'She has come a long way since she was arrested in Cape Town in 2004 for being too dark and was labelled a kwerekwere'
KENYAN supermodel Ajuma Nasenyana, whose international success saw her becoming the muse of renowned designer Vivienne Westwood, grabbed all the attention at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Cape Town last week.
The dark and bald international model with the exotic looks was the "it" model at the event. She has come a long way since she was arrested in Cape Town in 2004 for being too dark and was labelled a kwerekwere.
Every time she walked on stage she shook up the energy in an auditorium that is usually filled with stuffy fashionistas. The supermodel, who walked for most designers at the CTFW, has modelled in big shows in New York, Milan, London and Paris Fashion Weeks.
Nasenyana, who was named Model of the Year 2012 at the AFI Africa Fashion Awards last year, entered the world of modelling when she was crowned Miss Nairobi in the Miss Tourism Kenya competition in 2003.
She has since walked for big names, including Baby Phat and Carlos Mienes, Ungaro, among others.
Among her fans was Anele Mbonambi, a 25-year-old budding model, who said she bought all the show tickets just to see her.
"Models like her have changed the way we define beauty. They have restored the dignity of dark people and made dark girls fashionable."
Not everyone was happy with the hype around Nasenyana.
Chris Brant, a fashion blogger, said Fashion Weeks are supposed to be about clothes not models.
He said it was dangerous for a growing fashion industry like South Africa to have big names walking in local fashion weeks because they could detract fashion revellers completely from the clothes.
Nasenyana exotic looks were not the only thing that attracted attention at the event. She stumbled at least twice on the ramp last week and had to stop mid-way and take off her shoes while walking on the ramp.
"The shoes were slippery and big. I had to think on my feet and remove them otherwise I was going to fall," she later told Sowetan.
Nasenyana was not the only international model featured at the show, Jamaican beauty Juanel also walked the CTFW.
Model has 'em raving
'She has come a long way since she was arrested in Cape Town in 2004 for being too dark and was labelled a kwerekwere'
KENYAN supermodel Ajuma Nasenyana, whose international success saw her becoming the muse of renowned designer Vivienne Westwood, grabbed all the attention at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Cape Town last week.
The dark and bald international model with the exotic looks was the "it" model at the event. She has come a long way since she was arrested in Cape Town in 2004 for being too dark and was labelled a kwerekwere.
Every time she walked on stage she shook up the energy in an auditorium that is usually filled with stuffy fashionistas. The supermodel, who walked for most designers at the CTFW, has modelled in big shows in New York, Milan, London and Paris Fashion Weeks.
Nasenyana, who was named Model of the Year 2012 at the AFI Africa Fashion Awards last year, entered the world of modelling when she was crowned Miss Nairobi in the Miss Tourism Kenya competition in 2003.
She has since walked for big names, including Baby Phat and Carlos Mienes, Ungaro, among others.
Among her fans was Anele Mbonambi, a 25-year-old budding model, who said she bought all the show tickets just to see her.
"Models like her have changed the way we define beauty. They have restored the dignity of dark people and made dark girls fashionable."
Not everyone was happy with the hype around Nasenyana.
Chris Brant, a fashion blogger, said Fashion Weeks are supposed to be about clothes not models.
He said it was dangerous for a growing fashion industry like South Africa to have big names walking in local fashion weeks because they could detract fashion revellers completely from the clothes.
Nasenyana exotic looks were not the only thing that attracted attention at the event. She stumbled at least twice on the ramp last week and had to stop mid-way and take off her shoes while walking on the ramp.
"The shoes were slippery and big. I had to think on my feet and remove them otherwise I was going to fall," she later told Sowetan.
Nasenyana was not the only international model featured at the show, Jamaican beauty Juanel also walked the CTFW.
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