Today we’d like to introduce you to Elomé Akpagnonite.
Hi Elomé, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Lomé, Togo, West Africa, and some of my happiest memories are rooted there. When I think about home, I think about the warmth of family, spending time with my cousins, the energy of the markets, the laughter that naturally filled our gatherings, and the incredible food that always brought everyone together. To this day, authentic Togolese cuisine is still my favorite. Every meal carries memories of love, culture, and togetherness.
Although I was born in Togo, my parents made the courageous decision to immigrate to Canada so my brother and I could have access to greater educational opportunities, safety, and a future filled with possibilities. Looking back, I understand how much sacrifice that decision required. They left behind familiarity so that we could build lives with more opportunities than they had.
Even after moving away, Togo has never stopped feeling like home. Every time I return, I’m reminded that my relationship with my people is something I deeply cherish. Their resilience, generosity, joy, and sense of community continue to inspire me. My dream has never been simply to leave Africa, it has always been to grow, learn, and eventually return with knowledge, opportunities, and resources that can positively impact the people and communities that helped shape me.
Today, many of the projects I’m pursuing, whether through modeling, storytelling, or the creative platforms I’m building, are driven by that purpose. I want to celebrate African excellence, create opportunities for others, and help tell stories that remind people of the beauty, strength, and potential that already exists within our communities.
But my life hasn’t always reflected the woman you see today.
There was a time when I lost sight of who I was.
A few years ago, my life took a direction I never expected. I found myself in an abusive relationship that affected nearly every part of my life. It slowly stripped away my confidence, my intuition, my voice and my ability to recognize myself. I became isolated from the people who loved me and eventually reached a point where I wasn’t truly living
I was simply surviving.
The hardest part wasn’t what was happening around me. It was losing the relationship I had with myself.
I remember waking up every morning and repeating the same routine without thinking. Cleaning the house, cooking, doing laundry, trying to keep the peace. Every day looked the same until I realized I wasn’t living my own life anymore. I had become disconnected from my dreams, my purpose and even my own thoughts.
That season changed everything.
In the middle of that darkness, I prayed one simple prayer. I asked God that if this life wasn’t meant for me, He would open a door for me to leave. One night, the opportunity finally came. The door that had always been locked wasn’t secured the way it normally was. I quietly unjammed it, ran, and didn’t stop.
That moment wasn’t the end of my story.
It was the beginning of my healing.
My family welcomed me home with open arms. They never judged me or asked why I stayed. They simply loved me while I learned how to love myself again. Their support reminded me that healing doesn’t happen alone, and that accepting help is sometimes one of the bravest things we can do.
Recovery wasn’t instant. It meant rebuilding trust in my own intuition, learning to protect my peace, finding my voice again and choosing myself every single day. My faith became stronger because I experienced what it felt like to believe for a miracle, and then watch that prayer become reality.
Somewhere during that healing journey, modeling found me in a completely different way.
What began as a creative outlet became an expression of freedom. Every runway became an opportunity to stand taller than I once believed I could. Every editorial reminded me that confidence isn’t something someone else gives you, it’s something you cultivate from within.
One experience I’ll never forget was attending a competition to become the face of African Fashion Week Toronto. Ironically, I was eliminated in the very first runway challenge. I could have gone home disappointed, but instead I decided to wear the outfit I had brought to represent myself it was a gold look inspired by strength, femininity and my African identity, and simply enjoy the rest of the event.
Something unexpected happened.
People began stopping me for photographs. Designers, photographers and guests wanted to meet me. The same event where I had been eliminated became the place where I felt truly seen for the first time. It taught me one of the greatest lessons of my life: rejection doesn’t determine your value. Sometimes your greatest opportunities begin the moment you stop trying to prove yourself and simply become yourself.
Today, I continue to grow as an editorial and runway model, but my mission reaches far beyond fashion. I’m building The House of OROS, a creative community rooted in growth, collaboration and helping people reconnect with their own potential.
If there’s one thing my journey has taught me, it’s that people can change.
Not because someone else changes them, but because they decide they are worthy of a different life.
