Rachel Ojuromi, a 22-year-old Nigerian, went from recreating fashion’s most iconic looks on the streets of Lagos to joining the fashion movement in Paris.
On October 5, 2026, she walked the Chanel Spring/ Summer 2027 runway at the Grand Palais during Paris Fashion Week. It was her official runway debut under creative director Matthieu Blazy.
SEE ALSO: From Oud to Vanilla: How Arabic Perfumes Are Expanding Nigeria’s Fragrance Culture 
How it Started
Alongside her best friend, stylist and designer Debby Fasingha, Rachel Ojuromi turned Lagos’s everyday streets into her personal catwalk.
Her backdrops were markets, bus stops, dusty roads, and even traffic, for exuberant fit-check videos. She made high-fashion recreations from thrifted pieces, personal wardrobes, and local markets.
Then the duo reimagined looks from Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2026 collection. They didn’t aim for exact copies, but the video, which had the caption “Chanel in Africa,” went viral. Then Matthieu Blazy himself noticed and commented, “Everything,” with a heart emoji that racked up over 14,000 likes.
Rachel Ojuromi’s jump from Lagos street recreations and fit-check videos to the Chanel SS27 runway is rare, but not exactly unique. Here are some standout examples whose stories echo that same internet-powered trajectory.
1. Anok Yai (South Sudanese-American)
In 2017, while a biochemistry student, Anok was photographed at Howard University’s homecoming. The image of her amidst the crowd went viral on Instagram and agencies flooded her inbox.
Within a few months, she signed with Next Management. Four months after the photo, she opened Prada’s Fall/Winter 2018 show. The opening made her the first Black model to do so since Naomi Campbell in 1997, and the first of South Sudanese descent.
She has walked for luxury fashion brands like Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci, and has been on multiple Vogue covers.
Yai has since become one of fashion’s most in-demand faces and was named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people in 2026.
2. Ugbad Abdi (Somali-American)
Ugbad Abdi was born in Somalia amid civil war and was raised partly in a Kenyan refugee camp, then resettled in Des Moines, Iowa.
Shortly after high school, while working as a Target cashier, she was scouted via Instagram for makeup and style posts she made.
Abdi debuted at Valentino Haute Couture S/S 2019 and became the first model to walk Fendi and Lanvin in a hijab.
She has since walked for Chanel, Miu Miu, Burberry, Max Mara and appeared on Vogue covers.
SEE ALSO: Top 10 Nigerian Ready-to-Wear Brands to Shop in Nigeria
3. Victoria Fawole (Nigerian)
Fawole was living in Lagos with no modelling ambitions. She was tutoring kids and had dabbled in tailoring when she was discovered on Facebook by Anani Models.
Fawole was initially sceptical and needed her brother’s help to convince her parents. Her international debut came at Simone Rocha in London. She then quickly became a fixture, walking dozens of shows and landing campaigns for Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Gucci, Alaïa, Versace and more.
4. Prince Charles (Nigerian)
Prince Charles holds a pure street-to-runway TikTok story.
In 2025, an agent from FS Model Management spotted the tall, striking teenager walking home in Port Harcourt, filmed a short clip, and posted it on TikTok asking for help finding him.
The video worked. Within months, he made his debut for Louis Vuitton, walked Dior and Mihara Yasuhiro. He has since returned to the Louis Vuitton runway.
5. Mayowa Nicholas (Nigerian)
At 16, Mayowa was scouted on the street in Lagos while walking to a hair salon.
She entered Elite Model Look Nigeria in 2014, won the national title, and placed in the world finals. Her 2015 debut season included Balmain, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Kenzo and Hermès.
Nicholas became the first Nigerian model to star in campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, Saint Laurent and Calvin Klein. She walked Victoria’s Secret in 2018 and has worked with Prada, Chanel, Versace and more.
About The Author
