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Model tapping online opportunities
Lydia Eyapu, aka, Vanquisha
What you need to know:
BUDING MODEL. She describes herself as a simple, tall, intelligent, fun-loving and ambitious woman. Lydia Eyapu, known as Vanquisha in her circleof friends, is a model. She talked to Edgar R. Batte about her career
Lydia Eyapu, aka, Vanquisha started modelling in 2010. A friend from high school asked her if she could make it as a model and told her about an audition for Woodin Le Createur-Uganda, a fashion house. Almost 30 girls turned up. Organisers wanted only six. Eyapu had never worn heels. She went for the audition wearing two-inch heels and they felt very high.
“I had never had any kind of catwalk practice but I had to make an impression. Thank God no one took that video. To cut the story short, I was selected for the show and the rest is history,” the dark pretty model explains. Her height, gait and personality helped her stand out. She did a couple of shows afterwards. She set a couple of goals to achieve in the industry. These included which designers she would work for or which shows she would love to walk in and gradually, she got to achieve every single goal she had set.
The kind of journey Her journey has been both solo and under companies or agencies. She had a contract with Arapapa, a fashion label run by Santa Anzo between 2010 and 2011. She is currently freelance but does a lot of work under Joram Model Management.
Having worked in both worlds, the model says freelance modelling in Uganda is a better option. She adds that outside Uganda, working under an agency is the best. Eyapu is not willing to discuss figures or payments and likens it to asking a woman for her age but on further prodding, she says the pay a model gets depends on whether it is a runway commercial shoot or being the face of a brand. The pay varies. “With an agency however, they deduct a commission. Runway payments vary between Shs150, 000 and Shs200, 000 per show. Commercials range from Shs800, 000 to Shs3m.” Modelling is her source of livelihood and she says some months she earns Shs400, 000 or even less and others she earns Shs1m. She is into modelling for both passion and money. “I started modelling because I’m passionate about it and I’m happy it pays the bills. So, I do it for both passion and the money,” she explains. Under-dealings Eyapu says modelling comes with unwanted attention from media and exploitation. Due to this, she is cautious about what she posts on social media, what she says or how she acts in public. Eyapu is also careful about her dress code or kind of pictures she posts. She minds who she talks to or how she reacts to certain situations.
Exploitation is real. “There are still people out there that claim to be model agents that want to sleep with models and then there are those that take abnormal commissions of up to 60 per cent. Some don’t even want to pay saying they have given models exposure. There is also a trend where models are asked to pay to signed up,” Eyapu reveals. She is unwilling to name names. She believes such unfair individuals can be exposed in a more appropriate manner. It is for that reason that she is dipping her mind fingers in more online opportunities.
Away from modelling The youthful model runs and manages Lady Ecstasy, an online store which deals in lingerie, swimwear and accessories. She runs the online store with a friend and partner in the US. She also uses online platforms such as Face and Instagram to promote and do business. She posts pictures of stock and if a customer likes an item, they send a WhatsApp message on the customer care numbers we provided. “We set up meetings at convenient places where payment is made on delivery.” She has been doing this for almost a year and has made as much as Shs2m from sales. Eyapu is also a budding make-up artiste and recently branched into interior decor mainly lighting and wall art. She is finalising a degree in economics and management at Uganda Christian University, Mukono.
On her wish list are three things; wealth, happiness and success. Her other wishes are, to own a huge house, nice car and a diplomatic passport.
NOTES
Remarkable moment: Meeting and dining with Franca Sozzani, the editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia. She also appeared in the magazine.Thanks to her travels.
Hobbies: Reading, painting and hanging out with friends, cooking; she can cook chicken tikka masala, butter naan and pilau.
Family: Eyapu hails from a humble family. Her father is from Amuria District while her mother is from Serere in eastern Uganda. She was born and raised in Luzira, Kireka and Naalya. She has three siblings.
Education: Shimoni Demonstration School and Kireka Grammar Junior School where she sat for Primary Leaving Examinations. Our Lady of Good Counsel Gayaza for O-Level and A-Level at Namirembe Hillside High School. She was admitted to Makerere University for Development Economics under a government scholarship but she
got derailed and dropped out. She is now in her final year at Uganda Christian University, Mukono.
Wish: To leave the modelling industry where models are vocal.
Advice: Every model should keep a copy of any contract they sign so if it is violated in any way, they can seek legal redress.
