Winnie Ojanga's Creations Launched

Winnie Ojanga, the Zurich-based Kenyan organiser of the Miss Kenya Swiss beauty pageant, has diversified into fashion design. Ojanga, who says she knew she wanted to become a fashion designer at the age of seven years, adds “As a young girl growing up, I remember paging though fashion magazines and getting fascinated with clothing and how they make people look good. I sewed my first skirt during my Home science practical lesson that emerged one of the best creations during the final year examinations.”
An apparently versatile woman, Ojanga—who attended St Albert’s Girls High School Ulanda in western Kenya—has managed to complete accounting and finance studies at the Zurich Business School before moving on to the International School of Tourism and Management in Zürich while bringing up a young family and managing the Miss Kenya Swiss pageant.
However Ojanga who while in school in Kenya won the National Best Verse Speaking during the Kenya National Music Festivals, Best Actress Award at the Nyanza Provincial Drama Festivals and Exemplary Senior School Prefect Award, is now pursuing her dream in the US$157 billion a year international fashion industry.
“My beginning into the fashion industry happened when I took up the challenge of organising the Miss Kenya Swiss pageant which is a youth empowerment programme for young Kenya girls in Switzerland,” Ojanga says. “This pageant sought to give the young Kenyan females living in Switzerland a platform to show their talents, create role models that the younger generation could look up to, and also open doors for those young Kenyan females who wanted to pursue a career in fashion, modelling and beauty industry in Europe.”
The pageant, she says, was held alongside the Kenya Swiss Society gala dinner and dance. But the pageant has not taken place over the past two years due to what Ojanga explains as her extremely busy schedule. “We however hope to continue organising the event soon,” she says.
One of the most challenging things Ojanga says she faced was that “The Kenyan society in Switzerland is not big enough and so getting potential candidates was a challenge.”
Having launched the “Winnie Ojanga’s Creations”, she says her designs of evening wear and jewellery are “appreciated by a very large public internationally. My creations–made for phenomenal women—are not only made to measure couture fashions with unique twist of glamorous feel but are also ageless and timeless. I work with high end fabrics, and haute couture sewing techniques to achieve all my elegant, classy and breath-taking creations.“
Saying her “jewellery line is elegant, sophisticated, fine, beautiful and easy to wear,” Ojanga explains that this is “inspired by the memories and images of my childhood in Kenya that I combine with strong European antique art and design. Every piece of my creation is hand-made, thus making my designs unique.”

A believer that “nothing comes without hard work, persistence, determination and discipline,” Ojanga says she was mentored by a Swiss fashion designer who worked and trained her in her atelier to bring out her creative and innovative talents through learn-as-you-do practical method.Though she says “Working with this Swiss fashion designer gave me the real life experience I needed,” Ojanga—who is also a member of the Association of International Fashion Industry Leaders in Europe—says she is completing formal training from the Fashion Design Institute. Some of her designs, she says, are gracing the catwalk of international fashion shows.
“I am currently working behind the scenes on my collection,” Ojanga says. “I am also designing for my clients privately besides working as a freelance designer.

Yasmeen Ghauri

"...In 1989, Yasmeen Ghauri was McDonald’s employee of the month. A year later, she was the fashion industry’s flavor of the month. But she lasted a lot longer, appearing on virtually every major fashion-magazine cover.At 17, the dark-eyed beauty made an appointment at a Montreal modeling agency, and her career began. Her father, a strict Muslim, and her German mother both discouraged their daughter, describing the field as unsanitary and evil.But she followed her calling, moving to New York in August 1990 to model full-time. Within months, she became one of the select Versace faces. Her natural beauty–not to mention her amazing ability to wear clothes–quickly won her regular work for Isaac Mizrahi, Chanel and Givenchy. And her height made her the star of Donna Karan’s fall debut.Ghauri spent most of ‘94 and ‘95 on the runways of Milan, Paris and New York, not delving into print work until late ‘95. In June ‘96, she pulled out of a major runway show for Yves Saint Laurent at the last minute, igniting rumors of retirement.The rumors were actually well informed. Although she continues to work in modeling, Ghauri is determined to get her business degree. And though she doesn’t share her father’s strict philosophies, she does adhere to the Muslim teachings of modesty by shunning the limelight. We hope she doesn’t completely lose sight of the runway..."

