Oluchi Onweagba: Difference between revisions

Oluchi Onweagba
Oluchi Onweagba
	File:Oo11.jpg
	Modeling information
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Hair color	Black
Eye color	Brown
Agency	DNA Model Management Storm Models
Website	http://oluchi.com/

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Oluchi Onweagba (born August 1 1980), commonly referred to as Oluchi, is a Nigerian supermodel.

Biography

Oluchi's first name in her native Igbo language means "God's work". Her father was a civil servant, and her mother was a nurse. She and her siblings (two brothers and a sister) lived in Ayilara Street, Ojuelegba, in Surulere, a low-income area of the sprawling Lagos(the Nigerian commercial capital) metropolis. She spent her high school years as a good student, and enjoyed playing tennis and ping pong. To make her story one of rags to riches, it is often reported that to make ends meet, she sometimes sold bread on the streets of the city.

In August 2005, she married her long time companion, Italian fashion designer Luca Orlandi. On April 25 2007 their song Ugochukwu was born ^[1].

Adriana Lima and Oluchi are also best of friends and have been for a long time^{[citation needed]}.

Discovery\Breakthrough

She was urged by a family friend to enter into the M-Net Face of Africa preliminary screening at the M-Net office in Victoria Island, Lagos which she scaled through. The agency immediately groomed her to be one of Nigeria's entrants for a model competition, the M-Net Face of Africa (now called the Nokia Face of Africa). This despite the fact that, growing up, she had maintained a relative ignorance towards fashion and modeling. With the support of her family and friends, she decided to compete in the inaugural edition of the Face of Africa in 1998. This was the first-ever continent-wide model competition, as opposed to a mere beauty pageant, and was organized by the South African subscription television channel M-Net in collaboration with Elite Model Management. With her slim, tall (6 ft 2 in) figure, and her natural beauty, she captivated the judges, and she handily won the competition. She was just seventeen years old. Elite Model Management awarded Onweagba a three-year modeling contract, and a whirlwind life as a highly-sought-after fashion model began.

Career Trajectory

Moving to New York City, where she is currently still living, she began to make an impact. Onweagba graced the covers of Italian Vogue, i-D, ELLE, Untold, and Surface, and she also was featured in Nylon, Marie Claire, Allure, and other national editions of Vogue around the world. She also became the face of the campaigns for Gianfranco Ferré, Victoria's Secret, Gap, Express, Banana Republic, and Ann Taylor. Onweagba's runway experience has been with John Galliano, Christian Dior, Costume National, Chanel, and Giorgio Armani, amongst others, in London, Milan, Tokyo and Paris. She has worked with such high-caliber photographers as Steven Meisel, Nick Kight, and Patrick Demarchelier.

As her career took off, she did not forget her roots and attempted to give back to society. As one of the most high profile international models of Nigerian origin, she tries to serve as a role model for other aspiring talents in the west African country, especially young girls. She volunteers her time and her image for such NGOs as LEAP Africa (an entrepreneurship incubator) and NIPRO. She also is continuing her higher education, having studied for an associate's degree in the New York City educational system.

After her three-year contract with Elite expired, she signed with DNA Model Management. She was also signed up to be one of Victoria's Secret "angels," making her the first model of Nigerian descent to achieve this status. A highlight of her career so far was when she was featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue three times, in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

References

^ http://www.thenewsng.com/modules/zmagazine/article.php?articleid=16026

External Links

[1] ttp://www.thenewsng.com/modules/zmagazine/article.php?articleid=16026

[1]

