What is Chanel Ayan's real name? 'RHODubai' star drew inspiration from Coco to forget abusive dad
When it comes to reality television, the 'Real Housewives' franchise always makes it to the top list as it never fails to keep us amused with the drama. Bravo has revealed that Dubai will be the newest addition to 'The Real Housewives' family and will follow six successful women as they navigate their professional and personal lives. Chanel Ayan is one of the cast members. She is bold, stunning, and glamorous and could soon be a fan favorite. Besides Chanel, 'RHODubai' will feature Nina Ali, Caroline Brooks, Dr Sara Al Madani, Lesa Milan, and a familiar face: Caroline Stanbury. Here's everything there is to know about Chanel.
On a side note, if you'd like to watch more Bravo reality shows, check out 'Love Match Atlanta', 'The Real Housewives of Orange County' and ‘Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’.
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Who is Chanel Ayan?
Chanel (born Pillott Ayan) is a Kenyan-born supermodel and entrepreneur of Somali and Ethiopian ancestry who has taken Dubai by storm. The gorgeous socialite is recognized for her elegance and flair, as well as her thriving talent agency. Chanel, a fashion and beauty expert, is also working on a cosmetics and skincare brand with the famous makeup artist Toni Malt (Ayan by Toni Malt and Ayan Skin) to help women all over the world transform their looks and gain confidence. Chanel is not only a successful businesswoman but also a devoted wife and a loving mother to her son.
Chanel's modeling journey
Chanel has been modeling since the age of eighteen, first in Brazil, then New York, and finally Dubai. When she moved to Dubai 18 years ago, there was no Black modeling in Dubai. She is the first Black model to ever appear on magazine covers in Dubai. In fact, she is the only Black girl to have done Vogue Arabia and was the first Black woman to ever do all these in the Middle East. She has collaborated with Arab designers Rami Al Ali and Yousef Al Jasmi, and her work was featured in Italian Vogue, American Vogue, and Vogue Arabia, among other magazines. According to People, Chanel is the first Black supermodel to grace the cover of a Dubai magazine. She has worked for top fashion houses like Chanel, Tiffany, Cartier, Valentino, and Dolce & Gabbana and is also the face of Piaget, a Swiss luxury watch brand.
In an interview with Vanguard, she shared how she is the muse for one of the biggest designers in the world, the Amato couture. The designer is known to have dressed Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Nicky Minaj, Shakira, and JLo among others. Chanel revealed that she used to dress clothes for celebrities before he sent them to the USA for major events like the Oscars. "Funny thing I used to fit for Nicky Minaj and we have very different bodies but they would check colors and designs that will fit her. I wore the same white dress that Beyonce wore in Grammys before it was sent to USA," she shared in the 2019 interview.
Chanel's childhood
Chanel was born in Kenya, in a little community named Malanba, on the Kenya-Uganda border. She attended school in both Kenya and Uganda as a child. Her father hails from a large family in Uganda that owns all of the Gateway buses, and so he had a good upbringing. However, her father had a serious drinking problem and sometimes forgot that he was a parent. So, Chanel and her siblings were raised by her mother.
In the trailer for 'The Real Housewives of Dubai,' Chanel discusses her past and mentions her father, who used to abuse and beat her badly. She also says that until she met her husband, she had no idea what love was.
In the Vanguard interview, Chanel also revealed why she changed her name. "My name is not really Chanel, my name is Ayan. I changed it to Chanel for like the last 15 years. I picked Chanel because I watched the movie about the true story of Chanel and felt I connected with her in different aspects like how her father lived in the same town and she didn’t know he was there, she was raised in an orphanage and how her father moved on, married other people, raised other children and she completely forgot about them. Her story kind of resonated with me, that’s why I call myself Chanel. But my first name is actually Ayan. Ayan means ‘lucky’ in my culture, a very common Somalian name actually."
Chanel's mother taught her and her siblings to be self-sufficient and achieve ambitions. She was raised in a little community with a population of fewer than 20,000 people. Chanel has five siblings and her mother adopted five children. Chanel's mother is a single mom who runs a restaurant and a supermarket, both of which she built alone. They grew their own food and spent their time by the river. They used to have to go out and get water to wash their clothes. Chanel's siblings are all scattered across Europe and the United States. They set aside time to meet, and they all return to Kenya for visits. Her mother also pays her occasional visits to Dubai.
Is Chanel Ayan married?
Chanel married Luca Salves, an artist and fellow model, and the couple moved to the USA shortly after tying the knot before finally settling in the UAE. Chanel met Luca in Brazil after she moved to the country at the age of 18. The couple has a son named Taj. The 14-year-old, like his parents, has also begun to dabble in the modeling world.
Watch Chanel Ayan on 'The Real Housewives of Dubai' premiere on Wednesday, June 1 at 9 pm ET/PT on Bravo. The show streams the next day on Peacock.