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London-born artist and modelKesewa Aboah’s career would be completely different if she had followed her childhood dream.
“I wanted to be a lawyer because I watchedLegally Blondeevery weekend.
I thought Elle Woods was the coolest girl in the world,” Aboah says.
“That was the one [goal] I stuck with for a long time.
Paula Knorr dress.
I quite like arguing with people, so I thought I’d be really good at it.”
There is no argument that today the 26-year-old is generating buzz in the modeling world.
It’s not surprising that Aboah ended up in this line of work.
Loewe dress.
The experience she’s having now feels much different than it did in her earlier days.
“There’s lots of different shapes, sizes, and colors.
Not just in front of the camera, but behind it too.”
At the Allure shoot, Aboah worked with photographerRuth Ossai, a Brit with Nigerian roots.
“It was the first time I had ever met Ruth, but I’d been a big fan.
I’ve actually bought a piece of her work before.”
Aboah is also pursuing her own artistic ambitions.
In 2017, she earned a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
“My parents pushed me to have confidence and to run with it,” she says.
Her art mixes quick body impressions with “long, taxing, and slow” embroidery.
“I like the duality,” Aboah explains.
A few of her works were recently on display at a group exhibition in Paris.
“Its so nice going on sets and not feeling like youre the token Black girl.”
“Apparently I’m the only person that didn’t learn how to cook inlockdown.
I was not making any banana bread,” Aboah says.
Aboah has traveled to Ghana regularly since she was a child.
I’ve always felt [connected to] it," she says.
“I don’t really wear makeup.
I also usePalmer’s Cocoa Butteron my body every day,” she says.
“She’s in her 90s, and she still looks like she’s in her 70s.”
It was definitely trial and error.
My friend was a big help.
She was like, Youre a mess.
Let me sort you out.'"
Aboah conditions her hair every day anddetanglesit with aMielle Organics deep conditioneronce or twice a week.
Sometimes shell incorporate a clayface-maskingmoment while she’s combing through her ‘fro.
“I love a face mask,” she says.
And who could argue with that?
Photographer: Ruth Ossai.
Stylist: Gabriella Karefa-Johnson.
Hair: Issac Poleon.
Makeup: Bea Sweet.
Set Design: Luke Ossai.
Production: Rosie Cartwright.
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you could follow her on Instagram at@bazempinja.
