Before Nigerian Hot Lister Victoria Fawole dominated the runways and secured global campaigns with Fendi, she was a teacher and tailor in Lagos. Having graduated from high school early and teaching herself to speak Yoruba fluently, Fawole had a lot of free time. Her mother, who was also a teacher, was adamant about using that time productively and finding ways to make an income because, as she says, “in Nigeria, you have to hustle.” Fast forward a few years later, during her teaching days, Fawole was discovered by her mother agent through Facebook. Knowing her religious parents, she was indecisive about the potential career change, as the born and bred Lagosian thought she could never be a model since she was never “pretty enough to fit into that kind of criteria.” Luckily with her brother’s help to convince their parents, she got signed, and the rest, as they say, is history. This year alone, Fawole has secured five campaigns with brands like Louis Vuitton and Alaïa while working with top photographers like Steven Meisel, Craig McDean, David Sims, and more. Models.com spoke to the rising model about going back to university, living in the moment, and her dream collaborators she’d love to work with.
Loewe S/S 23 by Davit Giorgadze | Image courtesy of The Claw
Did you always want to be a model? tell us about how you were discovered.
I’ve always loved the idea of modeling, but I never imagined I would be a model. Back in Nigeria, we have certain parts of the country where they are extremely religious and not interested in fashion. I grew up in that part of Lagos, Nigeria, where my mom was a pastor, and she wasn’t in support of the whole idea of modeling. I never thought I could be a model because I never thought I was pretty enough to fit into that kind of criteria. I used to be a teacher for like two to three years, teaching kids from age 5 and older when I was in Lagos when I was still figuring out what I wanted to do in my career, so during that period of time, I just wanted to do something in my life. I found it fun; I love to teach people about various topics. I started teaching English because I was fascinated by English. I also was learning how to make cakes/catering and was into tailoring because, in Nigeria, you have to hustle. My mom is a teacher, so she always wanted her kids to follow a similar path, as she thought it was a great way for us to learn about life. I was done with high school, so I had a lot of free time because she wasn’t ready for me to go to university. I taught myself how to speak Yoruba in high school, as my mom only spoke English to us, and my dad wasn’t interested in teaching us at all. While I was still figuring out my career path, I was scouted on Facebook by my mother agent, Anani Models, and she told me to come to the agency, and I thought, “oh, let me just give it a shot.” I went and I had to convince my older brother to convince my parents to let me even go see my mother agent. At first, my parents said, “absolutely not. You’re just going to go to university and live a normal life.” But my older brother was persistent, and he wanted me to try it out. So he came with me to my first go-see, and they liked me, so from there, it all started.
Your debut show was for Simone Rocha‘s F/W 21 Show. Since then, you’ve opened shows for brands like The Row and Philosophy and closed two shows for Dsquared2 and Conner Ives. What motivates you to keep striving in your career?
First, my family, they’ve been so supportive from day one. Even when they didn’t like the idea of modeling, because I have so much love and passion for it, they have been my number one fans and always supported me. Two, I love this job; it’s just not a job for me anymore. It’s my life now. I love the fact that I get to learn new things, meet new people, and learn about different cultures. My family & my love for this job are what motivate me to keep going because I have people that are cheering me on and telling me, “keep going, Victoria.”
In 2022 alone, you’ve secured five campaigns with top photographers like Steven Meisel, Craig McDean, & David Sims for clients like Alaïa, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Zara, and more. How does it feel to have accomplished so much in your career in just a year?
To be honest, it doesn’t feel real. It feels like a dream, and someone needs to pinch me and tell me, “wake up; you’re still doing it.” It all just happened so fast, and I’m so grateful for what I’ve been able to achieve; I don’t know how to explain this feeling. I never thought I would do this, but I’m here and I’m doing well at it. So it feels like God has just blessed me with a massive opportunity.
Fendi A/W 22 Campaign by Craig McDean | Image courtesy of The Claw
So far in your career, what would you say has been your most memorable moment on set?
I have multiple; the first one would be the Chanel show earlier this year. That was the biggest moment in my entire career because I never thought I would walk for Chanel. The day I got the casting, I had no faith in myself that I would get the job. So I remember telling my friend very nonchalantly, “I’m going to the Chanel casting, and let’s see if it’s gonna work out.” Then I got there, and the next day I was asked to come for a fitting, and I remember getting to the fitting area, and I was like, this is it! I called my mom, and I told her, “I got the Chanel job!” She did not understand what that meant, but she was just as happy as I was. It’s not easy to book Chanel, especially in your first F/W season; that’s why getting it was quite a big deal for me. Also, the Fendi Global campaign, being a part of that campaign, was amazing. It was my first ever global campaign, and I finally felt like I belonged and that I felt loved. The outfit was beautiful, and the client was so nice to us. It was a magical moment in my career, and me realizing that my pictures were going to be in different cities and that I get to go see them and take pictures of them – was so special to me.