Today, success isn’t a title or a destination for me. Success is having the courage to act on the things God places on my heart. Every time I honour that inner voice instead of ignoring it, I become a little more like the woman I fought so hard to become.
I don’t model because I love being seen. I model because for a long time I lived believing I didn’t deserve to be seen at all.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all. In many ways, leaving the abusive relationship was the easiest part compared to rebuilding my mind afterward.
Healing isn’t a straight line. There were days when I questioned my intuition because I had spent so long being manipulated into believing my own thoughts and feelings weren’t valid. I had to relearn how to trust myself, set boundaries without guilt, and stop seeing my kindness as something everyone deserved access to.
One of the biggest struggles was finding my voice again. For a long time I became someone who stayed quiet to avoid conflict, and that naturally followed me into other areas of life. Modeling actually became part of my healing because every runway challenged me to stand confidently, take up space, and be fully seen.
I’ve also learned that growth sometimes means letting go of people, environments and opportunities that no longer align with who you’re becoming. That hasn’t always been easy because I’m naturally someone who wants to see the good in everyone. But I’ve realized that protecting your peace isn’t selfish, it’s necessary.
Another challenge has been learning patience. Social media often makes success look immediate, but behind every photo are countless hours of inner work, rejection, self-reflection and discipline. I’ve stopped comparing my timeline to anyone else’s. My focus now is becoming the kind of woman who can sustain the life she’s praying for.
Today I don’t see my struggles as setbacks. I see them as the experiences that taught me resilience, discernment, faith and self-respect. Those qualities have become far more valuable to me than any title or achievement because they’re the foundation I’ll build everything else on.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I consider myself an artist before anything else. Modeling is simply one of the ways I express that.
I specialize in storytelling through fashion, movement and imagery. Whether I’m on a runway, creating an editorial, or collaborating on a campaign, I’m always asking the same question: What feeling or truth are we trying to communicate? I’m drawn to projects that have meaning behind them rather than simply looking beautiful.
As my journey has evolved, I’ve become passionate about using creativity to explore identity, healing and human potential. Much of my work is inspired by my African heritage, faith, psychology and the belief that people are capable of transforming their lives. I want my work to remind people that beauty isn’t just something you’re born with, it’s something that grows when you become more aligned with who you truly are.
What I’m most proud of isn’t any particular runway or photoshoot. It’s the person I’ve become behind the camera. There was a time when I had lost my confidence, my voice and my sense of self. Today I create from a place of freedom instead of fear, and that changes everything.
I think what sets me apart is that I’m not chasing attention, I’m chasing impact. I’m interested in building work that lasts, telling stories that move people, and representing Africa and women with depth, elegance and authenticity. If someone walks away from my work feeling inspired to believe in themselves a little more, then I’ve done what I set out to do.
Beyond modelling, my goal is to build creative platforms that help people reconnect with themselves, develop their gifts, and use those gifts to create meaningful lives. To me, art isn’t just entertainment, it’s one of the most powerful tools for transformation.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
One of the things I appreciate most about Houston is how diverse it is. I’ve met people from so many different cultures, and as someone originally from Togo, that diversity makes me feel at home. The city has a strong entrepreneurial spirit too. There are people here building businesses, creating art, launching brands and supporting one another, which has encouraged me to think bigger about what’s possible for my own life.
Houston has also given me opportunities to grow as a model. Every runway, collaboration and conversation has challenged me to become more confident, disciplined and intentional with my craft.
If I had to say what I like least, it would be that the city can sometimes feel very spread out and disconnected. Because everything is so far apart, building genuine community takes more effort and intentionality. I’ve learned that it’s easy to meet people, but finding people who truly align with your values and vision is much rarer.
At this stage of my life, though, I’ve come to see every city as a classroom. Wherever I am, I’m less focused on what the city can give me and more focused on who I’m becoming while I’m there.
Pricing:
- Runway Modeling – Contact for rates
- Editorial & Fashion Campaigns – Contact for rates
- Brand Collaborations – Custom pricing
- Creative Direction & Concept Development – Available upon request
Contact Info:
- Website: https://orosinstitute.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empresselome?utm_source=qr
