The history of Nassau, Bahamas often goes unspoken, but it’s truly a land of resilience. When the city was established in 1670 as a commercial port, it’s total destruction by the Spanish and the French a few years later was unexpected. Despite its tumultuous history; Nassau has no shortage of individuals who have ascended to astronomical heights, in their respective fields of professional engagement. Unfortunately, sometimes these achievers do not re-invest in the region’s youth.
Succession planning is significantly lacking in the Caribbean but there are creative leaders who are starting to see the value in this, and one such individual is Stephanie Nihon. With a modelling portfolio that includes placements in Italian VOGUE, British VOGUE, American VOGUE, Australian VOGUE, German VOGUE and Harper’s Bazaar; it could be so easy for Stephanie Nihon to live on a pedestal and not see the need to help other young models in the industry. Her mentality is antithetical to that kind of selfishness, and Stephanie works tirelessly to build the next generation although she was the first Bahamian signed to ELITE Model Management.
“I was actually discovered in my high school at around age 15. There was an agency called Model Management that came to the school to talk to students about grooming and etiquette. They came to talk about how to build confidence but they were also scouting. Somebody approached me that day and told me I should be a model. I was painfully thin and very insecure, so this opportunity was the best thing to happen to me thus far. I had bad scoliosis and they taught me how to walk properly which helped me improve my confidence. They had this amazing investor on board who flew me to New York and that’s when I signed to Elite,” Nihon recalls.
Nihon is the Co-Founder and Art Director at Choice Model Management (CMM Agency), The agency’s other owner, is a charismatic visionary by the name of Gerard Rolle. The agency manages some of the most promising actors and models in The Bahamas such as Jessica Frances Thompson and Remi Martinii. Stephanie’s success in her own pursuits as a model, is enough to trust that her industry knowledge and insight is sufficient. With representatives in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London and of course The Bahamas, CMM models have booked for major brands such as Mercedes Benz, Tom Ford, Grand Hyatt and Royal Caribbean. CMM actors have been booked for Netflix, Disney Channel, Broadway and CBS. Nihon’s exquisite eye for talent and her professionalism; has enabled her to become the official vendor/supplier/producer for The Disney Network and ABC Cable Group for The Bahamas.
“CMM has afforded me opportunities that I would have never imagined would happen in such a short space of time. It’s been the gift that has kept on giving! Obviously, we have a great roster of models that stand by us, so we must be doing something right. All we ask for is passion from anyone that works with us,” Nihon asserted.
In every industry, there is a code of ethics that is often unwritten and the fashion industry is no different. Success in the industry isn’t merely dependent on physical attributes and Nihon highlights that: “It comes back to passion! You’ve gotta take care of yourself, be punctual, and believe in yourself. There are models that are incredibly beautiful but they don’t believe in themselves and we try to help that. Modeling is a real big confidence builder. but you also have to respect the client’s time. It teaches you poise, how to handle yourself and how to present yourself to others. The whole modelling industry is about self-development”
The fashion industry is often criticized for its superficiality and promotion of a limited standard of beauty. Nihon aspires to make the CMM roster as diverse as possible and she stated that: “I always think about markets. There are different types of models for different markets. Luckily in the Bahamas, we have an appreciation for curvy women because that reflects the Bahamian society. There are all kinds of models, for all different purposes and markets. Everybody is individually unique so never compare yourself to other models. You have to be focused on the inner scorecard. We don’t exclude anybody and once your passionate there will be a place for you and that’s what makes CMM unique.“
Though its Nihon’s indelible contribution to Caribbean fashion that we revere, her creative acumen knows no bounds. She is also a brilliant artist with a strong command over abstract expressionism. The visual art she creates is vivid and compelling which on the surface may seem contradictory to her modest personality that’s deeply rooted in self-efficacy. “Art is something that got me through every difficult time in my life. “
“It’s like my best friend. From a very young age, I would spend a lot of time painting and drawing in my room. My dad was an artist and my entire family was artistic. I was lucky that there was always paint in the house, canvas and easels! Art is subjective so not everyone will like your work especially when you do abstract but it’s so therapeutic to me,”
As a TV Producer, her pride and joy have been conceptualizing and executing the children’s show, ‘Goombay Kids,’. The show is currently airing on OUR TV, Cable Bahamas and has made it into its second season now. Graphic art and photography are also facets of creativity that Nihon explores, and it seems as though she only derives optimum fulfilment from being a multifaceted creative. Nihon’s photography was recently featured in Vogue Italia and it would unwise to doubt the capabilities of this Bahamian, renaissance woman now.