You walked for Pieter Mulier‘s debut show for Azzedine Alaïa and have walked for the brand each season since then. What was it like working with the Alaïa team again, as you’ve worked with them consistently?
Working with Alaïa is just magical because the clothes make me feel sexy, and the team actually wants to know your opinion. So Pieter would always tell me and tell his models, “I just wanna make sure you guys look beautiful and confident. I want powerful women.” I will never forget that. So working with the Alaïa maison, I would say, is just like working with family to me. I love them, and I love Pieter.
What would you say is one of the biggest challenges you face in your career, and how have you been able to move past it?
That would be the issue with my passport, I haven’t moved past it, but I’ve tried to find a way just to accept it. Currently, I’m a Nigerian passport holder, and I have to apply for every single visa to go to New York and Europe. I missed half of the last fashion week because my passport was stuck at the UK Embassy, and it was there for two months, and they had no reason for why my passport was there. It was supposed to only take a week, it ended up taking two months, and I was stuck in London the entire time. This is not the first time or second time I’ve gone through this. When I apply for visas, sometimes it gets canceled, and sometimes I have to wait for ages to get it back. It’s quite frustrating because I’ve lost a lot of jobs because I didn’t have my passport. I’ve spoken to my agency about ways to make it better, and we haven’t found a permanent solution yet. The embassy will say the visa is fast-tracked, but the system doesn’t work. What’s the essence of having a fast track and why do I have to pay for priority when I don’t even get my passport back as soon as possible? It is a waste of my time and resources. One time, I had to go to the embassy to ask why my passport was delayed, then one of their staff was very rude to me, and they chased me out of the door, which was pretty sad to see. I was really upset that they hadn’t scheduled an appointment, as I’m a frequent traveler, and it’s supposed to be easy for me to get my passport back as quickly as possible. They just kept it there, and they had no excuse. Eventually, the passport finally came out, and I initially applied for a three-month visa, and they ended up only giving me a month.
Azzedine Alaïa Summer/Fall 2022 Campaign by Willy Vanderperre | Image courtesy of The Claw
What are you looking forward to in the next season, as that’s slowly approaching? Do you have anything routines that you have to do to keep you in check and prepare you for show season?
I do a lot of personal meditation when I prepare for the next season, as I know it’s gonna be a bit stressful, but I love the entire process of it. When I’m preparing for the fashion season, I try to get as much rest as possible, and to spend time with people that I love and just do things that make me happy; it always makes me feel energized. I try not to get as stressed as possible I can, and regardless I’m always excited for the next fashion season!
You just mentioned that you like to spend time with people that you love. So when you’re not modeling, what mostly takes up your time?
I have a lot on the list! I love reading, learning new things, and I am also trying to go back to university, so I do a bit of part-time studying for that. Back home in Lagos, I completed a journalism course, so I want to go into something different. Currently, I’m thinking of marketing and part-time English and literacy studies. A mix of different things because I get bored easily, and I want to learn as many things as possible. I’m still trying to decide which one before I pick a major. I also love basketball, so I’ve been learning how to play it. I also love to go out for walks by myself and spend quality time with my friends.
Who would you say are your dream brands or collaborators to work with in the future?
I would like to work more with Chanel and Versace. Also, I would love to work with Ib Kamara, Dazed Magazine, and Bottega Veneta, hopefully in the future, as it would be an honor to work with the Bottega brand.
Prada Summer Collection by Drew Vickers | Image courtesy of The Claw
What advice or tips would you give to your younger self and why?
One thing I had to learn the hard way was whatever you can’t control, don’t stress because there’s nothing you can do about it. You just gotta accept it. Two, be grateful for whatever you have, even if you think what you have accomplished is too little or you don’t think you’ve gone far in life – just be grateful and enjoy the moment. Live in the moment because you don’t know what tomorrow is going to be like. These tips have really helped me a lot, especially in the modeling industry, because there’s a lot of constant rejection, and I always try to tell myself it’s not you; it’s just the way it is. You just have to accept it and move on.
