Mayowa Nicholas won the Nigerian Elle Model Look competition when she was only 14 years old in 2014 – and her big breakthrough came at the autumn/winter 2016 fashion weeks when Mayowa walked in all renowned shows including Chanel, Miu Miu, Céline, and Hermès. She also has both a Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana campaign under her belt.

This summer she is one of the stars of H&M’s yearly summer campaign, featuring with rising stars Birgit Kos, Maartje Verhoef and Luna Bijl. “I am most proud of the things I’ve achieved so far, and also being able to grow and learn to become a better version of myself,” she says in an H&M interview. “My beauty secret is very simple – I mostly hydrate my skin by drinking a lot of water, and I support that by using an Embryolisse cream.”

In April, she was the top model for Calvin Klien’s lingerie campaign and last year, she broke the record as the first Nigerian to feature in an international Dolce & Gabbana ad campaign.

According to Harper Bazaar, Mayowa Nicholas is the true modern day professional top model and made an unforgettable mark at the autumn/winter 2016 shows, with her poise, pillowy lips and perfect runway physique charming casting directors, designers and fashion denizens alike.

“Mayowa is one of the most incredible break-out models this season,” says Josie Crawley at Elite London. “Not only does she have a little incredible walk, but an attitude to match; she is one of the most passionate, fun and loveable models in the industry. Brand and industry heroes alike have all seen what an incredible spark this girl has, so we can expect big things from this little star.”

When asked what she would be doing if she wasn’t a model, Mayowa replied, saying, “I would be in college studying financial accounting to become a chartered accountant. I still plan on going back to college to study that course, because I love anything that has to do with calculations.”