Aduke Shitta Bey discusses her daring look at Milan Fashion Week and life outside social media.
The international fashion season is fast-paced; one day you are in Paris, the next it’s Milan. Every day is busy, but for model Aduke Shitta Bey, this is what she wants; she adores this world. It might not be what she wants in the future, she believes in jinxing, but it is what she wants now, and she really doesn’t want you asking her, ‘What’s next?’
Since 17, Aduke Shitta Bey has been walking runways and starring in campaigns. It all began when she participated in Elite Model Look in 2015. She didn’t win, but she gained an entry into the industry, and boy, did she take it.
By 20, she was being profiled by several publications as the model of the moment. By 25, she had gained a lot of mixed criticism, most of it stemming from standing up for herself. She doesn’t regret it, and she loves that there’s a growing movement of people championing the notion of “respect models” in Nigeria. It is a stance she has always held. “You can’t have supermodels if you haven’t created an ecosystem for models to thrive,” she says.
However, the lack of a sustainable long-term modelling system in Nigeria was not going to hold Aduke back. It is a typical trajectory for a model’s career to expand into a broader market after making a name for themselves in their home country. This is where Aduke is now.
As she settles back in Lagos, from walking runways in Milan, we catch up with Aduke to know what she’s been up to lately, and most importantly, what life in Europe is like for a Nigerian supermodel.
Aduke, where are your photos from Milan?
“I hate social media,” Aduke jokes. After an international fashion week run, she has only posted her walk for Tokyo James at Milan Fashion Week. Before then, her last post was in August —not exactly what you’d expect from a public figure of her calibre: a Nigerian supermodel.
Social media has become a form of currency, and public figures are expected to capitalise on this– build momentum. This often takes the form of starting businesses — skincare and beauty are go-to industries. Another in-demand format is “content creation”, where you maintain a semblance of relevance by giving insights into your livelihood. Aduke knows this is what people mean when they ask questions about fashion week; they haven’t seen anything, and it is worrisome.
“I know everyone means well, bless their hearts. I enjoy life offline, and I know it comes off as weird. “ But it does suck that we have to build a social media life as well as a physical one,” she expresses, “It was not always like this; social media used to be easy — no curation, no expectations, no perfection, just what you wanted.”
She is no Get-Ready-With-Me girl; she has nothing against it, but it is not for her, and she knows people think she’s wasting her ‘momentum’ by being private. “At the end of the day, I want to meet up with friends and family. I want to gist with them. Can’t gist with them, if they already saw my day on Instagram. I want to come home and go, ‘Mum, I did Milan and Paris’.”
But she did do Paris and Milan, but all the internet got were photos from Disneyland and Tokyo James.
A risqué outfit that stole the Tokyo James show
Nigerian designer, Tokyo James, shot to fame in 2022 as a finalist for the renowned LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers. His shows became a ‘One to watch in Milan’ after his 2024 show in collaboration with Yusuf Aina of Retro Gallery. He followed up by pushing the boundaries of innovation with his Autumn/Winter 2025 (AW25) show, where he live-streamed his runway show from Lagos to Milan Fashion Week, physically bringing his city to Milan.
For his SS26 show, ‘The Merger of worlds’ draws inspiration from the notion of Western luxury and his African heritage, called The Contemporary of Luxury. The show received positive reviews. Aduke walked the show… in a risque outfit, nonetheless.
“I was a bit self-conscious,” she laughs, “You saw it? My family did too, and my family have had a group meeting on top of my head for it.” The look in question was a low-necked black-and-red ensemble. How low was the neckline? Well, her left boob was out. Of course, there was a matching nipple cover, but for her sister, who is a pastor, it was a cause for discussion.
“I understand the responses, it is great to have people looking out for me and keeping me grounded, but hey, they are still talking about the collection!” she exclaims, “It was very on theme, the idea of the collection was beautiful chaos. Textiles and shapes were supposed to clash. A beautiful, calm look, then bam, a nipple slip.”
It is a relatable story, but for Aduke, the best part of the tale was the one that happened behind closed doors. “I first met Tokyo [James] when I was 17. I didn’t like him, and I don’t think he liked me either. I was never tough to work with, but I hadn’t formed a positive relationship with myself. I took every job and did every shot. I just wanted to prove I deserved a spot. Now, I am much older, pickier, and working with Tokyo is different. I love Tokyo! He is very professional.”
Aduke is reluctant to say her age; in her defence, it falls under private life. However, she did appear in a feature in The Guardian Life in 2018, and it stated her age, so there’s not much math to be done there.
What’s next for Aduke?
I know, I laughed too. She already says she hates the question, but what is going on in the head of a girl who has walked runways in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa? She made her film debut in Miss Kanyin alongside Temi Otedola in June. Is this the start of Aduke the actress?
“Ha! I want to do more of that. It was an amazing experience. It was shot in Kwara state [Nigeria]. I had never been to Kwara. It was very different from Lagos; the air was nice and fresh, and we were on a mountain, with an astonishing view. We have a lot of tourism in Nigeria. It breaks my heart to see the state of insecurity,” she says, “I discovered bugs I didn’t know existed; what is a skirt and blouse?”
A ‘skirt and blouse’ is an insect you truly hope you never meet. It does more damage in death than alive; never kill it! On things that died, Aduke talks about being a DJ, “I started DJing in 2019, I stopped during the pandemic. Maybe I will throw a party and bring it back, or not.”
She has a few ideas she’s been thinking about; she likes to keep her dreams flexible. The only thing she fixed is more acting, and a fashion collection is in the works!
Aduke has made the most of the tiny entry into the fashion industry that she got a decade ago. Editorials, ad campaigns, runways, and more. She has crossed borders and explored other creative spaces. She might be fluid about her next decade, but in her late twenties, she has made a career out of a passion… and isn’t that the Nigerian dream?
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