Kiara Kabukuru

Last updated
Kiara Kabukuru
Born
Alice Kabukuru

(1975-07-31) 31 July 1975 (age 48)
Kampala, Uganda
OccupationModel
Years active1991-2000, 2008, 2012-present
Modeling information
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Hair colorBrown
Eye colorBrown
Agency
  • IMG Models (New York, Paris, Sydney)
  • Ice Models (Cape Town)
  • Mega Model Agency (Hamburg) [1]

Kiara Kabukuru (born Alice Kabukuru, [2] July 31, 1975) is a Ugandan-born American fashion model. [3] [4] Kabukuru is best known as a CoverGirl model.

Contents

Personal life

Kabukuru was born as Alice Kabukuru in Kampala, Uganda to parents Moses Kabukuru and Erinah Kasabiti as one of four siblings. [5] Although her grandparents emigrated from Rwanda to Uganda in 1920, she identifies as Munyankole. [6] With the aid of Amnesty International and United Way, Kabukuru and her family emigrated to California when she was a child due to political unrest in their native country. Kabukuru was discovered by photographer Bill Bodwell in a Los Angeles shopping center when she was 16. She adopted the name Kiara at the suggestion of her then-agent at Ford Models. [2]

In 2000, Kabukuru was involved in an accident while riding her bicycle in New York City when an 18-wheel truck collided with her. She required intensive facial reconstructive surgery and physical therapy. Kabukuru made a brief return to modeling in 2008 when she appeared in the All Black issue of Vogue Italia. [7] In 2012, she returned to modeling full-time. [8] [2]

Kabukuru is a long-time close friend of model Gisele Bündchen, whom she credits with helping her return to modeling. Kabukuru is the godmother of Bündchen's son Benjamin. [9]

Career

Kabukuru has been represented by several of the world's top modeling agencies, including Women Management, Trump Model Management, and Why Not Model Agency, [10] As of February 2011 she is represented by Silent models in New York and Paris. [11] Kabukuru has walked for fashion houses including Dior, Versace, Calvin Klein, Chanel, and Balmain. [10] Her most notable editorial work includes covers for Vogue (Spain and United States) and Amica Italy. She has posed for advertising campaigns by Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino, L'Oréal, Calvin Klein, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, and most famously CoverGirl cosmetics. [10]

She was featured in the Pirelli Calendar of 1998 and walked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 1999. [12] [13]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Kiara Kabukuru - Model".
  2. 1 2 3 Lustig, Jessica. "Back in the Picture". W Magazine. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  3. ↑ "Kiara!". www.newvision.co.ug. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  4. ↑ "PHOTO: Gisele Turns Reporter For The New CR Fashion Book". HuffPost. 2013-02-11. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  5. ↑ "Kiara Kabukuru". www.tumblr.com. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  6. ↑ Magazine, Ladybrille (2009-09-07). "Kiara Kabukuru, Ugandan American Supermodel". Ladybrille® Magazine. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  7. ↑ "Spotlight On: Kiara Kabukuru". www.vogue.it. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  8. ↑ "Top Nineties Model Kiara Kabukuru Makes A Comeback After Near-fatal Car Accident Destroyed Her Career 12 Years Ago". www.huffingtonpost.ca. 19 February 2013. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  9. ↑ "Kiara Kabukuru". www.modafamilia.com. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  10. 1 2 3 Kiara Kabukuru at Fashion Model Directory
  11. ↑ Silent New York
  12. ↑ Uwumarogie, Victoria (2016-12-05). "All The Black Models Who've Walked In A Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Since 1995". MadameNoire. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  13. ↑ "Kiara Kabukuru On Her Major Fashion Comeback, And Close Friend Gisele Bundchen". SatisFashion Uganda. 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2019-06-01.


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supermodel</span> Highly paid fashion model

A supermodel is a highly paid fashion model who has a worldwide reputation and background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became popular in the 1990s. Supermodels usually work for prominent fashion designers and clothing brands. They may have multimillion-dollar contracts, endorsements, and campaigns. Supermodels have branded themselves as household names and worldwide recognition is associated with their modeling careers. They have been on the covers of leading fashion magazines. Claudia Schiffer stated in 2007 that, "In order to become a supermodel one must be on all the covers all over the world at the same time so that people can recognise the girls."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmen Kass</span> Estonian fashion model (born 1978)

Carmen Kass is an Estonian fashion model and former political candidate. She has worked as the face of brands such as Chanel, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Valentino, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, Givenchy, and, for ten consecutive years, Michael Kors. The American edition of Vogue declared her and Gisele Bündchen the two supermodels of the era on its January 2000 cover.

