Many times social networks pretend to be a window to what is possible. The content shared on these platforms can open doors that never transcended the idea of fantasy, such as the possibility of collaborating with brands you admire or of becoming a Chanel model at Paris Fashion Week. This last case is 100% based on real events, specifically the story of Rachel Ojuromi, the Nigerian model who, before that, knew how to make very good use of her talent and the exposure provided by social media.
Rachel Ojuromi was, first, a film student who made a short as a project. In this process she met Debby Fasingha, a stylist and, over time, her best friend. Together they promoted a creative idea whose setting was the streets of Lagos and whose main star was Rachel herself. The objective was none other than to recreate on the streets of the Nigerian capital fashion shows and campaigns of luxury brands like the ones they had seen during their adolescence, of course, leaving a personal imprint with a lot of influence from her native Nigeria.
The designs and styling ideas of Debby Fasingha, the camera of Odey Ikpä and Rachel Ojuromi’s modeling talent gave as a result a series of photos and videos that did not take long to go viral and attract the attention of celebrities such as Naomi Campbell or Rosalía, who joined her followers and even left comments on some of her posts showing the support and admiration they felt for the work and talent of this rising model.
From the streets of Nigeria to walking the Chanel runway
The virality worked in Rachel’s favor and made the video reach the right audience. Among the comments on one of her posts stood out a name, Matthieu Blazy, creative director of Chanel, who did not hesitate to show his admiration for the young artist’s project. What Rachel perhaps didn’t know when she was surprised by Blazy’s comment was all that this interaction was going to trigger.
Despite showing potential in her Instagram videos, her runway experience was zero. But that seemed not to matter to Blazy, who wanted to count on her for such an important event as the Ready-to-Wear Spring/Summer 2027 show by Chanel presented at Paris Fashion Week. This is how the rest of the world got to know her: walking the catwalk and clad in one of the designer’s tweed suits that forward the trends of the coming season.
Rachel Ojuromi en el desfile Ready to Wear Primavera Verano 2027 de Chanel
In an interview with fashion commentator Lyas Medini the model excitedly shared the thrill she felt about this opportunity and confessed: «After they confirmed to me and after the rehearsal, I cried my eyes out.» With this opportunity, Rachel has fulfilled a dream that she hopes will be repeated soon, as demonstrated in this same interview, when she made a call to other brands to consider her.
The experience has also been marked by firsts. Not only has it meant Rachel’s runway debut, it has also been the first time she has left Africa. At 22 years old she has wandered the streets of Paris as she did in Lagos, dressed in one of the outfits chosen by her friend Debby Fasingha, and she has shared the content on her Instagram profile, as her signature.
This has been Rachel’s career’s first step, but all signs point to it not being the last. The model shared on her social networks that she had signed with some of the most prestigious modeling agencies in the world: «We did it! We have signed with the best of the best!», she wrote excitedly. In that same post, Rachel wanted to dedicate this moment «to all the children to whom someone had ever told that their dreams were too big for the place they come from» and she ended the message by writing her next intention: «I can’t wait to make every single one of you feel proud!»
