The Nigerian fashion industry continues to soar. The quality of the designs is improving, sales are booming, and the export of finished products is almost seamless.
In terms of marketing, one person was responsible for heralding a model culture we know today - the founder of Nigeria's oldest and oldest model apparel, Beth Styling Agency, Elohor Elizabeth Isiorho.
In an interview with DOWNTOWN Editor-in-Chief Onah Nwachukwu, former beauty queen, presenter, event organizer, and real estate agent, Elohor talked about maternity models, marriage arrangements. and real estate realities. industry.
When Elohor returned from London to found Beth Modeling Agency in December 2004, she made a new foray, pioneering a modeling industry that did not exist before - domestic models, are freelancers and show up whenever they need service.
This is the first time that a structure that searches, nurtures, and renders representations of models has been erected in Nigeria. As a former beauty queen, she saw the void in the fashion industry at the time and filled it with Beth.
Just three years later, she signed a franchise contract with Paris' largest modeling agency, Elite Model Management, to host Nigeria's first model search competition, Elite Model Look Nigeria, the following year.
Elohor revives when she begins to cooperate with Elite. "I started the Elite franchise because I wanted to run my own modeling contest in the first place, so I emailed different companies.
Elite was one of the companies that got back in touch with me. me and I said, 'Oh, do you want to have a modeling contest? At that time I felt that the management company was new and that we also needed to be recognized internationally. So I decided to cooperate with Elite. "
Her partnership with Elite Model Management came bearing fruits. As a result, Elohor Isiorho (and her own agency, Beth), through Elite, made many models’ dreams come true— the exposure to the international fashion scene that the competition opened to aspiring professional models was second to none.
But soon after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, a rebrand happened, more than 10 years after Beth was launched.
Isiorho clarifies what this change was all about. “I had the franchise for 13 years, and after COVID, I decided to rebrand my model search. I realised that instead of working with one agency, I could work with agencies all around the world.
Because when I was working with Elite, I was restricted to just Elite, whereas a few other agencies wanted my models’ services. Being independent of Elite opens more doors and opportunities for me; we get more clients and agencies to work with. Back then, as much as everybody knew me as Beth, it was like Beth-Elite.
Also, the international agency doesn’t want to work with their competitors. Elite, for instance, wouldn’t want to work with someone that works with another agency.
So I was restricted to working with just Elite, but with Future Face Africa, we get to work with as many agencies as would like our services. Having my own model search competition is something I’ve always wanted to do, but you know how it is; starting something new is also very scary.”
The relationship with Elite Model Management, however, hasn’t changed. Elohor confirmed that it hasn’t been severed as she discussed the new direction they embarked upon, “The good thing is that we still work together, nothing has changed, because they still sign our models, we still have a good relationship.
We are still able to secure top deals. The only thing we changed is the name. We still work with the agency as we did in the past. The difference, as I earlier mentioned, is we are working with more agencies now, and of course, we are not organising their competition anymore.
We’ve changed the name to Future Face Africa. With Future Face Africa, it’s about discovering more African models in other African countries, compared to when I was with Elite and was restricted to just West Africa.
So it opens doors to work with more models from different parts of the world, with different looks, bodies and agencies. For instance, we just had the men’s shows, and we had about six or seven boys (most we’ve ever done) doing back-to-back top shows. We had boys exclusive to Prada and were not signed to Elite. Out of all the boys, only one was signed to Elite; the rest were to some other agencies.”
What happens to your models that have made such big names? One might ask to provide a backstory to just how influential the Elite Model Look model search was, the competition’s most notable finalist, Mayowa Nicholas, was brought up.
Nicholas, who became the first Nigerian model to star in Dolce & Gabbana, Saint Laurent, and Calvin Klein campaigns, was one of the contest’s finalists of the 2014 edition.
So the question is: What is the arrangement with past graduates of the Elite competition regarding proceeds, contracts and representation?
“The job of a modelling agency is more or less like a mother that takes care of a child, especially for African models travelling to these countries with no experience and knowledge of what to expect from agencies. We take care of them and nurture them. As a mother agency, it’s a lifetime thing, so we still get paid a percentage for discovering her.”
All these while being a desirable mum to her children. Elohor reveals how she makes time for her kids. “We hang out, we go out. I’m travelling tomorrow and taking them on holiday, so we’re going for almost two months, so no work done.
My office closes for two weeks in August because it is quiet in the modelling business around then, so we take advantage of that opportunity.”
Elohor Isiorho’s multifaceted contribution to several sectors of Nigerian development cannot be swept aside.
Her establishment, Beth Modelling Agency, places her firmly on an elite list as one of African fashion’s most valuable players. And as we all countdown to what the next instalment of the Future Face Africa has in store, she continues to lay the bricks of the future of modelling in Africa.
As the interview wrapped up, DOWNTOWN’s Editor cheekily asked if, considering our subject loves weddings and love, she is open to finding love again someday. She replied with an astounding affirmation, “of course! But that’s not part of our discussion.” To which the Editor responded by saying, “I know, I was pushing my luck.”
