Jeneil Williams

Yard Flex writes that "...SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Jeneil Williams became Pulse's hottest new modelling sensation when she was named last week as world "Model of the Week" by Models.com, the bible of the international modelling industry.

This exotic teenager was introduced to the international model market in the middle of March, one week before the title was bestowed on her, by Pulse's CEO Kingsley Cooper. She has now given herself and her agency further reason to celebrate by landing and shooting the new Benetton campaign with top photographer David Simms.

Jeneil is following a now established Pulse tradition of its models landing major campaigns or editorials immediately on starting their international careers. Interestingly, the most famous of these, Nadine Willis, is signed to New York models, the same agency that has successfully booked Jeneil for Benetton.

The stunning Jeneil, who sites her flawless skin as her X factor, was discovered in Pulse's Caribbean Model Search 2005 and placed third in the competition. Steven Bermudez who books both Willis and now Williams at New York Models, won out on the now usual bidding war that precedes the international signing of top model talent from Pulse..."



Photo courtesy of Yard Flex

Gucci Westman

In a Time Magazine article, Lisa McLaughlin writes "...Believe it or not, it was a makeunder—not a makeover—that put Gucci Westman on the imagemaking map and got her the lofty position of favorite makeup artist of celebrities like Cameron Diaz and Julianne Moore. As the makeup artist for Being John Malkovich, Westman turned the stunning Diaz into the homely Lotte.

Westman's route to the movie business started in Paris, where she worked as an au pair for the family of a beauty/fashion writer. The boxes of samples sent to the home, she says, "got me involved in playing around with makeup." After attending a makeup school in Paris, she ended up in Los Angeles doing special-effects makeup. Her first big break came when photographer Annie Leibovitz needed bikers covered in mud for a 1996 Vanity Fair cover.

"I did all this research and learned about mud in the Middle East, mud in the South and the different shades," Westman says. One thing led to another, and soon she was doing covers for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. The 33-year-old achieved another lofty goal when she was appointed artistic director for Lancôme, where she will create new products and palettes. She attributes her success to her ability to make people look as if they authentically belong in a place or situation. A talent that comes in handy, no doubt, when she's touching up Diaz and Moore for the red carpet..."

Photo Courtesy of Vogue.fr

Naomi Campbell

This lady Naomi Campbell, is one of the icons of the catwalk.

Aside from the tantrums she has in her personal life, she seems to have never changed ever since she first appeared in the International limelight 15 years ago. Her appearance in the Madonna's "Sex" book and Michael Jackson’s "Liberian Girl" video reminds us about the controversy surrounding this of lady of Afro-Jamaican and oriental heritage.

She is the last of the original famous super models with included the likes of Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer....

Photos by Marcio Madeira, Olivier Claisse and courtesy of Style.com

Deola Sagoe

Deola Sagoe website says "... Deola Sagoe has given African Fashion in the 21st century the most radical expression imaginable from the deeply rooted African fabrics to all perfectly matched accessories. Deola Sagoe, the two-time international award winner of African designs truly celebrates Africa and Nigeria.

Her refreshing exploration of that which is genuinely African, evokes a subtle nostalgia for history by her favoured use of hand woven fabrics, accessories like cowries, crystals, beads and extensive us of gold. She is adjudged as the African fashion designer who is "best placed to interpret our cultural diversity and artistry, our earthiness and mystery, our colors warmth and passion of the African woman in her simplicity and elegance..."


Photo Courtesy of Deola Sagoe

Stoned Cherrie

Cape Town Fashion Week says "...Nkhensani Manganyi Nkosi is one of the new voices of Africa. She has travelled throughout the world as a designer, a television personality and lauded actress in a series of theatre plays including “Sophia town, The Colored Museum and Marabi” receiving critical acclaim from international audiences. She boasts a mantelpiece of awards including the International Crystal Award for Entertainer of the Year 1998. In 2003, she demonstrated personal and professional staying power as second time judge for popular reality television show, Coca-Cola Pop-stars, and as second time winner of the Style Award (Best Designer Category 2003). She currently co-produces and co-hosts, with her husband Zam Nkosi, the SABC 1 talk show Mojo.

While traveling throughout Africa as the host and official spokesperson for M- net’s Face of Africa, 2000, she became more aware of African sophistication in aesthetics and wanted to create a brand that would represent African urban energy. In that same year Stoned Cherrie launched to rave reviews, during South African Fashion Week (SAFW).Stoned Cherrie's fashioned "home grown" identity moves away from stereotypical branding that has plagued South African fashion and for that it has been recognized by the South African fashion industry by being awarded the coveted Catherine/ Fairlady Fashion Award for 2003. This year, 2005, Stoned Cherrie was the recipient of a Catherine/Fairlady Lifetime Achievement Award.

Says Nkhensani of the Stoned Cherrie philosophy:

“I like the idea of boldly moving forward and daring to be different and daring to be proud to be African. There is a wealth of talent in this country and I am proud to host some of the finest young designers in the land. I am proud that we are able to translate what are old ideas into something new and provide the nostalgia that is part of our celebration. I am proud that we have been recognized by the industry as being at the forefront of redefining African street couture in a way that is exciting and revolutionary..."

Photos courtesy of Rage and Cape Town Fashion Week

Davina Mulimbi

Hintmag says "...Of African heritage, Belgian-born Davina Mulimbi is the belle of the Parisian runway. The Statuesque Scorpio has walked for John Galliano and Dior, and has appeared in American Elle, French Glamour, French Elle and French magazine..."

This model is just 21 years and is of Congolese and Belgian parentage and has a huge career ahead of her especially as the fashion modeling industry is looking for younger replacements for Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek etc.

Photos by Don Ashby, Marcio Madeira and courtesy of Style.com

Yemisi Ajayi

Nigeria-Arts website says"...Yemisi Ajayi has won a reputation as an innovative textile designer working within the realm of traditional Yoruba cloth and motifs. She is also a teacher of batik, adire (starch resist), dye method and Yoruba patchwork quilting.

A native of Lagos, with family roots in the Ijebu region of Nigeria, Yemisi began her career as a textile artist in 1986 in Oshogbo, where she studied with several of Nigeria's recognized textile artists. Striking out on her own in 1990, Yemisi has had broad success in the areas of quilting, fashion design, textile design, and interior decorating. She maintains a small workshop and collaborates widely with Nigeria's many talented visual artists.

To Yemisi, art is life. She first trained at Oshogo Art School and then received her Diploma in Creative Arts at the Centre for Cultural Studies at the University of Lagos. She started exhibiting her work in 1990, and in 1991 staged an exhibition at the Lagos Museum, which brought her national and international recognition. In 1993, she opened her own studio and shop.

In late 1995, Yemisi and a group of her friends started the Rainbow Women's Arts Association (RAWA). Explaining the organization's mission, she says, "I believe women are burdened with heavy responsibilities which prevent them from expressing themselves. We want to provide the opportunity for them to express themselves through the arts, and also gain some economic independence, which will help preserve that opportunity of expression." The organization is committed to providing a platform for women's artistic and creative growth, and to preserving the traditional textile arts of Nigeria and adapting them so they remain relevant to modern times..."

Photo courtesy of Nigeria-Arts

Anna Paula Mizzetti

This Brazilian model based in Paris and under the management of IMG models caught our attention as someone to feature in our blog. She has achieved the same status as her fellow compatriots like Giséle Bündchen and Adriana Lima.

We do not know a lot about her roots originating from Brazil or how she made it to where she is presently, however she does have some cool pictures in her porfolio