KIARA KABUKURU -1ST UGANDAN SUPER MODEL

Born Alice Kabukuru in July 1975 in Kampala, Kiara Kabukuru is Uganda’s first runway supermodel. She is the daughter of Moses Kabukuru and Erinah Kasabiti her early life was marked by the turmoil of Uganda’s civil war in 1980 when her father was involved with the Anti-Government Rebels which forced them to flee to Kenya then later relocate to Los Angeles California. At the age of 17, she was discovered by photographer, Bill Bodwell in a shopping mall in Los Angeles who was struck by her striking features and effortless charm. This chance encounter marked the beginning of her modelling career and Kiara’s big break came when she was cast for a Gucci charity show in London. The head designer at the time, Tom Ford chose her to front their ad campaign which was a smashing success and launched her to international stardom. She went on to do other campaigns for brands like Versace, Gucci, Chanel, Moschino, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein and The Gap. She also got to work with some of the world’s top photographers including Steven Meisel, Paolo Roversi, Patrick Demarchelier among many others. She has made several appearances on the Oprah Winfrey show, Americas next top model, made commercials for Victoria secretes, enjoyed multiple contracts with both L’oreal and most famously Cover Girl cosmetics. In 1999, she was featured in the Victoria Secret Fashion Show and in 2000, her career as a fashion model was reaching new heights when she suffered a horrific bicycling accident where she was hit by an 18-wheeler and drug beneath the truck. Kiara spent months in a wheelchair with broken bones and injuries requiring seven reconstructive surgeries. Her career could have ended there but she reentered the modeling world in 2008 with new determination and strength as she appeared in the first All-Black (Cover) Issue of Vogue Italia and in 2012 that she returned to modelling full time.Today, Kiara is pursuing an acting career and also serves as the Vice President for ‘Women for the World’ a nonprofit organization. The organization is supported by singers, actors and models who volunteer their time and resources to improve education around the globe by supporting and bringing attention to deserving non-profit organizations. Her experiences have also made her an advocate for social justice and women’s empowerment and she is a passionate advocate for the rights of immigrants which led her to release a documentary about her family’s journey as immigrants in order to raise awareness. Kiara’s motivation is to highlight the importance of family as well as the consequences of the choices we make. Her story serves as a powerful reminder of the human spirits capacity for resilience, adaptability and transformation. She has inspired countless young women and girls around the world with her courage, determination and beauty as true icon.