Future Face Africa: The largest casting of models in Africa

Africa's modelling world withne ssed a turning point in 2010 when South Africa and Nigeria organised fashion weeks that were recognised on the international scene as "select" in fashion world.

The recent Black Lives Matter movement and high-profile advocates for the beauty of black women are also helping to change trends around the world.

"You didn't have a modelling industry back then. It was just freelance models all over the whole place and shows would call and the models would just show up from everywhere. So you know, she sort of pioneered the modelling industry.(...) We do tend to see a lot of black models and Nigerian models specifically, walking the runways abroad, doing campaigns and all of that" said Marius Isikalu, Collaborator with Beth Model Management.

When Elohor returned from London in 2004 to start Beth Model Agency, she was breaking new ground. The former top model created the first modelling agency in Nigeria , when there was no Fashion Week on the continent, very few local designers and little high-end fashion.

"A lot of International designers are realizing that most of their clients as well are from Africa, we buy their expensive stuff and that is what is happening now and things have changed and people are realizing that Africa is now, at the moment" stressed Elizabeth Elohor, Head of Beth Models.

Before the 2000s, there were few black faces gracing the covers of women's magazines with the exception of iconic figures like Naomi Campbell, Donyale Luna and Beverly Johnson.

In Nigeria, Africa's most populous country with more than 200 million people, the few who at the time dared to venture into modelling were independent, vulnerable, and had to distribute their own portfolios to companies specialising in events and advertising.

- "Africa is the future" -

Tobi Momoh is one of the new generation of models.

Smiling and full of life, the 19-year-old goes from table to table in her fitted black dress, greeting stars from Nigeria's Nollywood film scene, Afropop music royalty or reality TV stars.

"I grew up thinking that I would be like any other girls struggling to find a job after school. But Elizabeth saw me on the road, she asked permission to my mom to sign me in her agency and now! Look at me! It was so simple," she said.

Tobi was just 15 when she won the Elite Model Look Africa competition, which propelled her onto the catwalks in Milan, Paris and in several international agencies.

"We have the beauties to rock the runways," she said.

Elizabeth knows that, too.

And even if she no longer has time to walk the streets or the markets of Lagos, her passion for finding the rare pearls of African beauty remains with her.

Through "Future Face Africa", a huge casting first via social networks and then in face-to-face castings, she wants to broaden her search to the whole continent and make fashion shake in Africa.

The growing sector has allowed the emergence of many actors, designers, makeup artists, but also photographers.

Kola Oshalusi, a famous Nigerian fashion photographer, has also witnessed the explosion in demand and the professionalisation of modelling in Africa over the past decade.

Even Nigeria's growing security troubles, high inflation and economic woes can't take away the glitz and sense of hope.

"Africa is the future," Oshalusi said sporting an elegant beige hat and cotton jacket.

"Nigeria is Africa. Nigerian models are confident, they are bringing so much energy on the runways, they know what they want, and it's helped to build an incredible reputation on the international scene."