Gisele Bündchen Brazilian fashion model (born 1980)

Gisele Caroline Bündchen is a Brazilian fashion model. Since 2001, she has been one of the highest-paid models in the world. In 2007, Bündchen was the 16th-richest woman in the entertainment industry and earned the top spot on Forbes top-earning models list in 2012. In 2014, she was listed as the 89th-most-powerful woman in the world by Forbes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fernanda Tavares</span> Brazilian Supermodel (born 1980)

Fernanda Tavares is a Brazilian model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natalia Vodianova</span> Russian model (born 1982)

Natalia Mikhailovna Vodianova, nicknamed Supernova, is a Russian model and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. Vodianova has appeared on the cover of international Vogue 86 times, which makes her one of the models with the most Vogue covers appearances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heroin chic</span> Drug-abuse-inspired fashion style

Heroin chic is a style popularized in early-1990s fashion and characterized by pale skin, dark circles underneath the eyes, emaciated features, androgyny and stringy hair—all traits associated with abuse of heroin or other drugs. American supermodel Gia Carangi is remembered for being the originator of the trend. Heroin chic was partly a reaction against the healthy and vibrant look of leading 1980s models such as Cindy Crawford, Elle Macpherson, and Claudia Schiffer. A 1996 article in the Los Angeles Times stated that the fashion industry had "a nihilistic vision of beauty" that was reflective of drug addiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camila Finn</span> Brazilian model

Camila Caroline Finn is a Brazilian model. She who won the Ford "Supermodel of the Year" award at the age of 14.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frankie Rayder</span> American model (born 1975)

Francesca "Frankie" Rayder is an American model. She has a portfolio of covergirl appearances for high fashion magazines and was once a VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards for Model of the Year nominee. She has performed in runway shows, including the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show four times and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue twice. She has also been featured in print ad campaigns. At the peak of her fame, she was an it girl according to The New York Times and GQ once named her the Sexiest Woman in the World.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline Trentini</span> Brazilian supermodel (born 1987)

Caroline Aparecida Trentini is a Brazilian supermodel. Known for her doll-like face, Trentini rose to fame after capturing Marc Jacob's attention and being cast on the ad campaign. As of 2024, Trentini has been on the cover of international Vogue, 40 times. Trentini ranks on the ''Icons'' list on models.com.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doutzen Kroes</span> Dutch fashion model

Doutzen Kroes is a Dutch fashion model. She began her modelling career in 2003, in the Netherlands and was quickly sent by her agency to New York where she was cast by lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret. She was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 2008 until 2014, making her the second Dutch "Angel" after Karen Mulder. She has been a brand ambassador for L'Oréal Paris since 2006. Kroes has been one of the highest-paid models, with an estimated income of more than $5 million per year, since 2008. In 2014, she came in second on the Forbes top-earning models list, estimated to have earned $8 million in one year. As of December 2015, she was ranked as one of the "New Supers" in the fashion industry and dubbed "Helen of Troy of advertising" by Models.com. In 2013, she became the first model to land four different solo international covers of Vogue's September issue in a single year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hana Soukupová</span> Czech model (born 1985)

Hana Soukupová is a Czech model. She has participated in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows and modelled for the Victoria's Secret catalog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toni Garrn</span> German fashion model (born 1992)

Antonia Garrn is a German model. She rose to prominence in the fashion industry after signing an exclusive contract with Calvin Klein in 2008.

Edita Vilkevičiūtė is a Lithuanian supermodel. Throughout her whole career, she has appeared in 25 Vogue covers. In 2015, she was one of the highest paid models in the world thanks to the frangrace ads for Roberto Cavalli and Viktor & Rolf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liu Wen (model)</span> Chinese model (born 1988)

Liu Wen is a Chinese model. She is widely regarded as China's first supermodel. She was the first Chinese model to walk the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, the first East Asian spokesmodel for Estée Lauder cosmetics, and the first Asian model to ever make Forbes magazine's annual highest-paid models list. In 2017, Liu became the second Chinese model to ever appear on the cover of American Vogue, and the first to be featured on the front cover rather than foldout. She landed on the cover a second time in American Vogue's April 2020 issue and a third in May 2023, becoming the first person of Chinese descent to appear three times. In 2024, she became the first model of Asian descent to be featured solo on the cover of French Vogue. She is currently represented by The Society Management and is based in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanessa Axente</span> Hungarian fashion model

Vanessa Axente is a Hungarian fashion model.

Ariely Westphal is a Brazilian fashion model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lulu Tenney</span> American fashion model

Lulu Tenney is an American fashion model. She is best known for her work with Calvin Klein. In September 2016 and March 2017, she appeared on the cover of Vogue Italia. She again appeared on the cover in September 2020. She currently ranks as one of the "Top 50" models in the fashion industry.

Ariel Nicholson Murtagh is a New York-based model, writer, and LGBT rights activist. She was the first openly transgender model to walk in a Calvin Klein presentation and the first openly transgender women on the cover of Vogue. Her writing has appeared in Perfect Magazine, amongst other publications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Leigh Longendyke</span> American fashion model from Hurley, New York

Rebecca Leigh Longendyke is an American fashion model. She has appeared on the cover of Vogue Italia three times and on the cover of Vogue Paris once.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.