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 '''Oluchi Onweagba''' (born [[August 1]] [[1980]]), commonly referred to as '''Oluchi''', is a [[Nigeria]]n [[Model (person)|supermodel]].
-==Origins==
+==Biography==
-Oluchi, whose first name in her native [[Igbo language]] means "God's work," was born in the [[Nigeria]]n commercial capital of [[Lagos]].  Her father was a [[civil service|civil servant]], and her mother was a [[nurse]]. She and her siblings  (two brothers and a sister) lived in Ayilara Street, Ojuelegba, in [[Surulere]], a low-income area of the sprawling metropolis. She spent her high school years as a good student, and enjoyed playing [[tennis]] and [[ping pong]]. To make her story one of rags to riches, it is often reported that to make ends meet, she sometimes sold bread on the streets of the city.
+Oluchi's first name in her native [[Igbo language]] means "God's work".  Her father was a [[civil service|civil servant]], and her mother was a [[nurse]]. She and her siblings  (two brothers and a sister) lived in Ayilara Street, Ojuelegba, in [[Surulere]], a low-income area of the sprawling [[Lagos]](the [[Nigeria]]n commercial capital) metropolis. She spent her high school years as a good student, and enjoyed playing [[tennis]] and [[ping pong]]. To make her story one of rags to riches, it is often reported that to make ends meet, she sometimes sold bread on the streets of the city.
+In August 2005, she married her long time companion, [[Italy|Italian]] fashion designer Luca Orlandi. On April 25 2007 their song Ugochukwu was born <ref>http://www.thenewsng.com/modules/zmagazine/article.php?articleid=16026</ref>.
-==Discovery and breakthrough==
+[[Adriana Lima]] and Oluchi are also best of friends and have been for a long time{{fact}}.
+==Discovery\Breakthrough==
 She was urged by a family friend to enter into the [[M-Net]] Face of Africa preliminary screening at the M-Net office in [[Victoria Island (Nigeria)|Victoria Island]], Lagos  which she scaled through. The agency immediately groomed her to be one of Nigeria's entrants for a model competition, the M-Net Face of Africa (now called the Nokia Face of Africa). This despite the fact that, growing up, she had maintained a relative ignorance towards [[fashion]] and [[model (person)|modeling]]. With the support of her family and friends, she decided to compete in the inaugural edition of the Face of Africa in 1998. This was the first-ever continent-wide model competition, as opposed to a mere beauty pageant, and was organized by the [[South Africa]]n subscription television channel M-Net in collaboration with [[Elite Model Management]]. With her slim, tall (6 ft 2 in) figure, and her natural beauty, she captivated the judges, and she handily won the competition. She was just seventeen years old. Elite Model Management awarded Onweagba a three-year modeling contract, and a whirlwind life as a highly-sought-after fashion model began.
-==Career trajectory==
+==Career Trajectory==
 Moving to [[New York City]], where she is currently still living, she began to make an impact. Onweagba graced the covers of Italian ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]'', ''[[i-D]]'', ''[[ELLE]]'', ''Untold'', and ''Surface'', and she also was featured in ''Nylon'', ''[[Marie Claire]]'', ''Allure'', and other national editions of ''Vogue'' around the world. She also became the face of the campaigns for Gianfranco Ferré, [[Victoria's Secret]], [[Gap (clothing retailer)|Gap]], Express, [[Banana Republic]], and Ann Taylor. Onweagba's runway experience has been with [[John Galliano]], [[Christian Dior]], Costume National, [[Chanel]], and [[Giorgio Armani]], amongst others, in [[London]], [[Milan]], [[Tokyo]] and [[Paris]]. She has worked with such high-caliber photographers as [[Steven Meisel]], Nick Kight, and [[Patrick Demarchelier]].
@@ Line 32: / Line 36: @@
 After her three-year contract with Elite expired, she signed with [[DNA Model Management]]. She was also signed up to be one of [[Victoria's Secret]] "angels," making her the first model of Nigerian descent to achieve this status. A highlight of her career so far was when she was featured in the [[Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue|''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue]] three times, in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
+==See Also==
-In August 2005, she married her long time companion, [[Italy|Italian]] fashion designer Luca Orlandi.
-Adriana Lima and Oluchi are also best of friends and have been for a long time.
-==See also==
 *[[List of famous tall women]]
-==External links==
+==References==
+{{reflist}}
+==External Links==
 *[http://www.oluchi.com Official Website]
 *{{imdb name|id=1493799|name=Oluchi Onweagba}}
-*[http://bellanaija.blogspot.com/2006/11/weekend-luv-happy-thanksgiving-edition.html Oluchi and husband, designer Luca Orlandi]
+*[http://lindaikeji.blogspot.com/2007/10/relationship-question-oluchi-onweagba.html Picture of Oluchi, Luca, Ugo]
+*[http://bellanaija.blogspot.com/2006/11/weekend-luv-happy-thanksgiving-edition.html Pregnant Oluchi and husband Luca Orlandi, November 2006]
 *[http://bellanaija.blogspot.com/2006/11/weekend-luv-late-edition.html Oluchi strutting at Victoria's Secret 2006 Show]
 *[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/2006_swimsuit/models/oluchi_onweagba.html 2006 SI Swimsuit Issue gallery]