Eunice Olumide | |
|---|---|
| Born | 6 October 1987 |
| Nationality | British-Nigerian |
| Other names | Cece-E-town |
| Alma mater | Glasgow Caledonian University Queen Mary University of London University of Pennsylvania |
| Occupation(s) | Model, fashion designer, actress, disc jockey, freelance journalist, presenter |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Relatives | Abraham Olumide (father) Victoria Monie (mother) Ibrahim Olumide (brother) |
| Modeling information | |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Hair color | Black |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Agency | Modelteam, Ford, AMQ, Ghetz, Doveteam, VIVA |
| Website | www www |
Eunice Olumide (born 6 October 1987) is a Scottish model, fashion designer and actress. She is one of the first black Scottish models and was twice nominated for Model of the Year at the Scottish Fashion Awards, sponsored by Vogue.com.
Olumide was born in Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, and grew up in Wester Hailes and The Calders in Edinburgh. She gained an grade A in English, Chemistry, Graphic Design and Art at school.[1] Her name "Olumide" means "God has come" or "My Hero has come" in the Yoruba language [2]
She achieved a first-class honours degree in BA Communication and Mass Media[3] at Glasgow Caledonian University.[4] By the age of 21,[5] she had a postgraduate degree in Film Studies at Queen Mary University of London, and a MA in Metaphysics,[3][6][7] after getting a scholarship to study at the University of Pennsylvania.[8]
At the age of 15, Olumide was first spotted shopping in Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow,[4] and she was later scouted by Select models while visiting family in London.[1] At the time she knew nothing about the fashion industry and described herself as a 'complete tomboy'. She took a break from modelling to go to university. Since then she has been working full-time as a broadcaster, fashion model and actress, and is signed with Colours Agency,[9] Ford and AMQ.[10] Over the years she has also been with Premier, KOKO, Nemesis, Mega, La Agenica, The Model Team, and IMM Düsseldorf.[1]
Olumide, who is often known as Cece-E-town,[11] is 5 feet 9 inches tall, with black hair, brown eyes, dress size six, with measurements of 30A"-24"-33".[10] She has featured on runways, fashion weeks and high profile shoots in Japan, Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Poland, Germany, UAE, USA, Africa and the UK.[11]
Olumide has appeared in Dazed & Confused, London Fashion Week Daily, Dansk, Tank, I.D., Luire Magazine Japan, New York, Bahrain Confidential, WAD Magazine,[1] Retro, InStyle, Impulse,[12] Vogue and Capital Ace Factory magazine.[11]
She has worked with Gok Wan, Myleen Klass, Gio Pomodoro, NKWO, JJ Noki, and designers including Swarovski, Christopher Kane, Jil Sander, Henry Holland, Jacob Kimmie, Jacob Birge,[10] Vivien Westwood.[11] Olumide has modelled for various fashion brands including Top Shop, Mulberry, Bunmi Koko, New Look and Harris Tweed.[10]
In 2010, Olumide's mother Monie suffered a stroke. While visiting family in Nigeria, Monie encouraged her to pursue her design work. Olumide came up with the idea for her Scots-African collection. She bought the material, made the clothes and returned to Scotland with her first collection.[4]
She called the new fashion line, e:1 'monie', named after her mother.[9] Her debut spring summer collection was inspired by her Afro-Scottish[13] background and ancestry, a balance of European/British style tailoring and traditionally African fabric and patterns.[4][14] She prefers to source her material from poor parts of Africa and India to give back to the local communities and also to retain a level of authenticity.[14]
In 2013, Olumide performed with Phil Nichol in London, between April and June toured the United States with with The Roots and Mos Def in Orlando, Miami, New York, Philidelphia, and Atlanta, and at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, a four-day event in Tennessee in June. She also did shows with Michael Winslow in the U.S and UK.[15]
Olumide is also a DJ and has worked with Dynamo, Grace Jones, Damian Marley and Nas. She has played at venues across Europe and the United States including The Apollo, Lovebox Festival, The Great Escapes Festival, Glastonbury, Websterhall NYC with Matt Sorum.
Olumide featured in Trouble Sleeping alongside Gary Lewis.[16] She starred in the BBC Two series Scots Scuil.[4] Her debut lead role was in film Middleman.
Olumide played an office worker[4] in the Brad Pitt film World War Z,[17][18][19][20][21] which was filmed in Glasgow in 2011.[4]
Olumide produced and directed solo Metamorph through Open Art Surgery at the Traverse Theatre. She is the founder and producer of The Official Youth on the Fringe at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In 2013, she worked with Fred MacAulay and Michael Che during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[22] In 2015, she directed and wrote her first one our solo stand up comedy gig at the Stand Comedy Club during the Edinburgh Fringe.
Olumide is currently freelance broadcaster, and has appeared on BBC Online and SKY Television reporting on the 2012 and 2013 British Academy Scotland Awards (BAFTA Scotland),[23] BAFTA, and the 2013 Screen Nation Awards.[24] In May 2014, she attended Cannes Film Festival and reported live online from the event. In 2015 she was given a solo live show on BBC Radio's Music Match.
Olumide featured in several episodes of John Bishop's Britain and BBC Learning Zone.[25]
Olumide produced an exclusive with Vice magazine's Andy Capper on his film Reincarnated starring Snoop Dogg (also known as Snoop Lion).[26] In 2013, she did a feature on Andy Murray's win at Wimbledon with Judy Murray, and the First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond. Olumide has also interviewed comedians Doc Brown and Stephen K Amos.
Olumide runs and tutors at several youth groups; in Glasgow at Hillhead High School, and in Edinburgh in Calder, Granton and another in Muirhouse called G-Code.[15] She also runs workshops for young people throughout the United Kingdom for all ages and abilities including confidence building, music, dance and graffiti.[5] In May and June 2013 Olumide ran workshops across Florida at primary schools including Fern Creek.
She has helped fund raise for numerous charities including Children's Hospice Association Scotland,[16] The Well Foundation and Love Music Hate Racism.[1]
In 2011, through the Prince's Business Youth Trust, Olumide set up a public relations company called Enigmatic Production and Promotion.[1] Olumide also works as a tutor at RIZ:E Magazine.
In 2013, Olumide became an ambassador for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, alongside Kate Moss, Twiggy, Edith Bowman, Adam Carr, Michelle Heaton, Sharon Osbourne and Kelly Osbourne.
Olumide was nominated for the "Model of the Year" in the Scottish Fashion Awards, sponsored by Vogue,[4] in 2007,[27] 2011,[16][28] and 2013.[9][11]
In 2013, she was awarded Best Contribution to Fashion and Media in Scotland at the Scottish Fashion Awards. In the same year, she was awarded AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards Competition.
Olumide is of dual British and Nigerian nationality.[29][30]