Five Rwandan models, well-known for representing their country on international runways, are currently representing top fashion brands at the ongoing Paris Fashion Week, which started on February 26 and will continue until March 5.

Ornella Umutoni, Denyse Mushikiwabo, Christine Munezero, Esther Niyirera, and Anipha Umfite led the fashion show’s runway on February 26.

This isn’t the first time the five models have appeared on a big stage. Munezero was part of Paris Fashion Week 2023, while Umutoni and others have made a name in the global fashion scene, collaborating with Prada, Elie Saab, Erdem, The Row, Officine Générale, Namacheko, and more.

Franco Kabano, the mastermind of Webest Model Management, a company that scouts and oversees fashion models, told The New Times that having over two Rwandan models presenting for major brands at an event such as Paris Fashion Week marks a significant achievement.

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"It means a lot and brings extreme joy to me as someone who struggled with my career and managed to make it professional for young talents.

"A few years ago the industry was in the worst shape but it’s a different story today. This should be a call for more people to join this sector and push it to even greater places than Paris Fashion Week,” he told The New Times.

Paris Fashion Week is a series of biannual events that showcase the latest fashion trends. It is the first of the four major fashion fairs in the world followed by London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, and New York Fashion Week.

One hundred shows and presentations are set to take place over the coming days in the French capital during the fall/winter 2024 fashion week season. New collections from Saint Laurent, Loewe, and Miu Miu, among others, are being showcased.