Story Time: Meet African-American pre-teen model who inspires as an advocate for natural hair
She’s only just about to become a teenager, yet she’s already walked the runways at New York and LA Fashion Week. Twelve-year-old model, Celai (Seh-lay) West continues to inspire…giving special honour to her ancestry.
Celai lives in Sacramento but is known on the SoCal fashion scene after walking in shows in Los Angeles. The first time she wore heels was when she was ten years old and walking in the Style fashion show in Palm Springs Fashion Week.
At 10 years old, Celai perfected that walk on the runway. She’d been invited to hit the catwalk in New York for designer David Tupaz after being “discovered” as a model as a child.
It’s not only that mature-beyond-her-years strut that makes her stand-out. It’s also her signature hair. The African-American model is an advocate for natural black hairstyles.
She calls herself a “texture activist.” She said she’d be on set and the stylist didn’t know how to do her hair.
On her social media page, you’ll find hair tutorials. She’s an advocate for natural black hair.
At seven years old, she started an empowerment t-shirt line called The Chatty Chick. A signature t-shirt reads “I’d be jealous of my hair too.”
For Black History Month, Celai did a modelling photo shoot in honour of her great-great-great-grandmother Maddie Ligans, who passed away in the 1930s. Along with the black-and-white photo with her dress in lace, she titled her copy “Dear Ancestors” and wrote, “I will make you proud.”
She is another (pre-)teenager going for gold, and we love to see it!
You can follow her on social media at:
Or you can visit my website at www.CelaiWest.com
