Malaika Firth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Malaika Firth
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Firth walking for Michael Kors Spring/Summer 2014 during New York Fashion Week
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| Born | 23 March 1994 Mombasa, Kenya
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| Nationality | British Kenyan |
| Children | 1 |
| Modeling information | |
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
| Hair color | Black |
| Eye color | Brown |
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Malaika Firth was born on March 23, 1994. She is a fashion model from Kenya and Britain. Malaika became well-known in 2013. She was the first Black model in almost 20 years to be in a Prada advertisement. This was a big deal in the fashion world.
Early Life of Malaika Firth
Malaika Firth was born in Mombasa, Kenya. When she was seven years old, her family moved to Barking, a town in East London. Her family in Kenya belongs to the Giriama group.
Her father, Eric, has roots from Britain, Seychelles, and Uganda. Her mother, Jecinta, is half-Kenyan and half-Swiss. Malaika shared a room with her sister and auntie when she was growing up.
Malaika has spoken about her childhood. She said her family did not have a lot of money. She struggled to pay for lunch at school. She is very thankful for her career. She feels it has changed her family's life.
Malaika now feels at home in many places. She has not been back to Barking since she became famous. Her family has moved to Kenya. She was bullied in school for being shy. But now, she sees people's kind comments online.
Malaika Firth's Modeling Career
Malaika's mother encouraged her to try modeling. They watched a TV show about Premier Model Management. Her mother called the agency and set up a meeting. Malaika was signed right away after an open casting call.
She started modeling at age 17. Soon, she began working all over the world. Her first runway show was in New York Fashion Week in 2012.
Malaika got a lot of attention in 2013. She walked in the Prada menswear show. She also starred in the Prada fall 2013 campaign. This campaign included famous models like Christy Turlington. Malaika was the first Black model in 19 years to be in a Prada campaign. The last one was Naomi Campbell in 1994.
Malaika became very popular during the Spring/Summer 2014 fashion weeks. She walked in over 40 shows. These included big names like Jean Paul Gaultier and Dolce & Gabbana. In November 2013, she also walked in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
For the Spring/Summer 2014 campaign season, Malaika worked for Valentino and Burberry. She also worked for Prada for the second time in a row.
Personal Life
Malaika Firth lives in London today. If she were not a model, she would have tried acting. She used to act in plays in Barking. Her grandmother owns a restaurant in Kenya.
See also
In Spanish: Malaika Firth para niños
