A Black Woman Trying to leave her Footprints in the Modeling Industry
An exotic walk, skin that gleams, and cheekbones unique to her. All her life, Fatoumata Binta Diallo's beauty had been compared to that of renowned black models. As she works tirelessly to reach her personal goals, she leaves behind everlasting-footprints.
"When i'm on the stage, the only thing I see is me walking on the runway and people calling my name," admitted Diallo, the 5'9 Guinean-native model residing in Chicago.
With her love for fashion and a strong desire to show off her catwalk on the runway, Diallo's dream of becoming a model flickered through her imagination during her sophomore year in high school.
Since Diallo decided to dedicate her life to modeling, she has been splurging her resume. She has participated in multiple projects, worked in multiple places for different designers: in 2009, she competed in Miss Guinee North America Scholarship Pageant. In 2010, represented Guinea at Miss Peid Dorada in Mexico. In 2011, she worked the runway at New York Fashion Week (NFW), in 2012 in Paris for Sadio Bee during Miss Union African in Paris, for Adama Paris Dakar Fashion Week in 2013, Senegal for Elie Kuame during Dakar Fashion Week (DFW), Evgheni Hudorojco from Moldavie, Weni from Benin. Today, she is a model for Abercrombie & Fitch.
"I love the fact that she is always happy. Whenever I am around her I feel positivity. She is a hardworking girl and I have faith in her, she is my favorite model," expressed Fifi Soumah, crowned Miss Guinee North America 2009 and winner of Miss Africa USA 2010, on what she loves most about Diallo.
"When you reach a certain age in the modeling world, you have a less chance of making it," clarified Diallo. To this 27-year-old model, age does not impede her from reaching for her goals, because she is "going to put [herself] out there."
"Putting herself out there" will give her publicity and contracts. Tagged to that will be an army of people ready to criticize her intentions. But none of this bothers Diallo.
"Many people judge us models in Africa because they think we are selling our bodies...sometimes we are misjudged by our own people," she explained.
Despite Diallo's people's misunderstanding of the 'beauty' of modeling, Diallo is not putting her dreams on halt for anyone. She has been working on launching her very own modeling agency (Binta Modeling Agency) in Guinea, which is slated to open next year. She wants "to put it out there that modeling is a job just like every other job. [Models] wake up everyday to work like everyone else. [They] stand up long hours during fashion shows or photo shoots."
Diallo has embraced the uniqueness of the features that she has been blessed with, helped designers flaunt their creations, remained true to who she is and her roots. But that is not all. She could be the next Naomi Campbell or Tyra Banks, appearing on several ads and rocking every runway with her exotic catwalk.
A Glimpse of Diallo's World:
"I love my face because when I look at myself in the mirror every morning, I see my father."-Diallo
"Beauty to me is, you have to be beautiful inside and outside; you have to have the whole package."-Diallo
"What people say about me does not do anything to me.I just continue to do what I am supposed to do to make my life better."-Diallo
Aza Photography
Model: Diallo
"My father always told me that I would make it big one day."-Diallo
Dakar Fashion Week 2013
"A model is a person who displays clothes, poses for an artist...a woman or man who wears a designer's clothes to show them to potential buyers at a fashion show."-Diallo
Dyrti Martini Photography
Model: Diallo
"One of my favorite models is Naomi Campbell, because she represents well black females."
"One of my favorite models is Naomi Campbell, because she represents well black females."
"I am a very nice person. If you need someone, I am always here to help...since 2 years ago, I started working with the children in my village Gaoual (N'djouria) by providing them with clothes and food."-Diallo
" I represent Guinea everywhere I go. I love my country , I love my people."-Diallo
Ways to reach Diallo:
Instagram: Binettemodel
Facebook: Binette Diallo-International Model / Binette Kane
LinkedIn: binette diallo
Email: binettediallo@outlook.com
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