“To me modelling is destiny. I can’t begin to tell you how I feel when I’m on the runway,” says Guyana’s newest Top Model Nkechi Vaughn. “I swear I am transformed. It is like I am this fiery diva that switches on upon entrance and off upon exit of the runway. I couldn’t possibly call that a job if I get to wake up every day to do it.”
Since winning the television reality show that concluded with a grand fashion show in April this year Nkechi has been busy and under the spotlight. Finally, after returning to Guyana from Caribbean New York Fashion Week she sat down with The Scene to talk about the competition and her career goals.
“I’ve noticed a pattern in the way we Guyanese or Caribbean people live in general. The only successful direction seems to be study hard; get a proper job; pay bills; die. I mean, only a few dreams come true, and those are nothing too out of the box. In Guyana, modelling is a mediocre profession due to our premature industry. It’s not taken seriously like in the fashion capitals of the world; because there, 
models are making the Forbes List while here you’re lucky to see yourself in the local newspapers,” she said. But does this discourage her? Absolutely not.
“I would not give up, sit back and follow the trend that society made just because I have to eat. I have learnt that nothing worth having in life comes easy. I know who I am and where I am from, so I would not limit myself by creating a box, be it my country, height or features. I have the power and talent to break boundaries and to step out of those boxes onto the world. With God’s grace someday I will achieve this dream but regardless of what happens I will always know I put my best foot forward.”
She finds it amusing when people who are familiar with our fashion industry criticize it because it is not of a certain standard. “How can we be when we lack the basic resources? Are we forgetting that we live in a third world country? You have to creep before you can walk,” she said.
A more conducive way to promote this industry for her would be to start educating people, because, according to her we have come a far way with a lot of ground still to cover. “When people know and love what you do, the support will come. Support paves the way for other aspiring designers and models and boom our industry is continuing to grow. Sounds simple but it entails a lot of work and cooperation.”
Nkechi’s professional debut was at the inaugural Guyana Fashion Week, after which she was in Ryan Berkeley’s ‘Break De Runway’ fashion show and a guest model at La Face Model Management’s ‘Exotica’ fashion show. Finally, she auditioned for Guyana’s Newest Top Model and won the title of the competition’s first cycle. Since then she has been in a few charity shows both in Guyana and the United States of America and walked for Guyana Fashion Designers Council at a diplomatic event. Her last show was last month.
But Nkechi said the moment she could think logically was the moment she was interested in modelling; she has been doing it since “diaper days”. Her mom was a nursery school teacher and she always made it her duty to include Nkechi in the school’s little hat and fashion shows, concerts, and so on to model even before she was ready for school herself. “She and her colleagues found it amusing and always labelled me as their little ‘show stopper,’” she said. “It was all just fun back then and my mom is definitely responsible for that.”
Born on June 13, 1995 at the Georgetown Public Hospital, Nkechi lived in the city for the first few years of her life before moving to her current residence in the quiet community of Kuru Kururu on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.
Isaiah Luther design at Break de Runway
She described her immediate family while growing up to be pretty basic. She has always been a daddy’s girl, her mom was her greatest teacher and her only sibling, her younger brother, her biggest pain, though she loves him to death. Her extended family on the other hand, she says, is out of this world. For her, it was paradise when she was reunited with all her cousins for family gatherings. “Dad’s side of the family was pretty concise but I can’t begin to dissect mom’s portion. The funny thing is I still don’t know them all but they all know me!”
Nkechi was a distinction student attaining 14 CSEC subjects; was actively involved in extracurricular activities – she and her brother did swimming, dancing and karate. She was also a scout and enjoyed the camping, volunteering, cookouts, visiting and meeting scouts from other countries. She always enjoyed those activities after moving from the city because she was never really social in her rural community. “I basically just slept there, because I left early mornings and returned late at nights with my parents – no time to make friends. I will forever be a city girl. It is sad but to date I still do not have friends in my community.”
Her mom did a bit of modelling herself when she was younger and Nkechi has cousins in the USA who modelled a bit but her main drug was the reality television show, America’s Next Top Model. “I would always auto tune the television to it and have everyone in the house furious! At one point the only way my parents could punish me was by preventing me from watching the show.”
Nkechi said the industry’s basic pros and cons and do’s and don’ts, she learned from Tyra Banks, who serves as an inspiration for her. “I was always hungry for a modelling competition in Guyana to put all that I have learnt to the test. So I did not hesitate when my fellow contestant and first runner up from the show, Shelon Benjamin told me about it.”
They were made aware of the competition through Facebook.
“As cocky as it sounds, I was my biggest motivation. I knew I was the best because Tyra Banks trained me personally! Hahaha, I’m kidding,” she laughed, “But being the daughter of an educator [mother] and accountant [father] keen for academics, I was always kept on point with my studies so when this competition came along…” they did not fancy it too much, but they were still supportive, she said. What kept her going was her passion for it and a title for her supporters because she was not there to do her best, she said she was in it to win it. And win it she did.
The best models were selected after auditions in all three counties of Guyana. They all had challenges on a weekly basis which covered everything from runway, photo shoots, to simple etiquette and public speaking and even acting. Sometimes they were placed in groups or competed on their own and how they scored at the end of the challenge determined if they were sent home or not.
(Photo by Kelon Pascal)
Nkechi said she looked at the competition as a test – preparing her for the actual modelling industry. “I scored well but it also pointed out the key areas I needed to work on to be a better model. Modelling is way more than just playing dress up and posing for pretty pictures. Like any other profession you need to know your craft to succeed.”
She won $1 million in cash and prizes along with the title ‘Guyana’s Newest Top Model’.
After the competition she opted to develop her portfolio as it is very important for booking jobs in her career. She has worked with Suriname’s top photographer Helio Phoeli and US-based Bahamian photographer Donn Thompson. In the future she sees herself ripping up the runways of the world’s fashion capitals representing her country Guyana well or being featured in every major ad campaign the industry sees. “If not then I’m well on my way to achieving Plan B – medical doctor.”
Currently, she works with her dad at his accountancy firm, Vaughn Business Solutions, but she said it is not her cup of tea. It keeps her occupied until it is time for classes.
She aspires to become a cardiovascular surgeon, but has taken a semester off from the University of Guyana, where she is pursuing a degree in Biology to facilitate her preparation for the US-based Scholastic Assessment Tests (SATs).
For now she is focusing on health and fitness. “Just trying to control my inner fat girl. God knows how hard it is with all these fast food joints around,” she laughed. “It is going to take some time to curb bad habits but I have got to achieve that toned lean body by next year. I am definitely going to bundle up the courage to visit some agencies then and maybe even get into a major show.”
She is still in the process of developing her portfolio.
