This is going to be a Chanel Ayan appreciation story. So if you’re not feeling her so far, Andy Cohen is hoping to change your mind. The Real Housewives of Dubai star certainly made her mark in the first two episodes. An unexplained beef between Chanel and reality tv veteran Caroline Stanbury already turned into a fight. The reason? Caroline didn’t invite Chanel to her hen (bachelorette) party. So naturally, Chanel didn’t feel like discussing it as a topic at dinner. Especially since she was the only one out of the cast that didn’t get an invite.
Her over-the-top persona might turn some people off, but Andy is singing her praises. The Bravo exec spoke with E! News to explain. He started, “I’ve never in 16 years of producing this show seen anyone like Chanel Ayan.” Andy added, “She is just wild. She shows up in a ballgown to the mall. I’ve never seen anything like her. She’s so funny, she’s so beautiful, she’s so bigger than life yet she’s also really relatable and has an incredible back story, which you’ll learn more about later.”
While the rest of the RHODubai cast isn’t exactly boring, Andy notes that Chanel is an obvious standout. He remarked, “I think they’re all quite notable but I think Chanel is someone who’s really gonna stick in people’s minds.”
So what makes Chanel so unique? She is the self-proclaimed “first Black supermodel of Dubai.” In the first episode, Chanel explained her humble beginnings. She shared, “I grew up in a very small village in Kenya. I moved [to Dubai] 18 years ago with my husband and I didn’t know there was modeling or anything to do with fashion here when I moved here.” But her life changed with one meeting. Chanel recalled, “I was approached by a guy saying, ‘Hey, you can be a model.’ I started doing all the magazines, traveling around, getting to know people.”
She also described herself as a “badass bitch” and her resume backs that up. Aside from being a model, she runs her own talent agency, has a makeup line and is mother to a 14 year old. Chanel is married and has been living with her husband and son in Dubai for 18 years now. She also doesn’t feature her personal life on her Instagram, but the aesthetic for her 200+k followers very much centers about her modeling career.
Given what Andy has to say about RHODubai, Chanel certainly fits in just fine. Andy concluded of the franchise, “It feels so international and glamorous and just different.”
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CHANEL? WHY DO YOU THINK SHE DOESN’T GET ALONG WITH CAROLINE? WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE HOUSEWIFE ON DUBAI SO FAR?
[Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo]
