Who Is Model Awar Odhiang? Everything You Need To Know

Each fashion season introduces a fresh face, a different story, and a renewed vision of beauty; that rare moment when one model walks the runway and completely changes the conversation.

That is what happened when Awar Odhiang appeared during Chanel’s Spring/Summer 2026 show. Her walk, as the 3rd black model closing for Chanel in 115 years, opened a new chapter in the industry. The crowd watched as the model glided down the stage, dressed in a white silk shirt and colorful, voluminous skirt, eyes bright, smile unrestrained, radiating confidence that could be felt through the cameras.

It was a moment that quickly became one of the most talked-about highlights of Paris Fashion Week. But beyond the lights, the couture, and the applause was a story of resilience, faith, and destiny that started far away from the world’s fashion capital.

Awar Odhiang’s name may sound new to many, but her journey is already becoming legendary. She represents a generation of fashion models who are not only changing how beauty is seen but also rewriting what success looks like for women of African descent in the global fashion space.

Her path, from a refugee background to walking for the most prestigious luxury fashion brands, reads like a reminder that dreams, when nurtured by hard work and courage, can cross any border.

Before she was the face closing one of the most historic Chanel shows in decades, Awar Odhiang was simply a girl with big dreams, raised in Canada by a mother who had escaped the violence of South Sudan’s civil war. Today, her name trends across major fashion outlets and social media platforms.

Ahead, we’ve put together everything you need to know about Awar Odhiang.

Who Is Awar Odhiang?

Awar Odhiang is a South Sudanese-Canadian model whose rise has been both meteoric and deeply meaningful.

Born into a family from the Anuak tribe in South Sudan, her early years were shaped by resilience. Her mother, Achalla Opiew, escaped the civil war in South Sudan and gave birth to Odhiang in a refugee camp in Pinyudo, Ethiopia.

Awar’s family later resettled in Canada, first living in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, before moving to Calgary when she was sixteen. That background of migration, change, and identity would quietly inform her modeling career.

Odhiang carries a presence that stands out. She is known for striking features, a confident stride, and a freshness on the runway that commands attention.

The model’s heritage, life experience, and, like many other models, the mixture of fortitude and grace, make her both relatable and aspirational. In a world where beauty standards are shifting, she embodies a blend of heritage, modernity, and authenticity.

How Was Awar Odhiang Discovered?

The discovery of Awar Odhiang followed a path that many models know, yet her story still carries unique elements.

Life in a small town came with its challenges for Awar Odhiang, who opened up to the Calgary Herald about being bullied in school. “Growing up in Moose Jaw, there weren’t very many Black families or Black people in general,” she recalled. “I really felt like an outcast. I didn’t really see myself as beautiful.”

According to reports, while she began modeling during her school years, her real turning point came unexpectedly when Mode Models’ founder, Kelly Streit, discovered her while she was folding clothes at an Old Navy store. That encounter marked the start of her rise in fashion. Since then, Odhiang has walked for some of the world’s most prestigious brands, including Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent, Schiaparelli, Hermès, and several others.

The model has also had editorial features in publications like Vogue and GQ, further cementing her status. While the exact moment of her “first big break” is less documented, the combination of her distinctive features, heritage, and the momentum of her runway work created her modeling opportunity.

In her own words, she sees modeling not merely as a job but as a platform: “I’ve been doing many… shows the last few seasons… I felt power on the runway, I felt free. I was floating on top of the moon.”  That sentiment captures her evolution, from someone finding her footing to someone owning the stage.

Awar Odhiang’s Recent Feat At Chanel

The pivotal moment in Odhiang’s career came during the Spring/Summer 2026 presentation by Chanel, held at Paris Fashion Week in October 2025.

Under the creative direction of Matthieu Blazy, Chanel presented a show that was as theatrical as it was historic. Odhiang was selected to close the show, a role of high prestige in the fashion world.

As Essence pointed out, Awar Odhiang became only the third Black model to close a Chanel runway show in the brand’s 115-year history. The show’s theme included cosmic visuals, planets, and an audience ready for reinvention. Odhiang walked as the Chanel bride, wearing an oversized white silk shirt and voluminous skirt adorned with multicolored fringe. 

What made the moment stand out even more was its spontaneity. Rather than maintaining typified runway stoicism, she broke formation, smiled, clapped, and embraced Blazy after her walk.

“He had told me, ‘This is your moment, this is a chance for you to just enjoy it, do what you do, and do you,’ and so that’s exactly what I did,” the model recalled in an interview with Vogue. “I felt such immense, not pressure in any way, but honor … I was feeling so happy and proud and empowered as a woman.”

The image of her walking into fashion history, joyful, authentic, and bold, became a new reference point for what a runway moment can achieve.

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For Odhiang, the Chanel milestone means many things. First, it elevates her personal trajectory. Closing a Chanel show is a landmark in any model’s career. This moment signals to the industry that she is not only in demand but that she carries influence and recognition at the top tier. It opens doors to future campaigns, editorials, and creative partnerships of greater magnitude.

Second, it carries symbolic and communal weight. Odhiang said that she wanted to make Blazy proud, to make her family proud, “and all the Black girls and South Sudanese girls who are trying their best now in the industry proud.” Her achievement becomes a beacon; representation in action. It tells many who look up to her that this kind of success is attainable.

Third, it gives her a larger voice. With visibility comes responsibility and the opportunity to shape narratives. Odhiang mentioned being flooded with messages of support and how people reached out, saying how refreshing it was to see a Black model close the show and do so with a smile; a rare gesture in the often-serious world of high fashion. 

She noted in her interview with Vogue that “I sometimes don’t really give myself enough credit for all the work that I do … but I can genuinely say that I am proud of myself and that’s something … people like Matthieu … have made me feel.”

Finally, this moment could mark a shift in her focus. Awar Odhiang is more than a runway figure; she and her family are involved in philanthropic work in South Sudan, and such a high-profile achievement gives her a bigger platform to expand those efforts. Her modeling success and her personal background link to broader themes of identity, heritage, and global perspective.

Conclusion

Awar Odhiang’s story doesn’t end on that Chanel runway; it begins there. What happened that day in Paris was more than a fashion highlight; it was a message to a generation that dreams born in the most uncertain places can still find their spotlight.

Her story speaks to every young girl who has ever felt unseen, to every aspiring creative who doubts that their background is “enough,” to every woman who wonders if the world will ever make room for her voice.

It is proof that the global fashion scene thrives when it becomes more inclusive, when it listens to stories it once ignored.

Photo: Instagram/chanelofficial