Model goes from creating runways on streets to being invited to Paris for Chanel gig

Rachel Ojuromi has gone viral for all the right reasons. Known popularly as the “coolest girl in Nigeria,” Ojuromi unabashedly stomped through Lagos to the Chanel runway, refusing to let her surroundings or background keep her from living her best life. And it paid off. She collaborated with her best friend and stylist, Debby Fasingha, and gained online fame through lively fit-check videos that showcase her model walk and colorful outfits inspired by Nollywood and her vibrant hometown. In viral clips, she confidently walks through Lagos in bright fringed skirts, animal prints, tailored suits, and elegant gowns, all while performing everyday tasks like shopping for vegetables and balancing bananas on her head. She told Vogue, “You can dream, you can believe in something, and it can just work out. You can dream yourself into a life that is possible even if nobody else gets it.” Ojuromi’s journey from Lagos to the Grand Palais showcases her talent and tenacity. Her viral remake of the fashion house’s Métiers d’Art show got her recognized by Chanel’s artistic director, Matthieu Blazy. “That video was a vehicle that led us to where we are now,” she recalled. Still, she is wary of framing any of it as an overnight success. “It’s a series of compounding events. It’s never overnight. It’s all your life you work towards something.” Ojuromi described herself as someone who is determined to follow through on her ideas. When she makes a decision, she feels driven to bring it to life, even if it’s just something as straightforward as cutting her hair. “Every time I ever had an idea, I always made sure to see it through,” she stated. “Having an idea and executing, believing in your dreams, and believing in yourself” is, to her mind, how she ended up here. Ojuromi recalled being at home in a robe when her team reached out with the exciting news. Her first response was surprisingly composed: “Oh, of course.” However, she shared that when the weight of the moment hit her later, during her first lineup, “I started crying because I was like, ‘Wait, wait, wait, wait… what’s going on?’” READ ALSO: Supermodel Anok Yai reveals diagnosis that was ‘destroying my lungs Ojuromi’s runway debut with Blazy means more to her. She had admired Blazy’s work at Bottega Veneta for its simplicity long before he joined Chanel. So, when she learned he was moving to Chanel, she thought, “Wow, my two worlds are colliding.” On the runway on October 5, she wore Look 73, featuring a yellow and gray tweed shirt and midi skirt. “When I saw my look, I was like, ‘It’s a sign. This is a sign,’” she told Vogue. “They wanted me to look exactly like me and I really appreciate that.” Speaking with BBC Africa, Ojuromi shared her experience with past rejection. “I was speaking to a model scout and he said ‘Oh, you will never do runway.” However, following her Chanel runway debut, she realized, “Oh, it is possible for my dreams to come true.”Source: face2faceafrica.com
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