Unicorn: Mayowa Nicholas

Every now and then, Nigerians find a unicorn and just like every rare thing, we cannot fully comprehend and grasp the beauty that is the said unicorn. I remember my first interview with Mayowa Nicholas at the Elite Model Look Competition auditions in 2015; she was a burst of sunshine (literally), answering questions and also giving words of advice to models present at the audition. Little did I know that she was going to spread that sunshine to the world all over.

Mayowa Nicholas won Elite Model Look Nigeria, 2014 and became a top 10 finalist at the Elite Model Look Competition Worldwide. She was automatically signed on to Elite Paris, Milan, Amsterdam, Beth Model Management (mother agency) and a host of others. Mayowa Nicholas has surprised us by having many firsts in the international scene. Recently she was featured in Yves Saint Laurent’s monochrome campaign, making her the first Nigerian model to be associated with the brand in that light. Mayowa was also seen strutting her stuff in Dolce and Gabannna’s Fall/Winter 2016-2017 campaign, also the first Nigerian model to be part of such a campaign. She was listed in Vogue as one of the top models to watch (with Kendall Jenner) and she has been associated with big brands such as Hermes, Balmain, Calvin Klein, Ralph and Russo, Kenzo.

This teenager has been a source of joy to Nigerians and a role model to upcoming Nigerian models. Dedication, professionalism, attitude and hard work have kept this unicorn on our radar as well as the radar of every designer and photographer who have contributed immensely to making Mayowa’s portfolio standard.

It is no wonder this 18-year-old is on every runway and involved in major campaigns all over the globe. 2016 had been a great year for Mayowa and her journey as a model from Nigeria breaking into the fashion scene has opened the door for many young talents just like herself to easily blend into the world of fashion. We had Oluchi and Agbani and sitting really comfortable on a throne at the moment is Mayowa Nicholas, a unicorn, a gem, a star.