Oluchi Anweagba

"...Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Oluchi Onweagba is a true icon who proudly represents her continent in the international fashion industry. The super model’s life has been filled with many changes and transitions. Oluchi, the daughter of a civil servant father and mother who was a nurse, grew up in the suburbs of Lagos with her two brothers and sisters. She was a content high school student whose days were pleasantly filled with Coca-Cola, tennis, and Ping-Pong. Oluchi enjoyed taking commercial classes and planned her future as an entrepreneur. Despite her ignorance towards fashion and modeling, Oluchi accepted a friend of her family’s urging to compete in the 1998 M-Net Face of Africa competition. At the age of Seventeen, the Nigerian beauty won this prestigious continental modeling competition and has led quite a different life since. Elite Models Management awarded Oluchi a three-year modeling contract which sent her to the top of the fashion industry and she quickly became one of the most sought after model.Oluchi, whose name means “Work of God”, has proven the prediction that she would follow the footsteps of Iman and Alek true. Shortly after her breakout competition, she graced the covers of Italian Vogue, I-D, Elle, Untold, Surface and also featured in Nylon, Marie Claire, Allure, and Vogue in a variety of different languages. Furthermore, Oluchi became the face of the campaigns for Gianfranco Ferre, Victoria’s Secret, Gap, Express, Banana Republic, and Ann Taylor. Oluchi’s runway experience is also lengthy and impressive. She has worked with John Galliano, Christian Dior, Costume National, Chanel, and Giorgio Armani just to name a few. Similarly, the number and caliber of photographers she has worked with includes the likes of Steven Meisel, Nick Kight, and Patrick Demarchelier.Oluchi is more than just a pretty face. Her remarkable humbleness and free spirit exudes a refreshing disposition to her captivating beauty and striking presence. Besides upkeeping of her successful modeling career, Oluchi is pursuing an associate’s degree and plans to continue her studying afterwards. If that is not enough, she serves Leap Africa and Nipro as an active member.Oluchi continues to emerges as a successful and endearing young woman who appreciates her past and applies her gratitude and confidence towards her future. From a mere glance at her portfolio, it is apparent just how and why Oluchi has become one of the most successful and sought after model. As one impressive, Untoldagazine put it, Oluchi has a “Career in the top echelons of fashion” and, without a doubt, an exceptional future awaiting her...."

Ajuma Nasenyana

Surazuri agency says "...Nancy ‘Ajuma’ Nasenyana from Turkana made modeling history on the night of January 20th 2004 when she became the first black model EVER to win a modeling contract in an International modeling competition (that was not specifically for women of colour). Ajuma represented Kenya in the worlds most prestigious model search – The Ford Models Supermodel of the World Search, which culminated in a glittering final event featuring hopefuls from 39 countries at The New York Public Library. She was placed 4th runner up and won a $50,000 contract. Having already done a couple of shows and editorials in Paris and Ireland, Ajuma had the advantage of some experience outside Kenya and had a decent portfolio to show the many international agents present at the Ford event. Aside from the representation she already had in London, Ireland and Paris, she also secured representation in Spain, Denmark, Portugal, Sweden, Austria, Croatia, Australia, South Africa, Panama and the Philippines and the room was buzzing with talk about her.Following the exciting finals, Ajuma stayed on in New York for fashion week where she modeled with Naomi Campbell and Alek Wek in shows including Baby Phat’s and Carlos Mienes. From there she flew straight to Milan where she did seven shows including for Ferragamo. Next was Paris where she opened the show for Vivian Westwood as well as starring in several others. The winter season shows are officially over, so her next flight is to London where she will begin go-sees for her agency, Bookings. Her 11 page editorial in top Irish Magazine, Image, comes out in April.In June, Ajuma will head home to Kenya to star in Kenya Fashion Week. This girl will not forget her roots and will make her country proud.Ajuma’s first foray into modeling came about when she entered the Miss Tourism competition in 2003. She was crowned Miss Nairobi. Spotted by Lyndsey McIntyre, she was the main feature in a photo story by Gamma Photo Agency which was later sold to Gala magazine, France. Ajuma also featured in The Face Magazine (UK) and The Daily Record (Scotland). She is a 400 m and 800 m runner who is in training in Ireland. Ajuma is the Kenyan entrant to the Ford Models Supermodel of the World 2003 finals in New York in January. She is articulate and intelligent and has vast potential to make it as a top international model..."