MY TOP 10 FASHION MODELS by Ibhade Arabome

The fashion industry… an industry that is booming and influential; it has been infamous for its promotion of anorexia (and other pretty disgusting eating disorders), stick-thin models and with some brands using mostly Caucasian models on their runways resulting in shouts of racism all over the place. Despite these controversial issues, the industry has had its upsides as they have produced many world-class, unique ladies that have set fashion trends and been the faces of many popular designers. Women want to be them and men want to be with them, making fashion models very hot property.

 

Now, everybody has favourites and I am no exception. What are a few of my favourite things you ask? Well, a lot of things (thanks for asking) but right now, we’ll focus on who are my favourites and why. Enter, my top 10 favourite fashion models.

1. Chanel Iman

This 5’10” Korean/African-American lady was one of the “models to watch” when she burst into the scene and really made her mark in the fashion world in 2009. She has walked for the ever famous Victoria Secret, Banana Republic and DSQUARED² (to name a few). Her impeccably long legs and elegant strut on the catwalk are just a few of her many attributes, making her a designer’s dream and one of my leading ladies.

2. Irina Lazareanu 

She made me really fall in love with the fashion industry and is still one of my style icons. Her quirky, vintage, rocker style makes her a diverse and unique individual which is a major trait that designers adore. It has also been instrumental in her modelling career which has seen her work for Chanel, Balenciaga, Versace and the likes. This Romanian/Canadian will always be one of my favourite models of all time. No joke. Of ALL time.

3. Cara Delevingne

 

The blonde, thick-eyebrowed Englishwoman is the model of the moment and is regularly seen on the runway, in music videos and magazine spreads (her presence knows no bounds). Her tomboy/kooky style and care-free attitude is loved by some yet hated by many. I happen to be in the ‘love’ category which is why she’s on my list.

4. Kate Moss

The queen of grunge who popularised the boho chic and waif trends is on my list for her panache and style. With her style being similar to Irina, this makes it easy to understand why I love her too. She’s famous for being smaller than the statuesque of her time, i.e. the tall and leggy models like Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and others.

Her ability to rock a military jacket and boiler suits made me a big fan of the clothing items causing me to want to buy them and buy as many as possible. Again, no joke. She’s incredible and no doubt one of my favourite models. Ever. 

5. Joan Smalls

I love her elegance, beauty, slenderness, milk chocolate complexion and grace. Her cool, calm and collected nature makes her the epitome of a model. She’s one of the few popular black models around, making her a somewhat rare gem. The Puerto Rican stunner is 27 but can easily pass for a lady 7 years her junior. She’s definitely a favourite of mine.

 

6. Jourdan Dunn

Where do I start with Miss D? I remember when she was sprung into the spotlight in 2007 and I was gobsmacked by her elegance (yeah, I think many models are elegant, hence why I’ve used the word again). Her cute, doll-like features, elongated legs and ever-present confidence, make her a model to be reckoned with.

Her career has sky-rocketed since she started out, making her a staple in popular brands’ advertising. By the way, check out her cooking channel on YouTube; she makes delicious dishes and spices up each episode with friends and a lot of comedy. So yeah, she’s definitely top 10 material.

7. Freja Beha Erichsen

A biker chick that rocks the tomboy look too well. She revived my love for jeans and all things guyish (yet feminine). I love how she makes manly styles look so effortlessly flawless. She (in my opinion) started making the short, Kristen Stewart-brunette hairdo fashionable before it became a big hit in recent times.

The Danish model has nailed the I’m-not-bothered look and thus, makes her a top 10 candidate.

 

 

8. Liu Wen

One of China’s finest exports to the world is Miss Wen; her happy-go-lucky personality coupled with her impeccable street style makes her another one of my top models. Whether she’s clad in makeup or completely au naturel, her beauty is transcendent. She’s an incredibly photogenic lady and is sensational in luxurious, high fashion shots as well as simple photographs. She is the bomb.

9. Karlie Kloss

The tallest lady of the gang, standing at 6’1” (to be specific), is also on my list. The American wonder woman has seen non-stop action in her career. She’s known for her poise and “powerful strut”. Yeah, you read that right; “powerful”. Tyra Banks once stated that Karlie is one of her favourite models because of her “unique, atypical beauty” and I completely and totally agree with this statement.

10. Kendall Jenner

Finally! We have reached the last lady of the list; we all know her and her famous/infamous family; she’s credited for doing her own thing and being an independent brand hence why she’s one of the most-talked about models of the moment.

