Katoucha Niane was a Guinean model who broke many barriers, becoming the one of the first black models to grace the catwalk. Yves Saint Laurent considered her his muse. She was elegant, driven and used her position to draw attention to the horrors of female circumcision.

She was the daughter of author, playwright and historian Djibril Tamsir Niane and their family was forced to live in exile after he got into bad graces with Sekou Toure, the then president. She lived with an uncle in Mali before rejoining her family in Dakar, Senegal at the age of 12. She got married at 17 and moved with her husband to France. She modeled until 1994 when she decided to stop modeling and focus on activism. Her organization, KPLCE – Katoucha pour la lutte contre l’excision (Katoucha for the battle against female circumcision), fought against female circumsicion, a rite she had undergone at the age of 9. She wrote about the experience in 2007 in a book called, “Dans ma chair” (”In My Flesh”).

Her death was a tragic one that is still raising questions. She was found floating in the Seine river, a few days after she was reported missing. She leaves behind three children and a strong legacy of class, elegance, leadership, and tremendous achievement. She inspired many, and paved the way for other black models. Rest in peace, Katoucha. Your death leaves a hole in the modeling world that will not be easily filled. To learn more about who she was, visit her website.