Current index status
#19 in the live index.
The rating reflects current verified work and prestige weighting. It is an editorial assessment, not a judgement of personal worth.
Index Rating · Medium confidence · evidence reviewed
89.1
- Runway · 40%
- 86
- Campaigns · 30%
- 92
- Editorial · 20%
- 90
- Cultural aura · 10%
- 91
01 / Why they matter
What Mayowa is known for.
Dolce & Gabbana and major beauty campaign work
02 / Career record
Early life
Mayowa Nicholas was born on 22 May 1998 in Lagos, Nigeria, and attended Royal Crown Comprehensive High School in Agege before studying accounting at Crawford University. She was scouted around age 15 or 16 on her way to a hair salon, and went on to compete as a finalist in the 2014 Elite Model Look Nigeria competition.
03 / Career record
Early runway and a string of firsts, 2015–2018
Nicholas made her runway debut season in 2015, walking for Balmain, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Kenzo, Hermès and Acne Studios. The following year brought a Dolce & Gabbana Fall/Winter campaign, an Atelier Versace haute couture booking, and work with Chanel and Michael Kors — with Nicholas cited as the first Nigerian model to appear in campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, Saint Laurent and Calvin Klein. A visa denial kept her from the 2017 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai, but she made her runway debut for the show in 2018.
04 / Career record
Continued runway and campaign work
Beyond her early-career firsts, Nicholas’s client list has included Prada, Miu Miu, Versace, Chanel and Oscar de la Renta, and she has been ranked in Models.com’s "Top 50."
05 / Career record
Recent record, 2024–2026
Nicholas returned to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on 15 October 2024 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, her first appearance since 2018, and appeared in the brand’s Spring 2026 campaign, shot by Emily Lipson. She also walked Monse’s Resort 2026 show and Moncler Grenoble’s Fall/Winter 2026 show in Aspen on 31 January 2026. She is represented by The Society Management in New York, Elite Model Management across Europe, and Beth Model Management Africa in Lagos.
06 / At a glance
Quick facts.
- —Born 22 May 1998 in Lagos, Nigeria
- —A finalist in the 2014 Elite Model Look Nigeria competition after being scouted on the way to a hair salon
- —The first Nigerian model to appear in campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, Saint Laurent and Calvin Klein
- —Made her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway debut in 2018, after a visa denial kept her from the 2017 show
- —Returned to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in October 2024, her first appearance since 2018
- —Ranked in Models.com’s "Top 50"
07 / Current index evidence
Why is Mayowa Nicholas ranked #19?
- Dolce & Gabbana and major beauty campaign work.
- Eligibility reviewed against work and public visibility in the 2021–2026 window; booking-level citations are maintained in the linked industry and biographical records.
Confidence: Medium confidence · evidence reviewed. Scores may change when a source is corrected or new work enters the current window.
Facts on this page are drawn from public work records and industry press, and summarised in our own words. This is an independent editorial profile — it is not endorsed by the subject, their agencies, or the brands named. Last reviewed 2026-07-14. Corrections: desk@thecastindex.com.