Ayak (in blue) with other models backstage in Paris
In the recent years, a number of Ugandan models have had remarkable turning points in their respective careers after getting signed onto famous international agencies from the world. We are talking of the likes of Stacie Lagum Aamito, Patricia Akello, Paul Mwesigwa, among others.
Now, Bior Veronica Ayak, 18, who was born in South Sudan and raised in Uganda has become the recent model to embark on an international modeling career after getting placed at Marilyn Model Agency, a renowned Paris based agency.
Ayak travelled to Paris about a week ago and was immediately booked to walk for Italian fashion designer, Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavano in his Valentino’s Spring 2019 haute couture show.
Ayak walking for Valentino in Paris. Courtesy Photo
Ayak shared the same runway with Naomi Campbell, a renowned world supermodel who also walked for the same designer.
Ayak will be walking in other upcoming fashion shows.
How she was scouted
Her journey in the modeling industry goes back to the year, 2017. It all started when she attended a casting (an interview process for models) at Makerere University Business School (MUBS) termed as the Ultimate Model Search organised by Joram Model Management (JMM) and Photo4Fashion, a photography agency.
The search was purposely a scouting exercise geared towards recruiting new and young models onto the agency.
Ayak standing far back in a blue dress with other models. At the front (in black) is supermodel, Naomi Campbell. Courtesy photo
Ayak was among the lucky few who were eventually recruited onto the agency.
In fact, Joram Job Muzira, the founder of Joram Model Management says he signed Ayak because of her down to earth personality and strong physique features.
In person, Ayak is very tall (standing at about 6 feet tall), dark skinned and petite.
Upon getting signed onto JMM, Ayak immediately became one of the most sought after models in the Ugandan industry.
She walked for some of the country’s biggest fashion shows including Kampala Fashion Week (KFW) and Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards (ASFAs) for both the years 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Ayak during a photoshoot in Kampala recently. Photo by ESTHER OLUKA
She has also been featured in different editorial magazines including Saturday Monitor’s Full Woman Magazine.
As her portfolio started growing as a model, a number of international agencies starting expressing interest in signing her up.
And so far, from the look of things, Marilyn Model Agency based in Paris must have seen great potential in Ayak and immediately took her on.
Undoubtedly, Ayak’s future is bright since the agency has represented other international supermodels including Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.
