Background
Lagum was born to her single mother Sidonia Ayaa in the Ugandan capital of Kampala. After losing her job, her mother relocated to Kitgum to move in with her grandparents.
Lagum was born to her single mother Sidonia Ayaa in the Ugandan capital of Kampala. After losing her job, her mother relocated to Kitgum to move in with her grandparents.
In her early years, Lagum was teased due to being much taller and thinner than her peers. During her teenage years, several friends suggested that with her height and body she could work as a model. At the age of sixteen, Lagum began to pursue modeling as a career.
Her first job was in Ugandan Fashion Week, where she walked for Gloria Wavamunno’s Games Workshop Collection.
In 2012 Lagum met designer Adele Dejak, who took her to Kenya for a photo shoot. In 2013, Lagum decided to take part in one of the casting calls for taking a 16-hour bus ride from Kampala to the city of Nairobi, Kenya.
Upon being interviewed, the model quickly caught the eyes of the host, Oluchi Onweagba. She was later called by Onweagba herself and was chosen to fly to Cape Town as one of the twelve finalists for the show.
Due to her unique look and physique, Lagum quickly gained notice from the judges and guests of the show, winning several best photos along with the opportunity to appear in a spread for Elle South Africa for having received best picture in week 9.
Lagum made it to the finale on the tenth week of the competition, having made no appearances in the bottom two. I think she"s a true representation of an African beauty, and she has a warrior spirit inside of her. I"m going to go to bed at night tonight and sleep so well because I know she can pull this official"
After winning, Lagum was signed with Boss Model Management in South Africa and was featured in an editorial for Marie Claire South Africa in August 2014.
She later signed with deoxyribonucleic acid Model Management and relocated to New York City.
Lagum debuted in the F/West 2015 season, walking for the likes of Lacoste, Marc by Marc Jacobs, J. Mendel, Rag & Bone, Giles, Jonathan Saunders, Paul Smith, and Bottega Veneta. She then went on to open Balenciaga in Paris, making her the first model of color to open the show under Alexander Wang.
She continued her streak, booking more shows like Lanvin, Dries van Noten, H&M, Giambattista Valli, and Hermèson At the end of the season, she was listed as one of the Top Newcomers by models.com and style.com.
Since then, she has appeared in different magazines like i-Doctorate, Interview, Love, West, British, Germany, and Spanish Vogue, and Vanity Fair.
As well as advertorial for Kenzo and an advertising campaign for Marc Jacobs, shot by David Sims.