By Reporter
New York Fashion Week is back, baby, and so is the winter street style that comes along with it. For the first time in two years, the NYFW fall-winter 2022 season has descended upon Manhattan in all its chaos and glory. This year’s return to in-person shows in the middle of February although painful at times for the editors, buyers, and influencers attending gives everyone else a much-needed boost of style inspiration.
The New York Fashion Week is a semi – annual event held every February and September. It is a series of events where international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press and the general public. And It is one of the 4 major fashion weeks in the world, collectively known as the “big 4” – New York, Paris, London and Milan.
Now the latest we also is that the Former Miss World Uganda Quinn Abenakyo has been in New York a months, but she featured prominently at this year’s New York Fashion Week together with Elizabeth Bagaya, the reigning Miss Uganda.
The Miss Uganda Organization is celebrating 10 years under Kezzi Entertainment, with Brenda Nanyonjo at the helm.
Through a variety of contacts and networks, the Miss Uganda Chief Executive, Brenda Nanyonjo and the team, have been able, since 2018, to send several Queens to grace the NYFW catwalk.
NYFW has a consortium of designers, and the Miss Uganda Queens walk for upcoming designers and show producers.
Nanyonjo sends photos and look books of the Queen’s to the Fashion Show producers to vie for spots on the catwalk.
From 2018 Quinn Abenakyo – Miss Uganda 2018, Lynette Kwagala – Miss Uganda Central – 2018, Oliver Nakakande – Miss Uganda 2019, Mary Nakalema – Miss Uganda 2018 Finalist and Elizabeth Bagaya – Miss Uganda 2022.
On Monday New York-based designer Maria Cornejo chose Akello as one of the models in the designer’s collection that sought to highlight diversity as a sort of defiance against the policies of new USA President Donald Trump.
Akello was one of 16 models that showcased a collection that featured velvet, long dresses and big shearling coats — “for a strong woman, who doesn’t have to dress as a man to feel strong,” Cornejo was quoted as saying.
Akello also walked for Georgine Studio, Concept Korea, and Tadashi Shoji. She moved to New York late last year, from Cape Town where she moved in 2014 after being signed by Fusion Models.
The 22-year-old, 5’11’ tall model is originally from Pader District in northern Uganda, and although she wanted to model from a young age, found it hard to get jobs in Uganda. She got her break when a South African scout was sent pictures of her portfolio, and immediately signed her. She has worked in South Africa, and in Europe where she became a regular feature at the Berlin Fashion Week.