul Gaultier, Chloe, Givenchy and Lanvin, in New York and Paris since her Melbourne Spring Fashion Week debut in 2008. At age 12, violence forced Ajak and her family to flee Sudan for Australia where, inspired by fellow Sudanese Model Alek Wek. 

Georgie Badiel
Badiel, 23, was discovered in her native Burkina Faso. She has since smoldered in editorials inVogue Russia, Interview, Arise and Elle.  She’s stomped the prestigious runways of Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg, and Tracy Reese, even closing shows for Halston, Phillip Lim and Chado Ralph Rucci.

 Nina Keita
In modeling, representing a brand is where the money and longevity is. So when Nina Keita landed the plum gig of starring in Old Navy’s spring 2007 campaign—her face being beamed across America and Europe in the brand’s infectious commercials—she was instantly catapulted into an elite club of models.  She is so valuable to bookers, the Ivorian was allegedly poached from her old agency, Wilhelmina Models, by her new agency next—eliciting a lawsuit between the two firms. While the agencies duke it out, Nina continues to “smile” all the way to the bank.

 Gelila Bekele

Gelila Bekele born September 4, 1984,is an Ethiopian born model. Discovered two months into her freshman year at UC Berkley, the Ethiopian model fell into modeling with some trepidation.

Bekele is signed with Ford Models, and has appeared on several ad campaigns for Levi's, Pantene, L'oreal, and Colgate, and has appeared in Essence, Marie Claire, Allure, Lucky and various fashion magazines. She is also featured in many other print ads, and has appeared in several runway shows.

She has appeared in a Pantene Pro-V campaign, and leveraged her status as an international ambassador for aid organization Charity: Water, has since come around. “Models are not dumb. It’s self-management and brand-building.”

Ubah Hassan
The 24-year-old Somali gained international attention four years ago when Ralph Lauren chose her to be the face of his brand.  Since then, she’s covered Arise Magazine, appeared in Vogue Italia’s groundbreaking black issue, and walked for Oscar de la Renta, Rachel Roy, and Ralph Rucci. Explaining her passion to Bethann Hardison, Hassan said, “Everything I do in my life, I do 100% no matter if I’m babysitting, or I’m walking in someone’s fashions.”

Kinée Diouf
The Senegalese model made her debut stomping the runway for Givenchy and Vivienne Westwood—an auspicious start the model quickly followed with a Benetton campaign, editorials in high fashion pubs V and W, and later aWWD shout-out.  Diouf has since appeared in an ad campaign for Diesel, in the pages of British and GermanVogue, and on the cover of supermodel launch pad pub French Revue des Modes. And she is just getting started.

Nyasha Matonhodze
Discovered in 2009, the Zimbabwe-born, Britain-raised model was introduced to the world on London’s catwalks, sashaying for Jonathan Saunders, Emanuel Ungaro, and Louis Vuitton, among others. Just two years later, now 16, Nyasha has racked up editorial tearsheets in Harper’s Bazaar, V, and Teen Vogue. Amazingly, she has just been announced as a face of Louis Vuitton. Look for her in the brand’s fall campaign, which will be shot by star maker Steven Meisel.

Herieth Paul

Herieth Paul is a 17 year old fashion model who has walked for Diane von Furstenberg, Lacoste and 3.1 Philip Lim. She is a Tanzania model who moved to Ottawa, Canada at the age of 14 due to her mother being a diplomat. She was discovered when she went to an open call of Angie's, a model agency based in Ottawa, Canada. She has now been signed to Women1 management. Paul has appeared in editorials for Vogue Italia magazine and as of July 2011 was the cover of Canada's version of Elle magazine. Paul is a new model in the industry who has been described as the 'next Naomi Campbell' and is becoming a high-rising new face in the modeling industry, her most prominent features being her full lips and high cheek-bones. Paul currently attends online summer school due to her numerous, upcoming modeling projects.

Joelle Kayembe

Joelle Kayembe is a Congolese-born South African model best known for her role as a suitcase model in the game show Deal Or No Deal.
Kayember has appeared in Ludacris’s Pimpin All Over The World music video, she was a finalist in the International Supermodel 2005 competition in China and is included as a Global Honey on SKY TV in the UK

Noémie Lenoir 

Noémie Lenoir (Madagascar) born on 19^th of September, 1979 in Les Ulis) is a French model and actress of African and European descent. She is best known for appearing in top magazines such as Elle and Sports Illustrated, and modeling in advertisements for high fashion brands. She is known for her work with Gucci, L’Oreal, Next, Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria’s Secret, and Marks and Spenser. She has been featured in a line-up of the world's most successful black models by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz.