Congolese born model, Chris Maghoma is becoming one of South Africa’s recognized faces. The 25-year-old model mentions he got into modeling because of his looks and was signed instantly by ICE Model Management.
I became aware of the model two years ago at Joburg Fashion Week (SAFW), and I just knew that he was going to have a successful journey in the modelling space.
Chris is one of my favorite models at the moment. In a short space of time he has managed to do so much from editorial campaigns such as Nike, LecoqSportifza and Rage Shoes, runway shows and featured in a number of TV commercials.
iStyleBlaq’s one-on-one with Chris Maghoma.
Muzi: What are your views on the local modeling industry?
Chris: The Local modeling industry is what gave me the chance to work with all the brands I’ve worked with, I think there’s still a long way to go but I must gratefully acknowledge that the South African modeling industry has come a long way, and currently groundbreaking compared to other African countries.
Muzi: Is modeling a stable career? And what challenges are you currently facing as a working model?
Chris: The sad truth is that it’s quite hard to live of modelling only because its a very unstable industry, sometimes there’s a high demand for models, sometimes the demand is not enough to satisfy the thousands of models in Johannesburg alone. It affects every model at least once a year, I call it “Dry Season”.
Muzi: How do you handle rejection?
Chris: I personally anticipate rejection by only attending castings when I fit the criteria. Ultimately a “NO” is not the end of the world, life goes on.
Muzi: The Notion “Open up the industry” is now cliché However, A lot of brands are still using the same faces. What’s your take on this?
Chris: We can’t really judge brands for choosing who they want as their face, we can, however, “keep it moving”, because it really isn’t the end of the world.
Muzi: What do you most enjoy about your job?
Chris: What I love the most? Making my salary X10 in a day or two of pure fun.
Muzi: Any tips for aspiring models?
Chris: My advice for aspiring models? If it doesn’t pay you or benefit you in any way then don’t do it, don’t let anyone photograph your nudity in the name of art, modelling is your side job, not your main job! Most importantly, HAVE FUN!
Muzi: I read somewhere about your acting aspirations… How are you planning to manage juggling both modelling and acting while also ensuring it’s a seamless transition from one to the other?
Chris: At the moment I can’t really speed up the engine as it’s difficult for a “Fresh Out Of The Boat” Congolese boy to speak vernac chuckles (which is a huge requirement for black actors in the film industry).
Muzi: What are you currently busy with and do you any future plans?
Chris: I have launched the ChezBino Car Wash as well as the ChezBino Food Distribution in Congo (Haut Katanga). My all-time project is to elevate the standard of living of the youth in Congo, to merely ignite the entrepreneurship mindset of my younger brothers that can achieve way more than I ever will.
ICE Models & Boss Models Management.
IG: Chris _maghoma
chris@elitelink.com