Who is Rachel Ojuromi, the Lagos Street Model who Walked the Chanel SS27 Show?

Published: October 6, 2026 Last Updated 11 hours ago by Esther Ejoh

In the fast-paced fashion industry, breakthroughs are rarely straightforward. Few stories are as full-circle or as inspiring as Rachel Ojuromi’s.

The 22-year-old Nigerian model and creative, known online as @giverachelashot, spent months transforming the vibrant streets of Lagos into her personal runway. She showcased thrifted pieces, high heels, and inventive styling that blended Y2K nostalgia with Lagos energy.

In October 2026, during Paris Fashion Week, Rachel Ojuromi walked for Chanel under creative director Matthieu Blazy in the Spring/Summer 2027 show. What started as homemade videos filmed among markets and daily life led to a major runway moment with one of fashion’s most iconic houses.

Ojuromi’s rise demonstrates that style, confidence, and creativity can reach beyond traditional pathways.

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From Lagos Streets to Viral Sensation

Born and raised in Lagos and describing herself as “a Nigerian girl through and through,” Ojuromi grew up immersed in fashion.

Her mother sold clothes and accessories, instilling in her children an appreciation for style and filling their home with magazines, making it clear that looking good was part of daily life.

Ojuromi initially pursued filmmaking and considered neurosurgery, studying film and exploring communications and creative direction. People had suggested modeling to her since childhood, and she eventually embraced it as an interest.

Her signature content took shape in early 2026.

With her best friend and stylist Debby Fasingha, Ojuromi began posting short videos of herself walking through Lagos markets, streets, and shops in carefully styled outfits. Her looks ranged from neon halter tops and capris to carrying a tray of bananas or an acoustic guitar while wearing six-inch heels.

Their aesthetic drew inspiration from 1990s supermodel style, early-2000s music-video glamour, and the resourcefulness of thrifting at places like Yaba Market. Outfits featured items from their wardrobes, local thrift finds, and Fasingha’s designs.

The videos stood out by presenting the city itself as a central character.

Lagos was not a polished backdrop; it was vibrant, noisy, and alive. Ojuromi’s confident and precise walk made ordinary scenes feel cinematic. Local residents began to recognize her on the street.

Internationally, her clips attracted attention from figures such as singer Rosalía and Miu Miu stylist Lotta Volkova. Her following grew rapidly as the content spread on Instagram and TikTok.

The Chanel Recreation That Changed Everything

Her visibility increased significantly after she recreated looks from Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2026 collection.

The original show had taken place in the New York subway—an everyday public space used by people of all backgrounds.

Ojuromi and Fasingha recreated the looks using clothes from their closets and thrifted pieces, filming on Lagos streets. The videos were reinterpretations, presenting Chanel through an African perspective of resourcefulness, color, layering, and attitude.

The project resonated widely.

Matthieu Blazy, Chanel’s creative director and someone Ojuromi had long admired since his Bottega Veneta years, took notice.

She has expressed that fashion should be accessible regardless of wealth or location. The recreations earned hundreds of thousands of likes and established her as more than a viral sensation, highlighting her distinct creative perspective.

Agencies, SZA, and Expanding Horizons

By late 2026, Ojuromi signed with agencies in four countries: No Smoking NYC in New York, Safe Management in Paris, SUPA Worldwide in London, and Next Canada as her mother agency.

Grammy-winning artist SZA also amplified her work, increasing her international visibility.

Ojuromi has stated her goal to prove that top models and creatives are not limited to Los Angeles or traditional fashion capitals, emphasizing that she was “holding it down in Africa.”

Beyond her modeling career, Ojuromi founded The Process Africa in 2023. The platform highlights young African creatives in fashion, film, and visual arts while they are still developing, not only after they achieve viral success.

She has explained that the initiative grew from her own experience of feeling overlooked early in her career and from a desire to show young people that their stories and creative processes matter.

The project offers weekly features, events, and exhibitions that give emerging talent tangible credits and visibility.

The Full-Circle Chanel Debut

In October 2026, Ojuromi debuted on the Chanel runway in Paris for the Spring/Summer 2027 collection designed by Matthieu Blazy.

The booking was especially meaningful. She had publicly named Chanel and Blazy among her aspirations and had already engaged deeply with the house’s work from afar.

Suddenly, the distance closed. The fashion designer whose clothes she had reinterpreted on the streets of Lagos cast her in the actual show.

Social media captured the excitement of the moment.

Before the official runway, she shared images of herself near the Eiffel Tower, noting it was her first time outside Africa. The debut marked a significant step, representing not the end of her Lagos street work but an expansion of her creative world.

Why does her story matter, you asked?

Rachel Ojuromi’s journey challenges the traditional path into high fashion. Rather than waiting for institutions to discover her, she developed a distinctive visual language in public, utilizing the resources and environment available to her.

Her audience came first, followed by recognition from the fashion industry, and ultimately, an invitation to one of the world’s most prestigious runways.

Her work celebrates thrift culture, African creativity, and the idea that style does not require unlimited budgets.

It also highlights the importance of close collaboration, with her partnership with Debby Fasingha remaining central, and the value of platforms like The Process Africa that support talent before major breakthroughs.

At 22, Ojuromi has demonstrated that the streets of Lagos can resonate with the world of Paris couture.

As she and her platform emphasize, the process is ongoing. From market stalls and banana trays to Chanel’s runway, Rachel Ojuromi continues to prove that authenticity, creativity, and determination can redefine the fashion landscape.

Photo: Chanel