Her personal style is to die for (I literally want everything she owns) and her sashay down the catwalk makes her one cool cat, seeing as she’s a novice compared to the previously mentioned ladies on my list. All the same, she’s one of my favourite models.

Well, there you have it; my top 10 models in the fashion world and my (interesting) reasons why I adore them so.

Ciao!

Happy New year - Top 10 Things to do in 2015

 

Hi Guys, happy new year to you all. well, I guess new year came a bit late this year....lol. In one of my previous posts, I promised to drop an article once a week but I have been unbelievable lazzzy.so I am giving myself a big fail on this one. Its the 3rd week of 2015 and I thought I could inspire you guys for the year. It's still early days so you can grab a pen and a cup of coffee and set out an agenda for the year. Here's my top 10 list of things that you can do this year.

1. Learn something new - There's a saying that we start getting old the day we stop learning. You may be in your 20s, 30s or even 40s but you will be completely shocked at the amount of basic things you cannot do. Now is the time to crack up a list. what do you wish you could do? Do you know how to swim? How about learning to play a musical instrument like the guitar, piano or trumpet, or even learn how to write, speak to the public or learn a new language. Whatever drives you, It's always fun to know more and the new year provides that opportunity.

2. Get an extra degree - Are you a professor or doctor? Certificates never get old. The thing is that a certificate is an evidence of knowledge as opposed to obtaining knowledge for fun or self development a certificate creates opportunities, just ask Buhari...lol. Did you obtain your bachelors 10 years ago and do not have a masters degree? Or you wanted to study law and ended up with sociology? You still have a chance to get that extra certification now.

3. Fall in love - If you are single and ready to mingle or even if you have been heartbroken a few times. 2015 can be the time to let go of all that baggage and just let loose. It's always great to be open minded and fall in love. The 1st phase in a relationship is always so beautiful and could create long term memories you would love to reminisce about in future. Love may be overrated but it's definitely better than being lonely.

4. Get married - Have you been saving for your dream wedding or waiting for perfection? Why not take a big risk and just get married. Your life really never starts until you do. Marriage creates a more realistic picture of what your future will be like and is a cure for irresponsibility and promiscuity. When all the expenses hit you ehn, your eye go shine...just kidding.

5. Change your fashion theme - If you've got some cash to play with then changing your wardrobe isn't something bad to look forward to this year. Aren't you tired of the same old boot cut jeans with
T-shirts? You can spice things up a bit by changing that theme by changing brands, colour codes or just change your whole style in all. I really enjoyed migrating from T.M Lewin to Charles Tyrwhitt last year. You can google to guide you through this makeover process if you are short of ideas.

6. Travel somewhere new - The world has 196 countries. That means you can visit 2 countries per year all through your lifetime and there will still be places to visit. Do you want to see the blue mosque in Istanbul or the Berlin wall in Germany, the pyramids or Giza or the great wall of China. You can pick a destination and visit somewhere unusual this year. Take pictures, wine, dine and have great sex. Just have fun!

7. Go vocational - You know how we always talked about having a side hustle to augment our active income? Going vocational can help with that. What do you wanna learn? Photography, web design, tailoring, carpentry, interior design, name it. acquiring vocational skills can be fun and bring in some extra cheese along the line.

8. Lose weight - When last did you check your BMI. My guess is that you are probably overweight. 2015 might be a fine time for you to change your diet and workout daily. 15 - 30 minutes a day is just alright and you could end this year a lot fitter than you started it.

9. Start a small business - A friend of mine just started high-end online store check Oreeda.com.  even though she already earns big bucks from a full time job. That's the very spirit you need. You can start something too. It may be in partnership with someone with a bit more time or just solo. Do you have any skills you aren't using or you just love to sell or consult. Take an extra step and formalise something. You never can tell.

10. Join a social club - Networking cannot be over emphasised. Someone once told me that you can calculate your net worth by working out what you can get in ransom if you kidnapped every contact on your phone. If your contact is filled with Risi oni rice, Mufu eleran, etcetera. Then you definitely need to meet more people. You can join a gym, a recreational club or even a church group to add that extra spice to your network this year.

People always say new years are overrated and you can turn things around anytime but the years are numbered to guide us,provide timelines and bookmark landmarks. Imagine we all lived our lives without a clock and chose to wake up once the sun is up or we kept no dates and don't even know our birthdays or our ages. New year acknowledgements are definitely here to stay and we should all make the best out of every new year . I wish you a wonderful 2015.

This article was written by Olajide Ola for ToptenNG