‘India is a very inspiring nation’

Ugochi is an international model and former practicing interior designer based in Delhi India. She hails from the federal republic of Nigeria, West Africa and she’s completed her bachelor’s degree in interior design at the Amity University, India.

 She is currently exploring opportunities in Delhi; she appreciates India for its rich culture and arts; especially the dance form and clothing. She continues to draw inspiration from her surroundings and people she meets.  She loves working with designers who have a different, edgy or contemporary style; as she finds that such clients are more willing and excited to work with her being a black model.  “Fashion designers and photographers are looking for something different these days”, she tells us “a type of model that wasn’t available previously”. She believes she fill that need.

 As a model standing at 6 feet tall she spends her time between scorching the ramps of fashion shows in Delhi; her walk is often describes as the perfect mix of edge and sensuality.  She’s done several campaigns for fashion designers in India.  She has also done several fashion shows in Delhi; some include Wills Fashion Week, Lakme Fashion Week, IFFD (Indian Federation for Fashion Development), Premier India Runway Week, Pearl Academy of Fashion,  JD Institute fashion Technology along with judging several pageants in Delhi, and outside Delhi like the Mr. India global pageant.

As an interior designer she had worked for a Delhi-based design consultant for a Delhi-based architectural firm, she worked on both residential and commercial projects.  She’s done farm houses at Chatterpur, apartments in Chandigarh and Lucknow; she’s also done office projects in Delhi and undertakes projects at the DLF Saket Mall.

Ugochi is fast becoming the one of the most recognisable models in the Delhi fashion industry, and one of the most recognisable faces in the Nigerian community in India. 

To talk about India: Nigerian, there have been relations between the two countries since the 1950’s. There are many Indians in Nigeria living good lives and running successful businesses. Business relations between the two countries have increased and yielded great profits in recent years, due to Nigerian encouraging investments especially in areas of oil, food, clothing, construction, pharmaceuticals, information technology and communication. 

There are benefits for Nigerians as well in India. India has a very renowned and stable education system, good infrastructure, availability of basic amenities such as power, internet, and transportation. I believe these are the reasons Nigerians come to India these days. I wish there was more support and encouragement for Nigerian investors and entrepreneurs in India though, especially in the visa department.

As a Nigerian model in India, it does get difficult to book jobs due to my unconventional looks; but I feel things are changing. She believes India is a great place to get firsthand experiences. Personally speaking she feels that good firsthand experience in interior design and fashion is what she has benefited in India. I think this is also the reason why a lot of foreigners come to India, to gain some good experience in their preferred field. India is a very inspiring nation, there are so many things to explore and learn. It doesn’t matter your field, weather you are an artist, a business person, a corporate person or someone from the medical field there is definitely something to learn from India. For years now, and till date Nigerians enjoy Bollywood movies. Nigerians also enjoy the Indian fashions, with a fw Nigerian designers taking inspiration from the Indian silhouettes.