Selita Ebanks
Selita Ebanks | |
|---|---|
 Ebanks in June 2009 | |
| Born | Selita Ebanks 15 February 1983 |
| Modeling information | |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1] |
| Hair color | Brown |
| Eye color | Brown[2] |
| Agency | Women Management New York and Paris, D'management Group Milan |
Selita Ebanks (born 15 February 1983) is a Cayman-born British fashion model and actress.[3] Ebanks has worked for high fashion brands Neiman Marcus and Ralph Lauren, and appeared in magazines such as the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Vogue, and Glamour, but she is best known for her work with Victoria's Secret, as one of the brand's "Angels" from 2005 to early 2009.[3]
Early life
Born of Native American, Irish and African descent[2] to a Jamaican father and a Caymanian mother[4] in George Town, Grand Cayman,[2] Ebanks was raised in a large family that included seven brothers. Her family, her mother in particular, encouraged her development through extracurricular programs. She moved to the United States and settled on Staten Island. She was accepted by Columbia University and New York University, but instead chose to pursue modeling.[3] In 2000,[5] at the age of 17,[3] while walking through the turnstiles at Six Flags Great Adventure, Ebanks was scouted by an agent from Elite Model Management.[6]
Career
Modeling
Ebanks made her debut in February 2001 at the fall show for Tuleh. After working for the likes of Catherine Malandrino, James Coviello, Abercrombie & Fitch, and DKNY, she signed a contract with Victoria's Secret in 2005.[5]
Ebanks first modeled for Victoria's Secret for their Ipex Bra line, before being signed as an Angel.[7] She and Izabel Goulart made their major débuts in the 2005 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show,[7] working as an Angel until 2008. In 2005, Tyra Banks said she was proud of Ebanks to be representing black women at Victoria's Secret.[8]
In 2007, Ebanks was selected to wear the "Very Sexy" Holiday Fantasy Bra Set with a price tag of $4,500,000 dollars that contains diamonds, emeralds, rubies and yellow sapphires—which she wore in the Victoria's Secret "Christmas Dreams and Fantasies 2007" catalogue. She also wore the fantasy bra set during the Victoria's Secret fashion show on December 4, 2007.
Ebanks made a special guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother (episode: "The Yips") on 26 November 2007 with her fellow Victoria's Secret supermodels (Miranda Kerr, Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima, Marisa Miller, and Alessandra Ambrosio).
According to Forbes, Ebanks ranked the twelfth highest paid supermodel for 2008, earning $2.7 million.
She appeared in Sports Illustrated's 2007 Swimsuit Issue.[6]
Beyond modeling
Ebanks appeared on the third season of Celebrity Apprentice, but was fired in week 5 on April 11, 2010, placing 9th.[9] Previously, she recorded music[3] and appeared on the UPN-series South Beach.
She is featured in The-Dream's music video for the single "Make Up Bag",[10] as well as Kanye West's 2010 short film Runaway, playing a fallen phoenix with whom West's character falls in love.
Ebanks also appeared in a commercial for State Farm Insurance alongside actor/model Mehcad Brooks.[11]
Ebanks also has her own line of swimwear,accessories and shoes called Sass which stands for Selita's Accessories Shoes and Swimwear. The line was seen on the BET Rip The Runway 2012 which she hosted alongside Pooch Hall.
Personal life
Ebanks has run her own talent school "Stardom Youth Foundation" since 2004[5] in her hometown Cayman Islands, providing career guidance for teenagers.[4]
She also formed a charity organization, "Women’s Coalition for Empowerment and Opportunity", after a trip to Sierra Leone in 2008. The organization helps to support women’s educational and professional programs in the civil war-torn African nation.[4]
She was engaged to comedian Nick Cannon for five months.[12]
References
- ^ a b c d Selita Ebanks. dmanagementgroup.com. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
- ^ a b c d "Selita Ebanks" Fashion Model Directory
- ^ a b c d e "Selita Ebanks" AskMen
- ^ a b c "Selita Ebanks Beautiful From the Inside Out", 10 August 2010, The Boulevard Magazine
- ^ a b c "Selita Ebanks" New York Magazine
- ^ a b "2007 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Bio - Selita Ebanks", 2007, Sports Illustrated
- ^ a b "[1]".pr.com,Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
- ^ "[2]".The Tyra Banks Show, Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
- ^ NY Daily News. Retrieved 2009-11-27
- ^ "The-Dream - Make Up Bag ft. T.I." YouTube. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ^ "Mehcad Brooks, Selita Ebanks star in State Farm ad". USA Today. 2010-11-23.
- ^ "Nick Cannon, Selita Ebanks Split Up", 3 October 2007, People
External links
- 1983 births
- Living people
- Black British fashion people
- British expatriates in the United States
- British people of Irish descent
- British people of Native American descent
- Caymanian models
- Caymanian people of African descent
- Caymanian people of American descent
- Caymanian people of Jamaican descent
- Participants in American reality television series
- People from Staten Island
- The Apprentice (U.S. TV series) contestants