{UAH} Burundi-born Natasha Luwedde becomes Scotland's top black supermodel as Calvin Klein and Dior line her up

Burundi-born Natasha Luwedde becomes Scotland's top black supermodel as Calvin Klein and Dior line her up

• 12:49, 15 March 2015
• By Heather Greenaway

THE 21-year-old started modeling at 18 and has now become one of the most sought after models in Scotland as top brands Calvin Klein and Dior queing up to book her.

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Simon Armstrong

Natasha Luwedde on the catwalk

FROM war-torn Burundi to the international catwalk, Natasha Luwedde is Scotland's top black supermodel.

The striking 21-year-old has become the darling of the fashion world with huge brands such as Calvin Klein and Dior
 queueing up to book her for shows.

She was on the catwalk at London
 Fashion Week and has already starred in campaigns for House of Fraser, Harvey Nichols and Debenhams.

Natasha, who was born in Burundi and grew up in Uganda, admits she never dreamed she would one day become a model.

She said: "It's almost too good to be true. Every time I get a phone call from my agent to say I've landed a campaign or a catwalk show, I ask them are they sure?

"I'm still getting used to being a model. It is something I never imagined I would do. The fashion industry are hiring more and more dark-skinned girls and I'm delighted to be one of them."

Natasha moved to Scotland in 2010, when she was 16. She settled in Paisley with her mum Diana, who works for the NHS, and her two younger brothers.

When she was 18, a friend suggested she should give modelling a go. So she walked into leading Scots model agency Colours and they signed her on the spot.

Natasha Luwedde

The 5ft 10in beauty said: "I had never
 modelled in my life but thought, 'Why not? It could be fun.' I walked into their office and after half an hour I was on their books.

"Until that day, I had never walked in
 high-heel shoes but now I'm on catwalks. It's lots of fun and I'm learning all the time."

With the fashion industry growing more and more excited about dark-skinned models, Natasha is quickly becoming one of the
agency's most popular girls. Jourdan Dunn was Vogue's February cover girl, making her the first black model to have a solo Vogue cover since Naomi Campbell in 2002.

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Natasha, who lost her Ugandan dad Edward when she was young, says she has never felt isolated because of the colour of her skin.

She added: "To me, the fashion industry is one big family and I have never been made to feel different from any of the other models.

"The world of fashion is more diverse and inclusive than it was a few years ago. There are lots more black and Asian models on the runways, which is great to see."

Natasha Luwedde is one of Scotland's top models

Natasha and her family can apply for full British citizenship in November. Until then, she needs a work permit to travel abroad for a shoot – and the red tape has seen her miss out on jobs with top fashion houses in New York and Paris.

She said: "I was asked to walk for Calvin Klein at New York Fashion Week and Dior at Paris Fashion Week but had to turn them down because I didn't get a permit in time.

"It was very disappointing but there is always next season. I can apply for a British passport in November, which will make everything a whole lot easier."

Natasha, who has modelled in our Seven Days magazine, admitted 
coming to Scotland has changed her family's life for the better. She said: "My mum is Burundian and met my dad, who was a lawyer, when he came to her country to work.

"Burundi was becoming increasingly unstable so we moved to Uganda when I was a toddler.

"We spent the first 16
years of my life moving all over Africa. When my dad died, my mum – who was his legal secretary – had to retrain. Once she completed a course in nursing, we moved to Scotland and haven't looked back. Glasgow is such a friendly city and it instantly felt like home."

Although Natasha's modelling career is flourishing, she is determined to finish her
 pharmacology degree at
 Queen Margaret's University in Edinburgh .

She said: "It's good to have a back-up plan. I come from a
 family of academics and my studies will always come first."

Rosalynd Ramage, of Colours model agency, said: "When Natasha walked into Colours four years ago,
we knew she had international model potential. We are confident 2015 is going to be a big year for her."

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower

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