Special edition Model of the day !!! Oluchi Onweagba check it out
Onweagba grew up in the suburbs of Lagos, Nigeria with her two brothers and sisters. She is the daughter of a civil servant father and mother who was a nurse. When Onweagba was 16 years old, she won the “Face Of Africa” contest. In August 2005, she married her longtime companion, Italian fashion designer Luca Orlandi.
After moving to New York City, where she still lives, Onweagba graced the covers of Italian Vogue, i-D, ELLE, Untold, and Surface; she also was featured in Nylon, Marie Claire, Allure, and other national editions of Vogue around the world. She became the face of campaigns forGianfranco Ferré, Gap, Express, Banana Republic, and Ann Taylor, as well as working for Victoria’s Secret. Onweagba’s runway experience has been with John Galliano, Christian Dior, Shiatzy Chen, Costume National, Chanel, and Giorgio Armani, amongst others, in London,Milan, Tokyo and Paris. She has worked with such notable photographers as Steven Meisel, Nick Knight, and Patrick Demarchelier.
Beyond modeling, she tries to serve as a role model for other aspiring talents in Nigeria, especially young girls. She volunteers her time and her image for such NGOs as LEAP Africa (an entrepreneurship incubator) and NIPRO. She also is continuing her higher education, having studied for an associate’s degree in the New York City educational system. After her three-year contract with Elite expired, she signed with DNA Model Management. A highlight of her career so far was when she was featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue four times, from 2005 to 2008.
- 1 AUG, 1980
- Born in Lagos, Nigeria
- 1998
- Wins the M-NET (an African television station) Face of Africa competition and a $150,000 contract with Elite Model Management
- 1998
- Debuts on the runway for Marc Bouwer
- 1998
- Selected as the new face of Nars Cosmetics by Francoise Nars
- 1998
- Returns to Johannesburg, South Africa, for the second season of M-NET’s Face of Africa
- AUG 1998
- Featured on the cover of Italian Vogue, photographed by Steven Meisel
- SEP 1998
- Walks the runways for Chanel, Christian Dior, Gucci, and Tommy Hilfiger in Paris, Milan, and New York
- 1999
- Lands a contract with Gap, appearing in print ads and billboards
- 1999
- Steven Meisel photographs Onweagba for a Vogue spread
- 2000
- Appears on the fall cover of British Surface
- JAN 2001
- Walks the fall Christian Dior couture show in Paris
- 1 AUG, 2001
- Celebrates her 21st birthday at New York’s Bungalow 8 with model friends including Carmen Kass and Frederique van der Waal
- FEB 2002
- Walks in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
- AUG 2003
- Returns to South Africa to walk in Cape Town’s first official Fashion Week
- 2004
- Signs cosmetics contract with CoverGirl
- MAR 2004
- Walks the fall John Galliano show in Paris
- 2004
- Models for Bergdorf Goodman catalog
- 2004
- Models for Victoria’s Secret catalog
- SEP 2004
- Walks the fall Kenneth Cole and Tommy Hilfiger shows in New York
- 2004
- Appears in print ads for Lancôme
- 12 NOV, 2004
- Plays the girlfriend of a thug in the film After the Sunset
- AUG 2005
- Marries designer Luca Orlandi (of Luca Luca) in St. Barts
- FEB 2006
- Featured in Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue
- 21 FEB, 2006
- Stars as the lead model in GM’s 2007 Cadillac Escalade fashion show, in which she models “Chrome Couture” outfits for the show
- 14 OCT, 2007
- Travels to Nigeria for a benefit concert, with the Black Eyed Peas
- FEB 2008
- Featured in Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue
- 2008
- Sebastian Faena photographs Onweagba for the fall cover of POP
- DEC 2008
- Appears in two editorials for Vogue
-
-
