The Real Housewives of Dubai: Meet Chanel Ayan, Kenyan Model

After months of speculation, The Real Housewives of Dubai has revealed its premiere date and incoming housewives, with one of the cast members being Chanel Ayan. The newest spin-off in the Real Housewives franchise was first announced by Andy Cohen in November 2021 and is Bravo’s first international installment; countries with their own versions of the show, such as Australia, Denmark, and the United Kingdom, are hosted on their individual networks. Like its predecessors, RHODubai is set to follow six successful women as they navigate their professional and personal lives, and fans are excited to learn all about the incoming newcomers.

Besides Chanel, RHODubai will feature Nina Ali, Caroline Brooks, Dr. Sara Al Madani, Lesa Milan, and a familiar face: Caroline Stanbury. Before being announced as a housewife, Stanbury made an impression on Bravo fans with her appearance on Ladies of London. After the short-lived show was canceled in 2017, Caroline Stanbury and her family (which included her now ex-husband Cem Habib) set up permanent residence in Dubai. With many citizens in Dubai immigrating from various parts of the world, the six incoming housewives all share several attributes that fans are looking forward to seeing. Each woman possesses an extravagant lifestyle thanks to multiple successful business ventures, with Chanel being one of the more interesting additions to the Real Housewives franchise.

Chanel Ayan (born Pillott Ayan) is a Kenyan model of Somalian descent who has a large following in Africa and the Middle East. According to People, Chanel is the first Black supermodel to grace the cover of a Dubai magazine and has also appeared in several international editions of Vogue. With an estimated net worth of over $1 million, Chanel owns a talent agency and recently launched her first makeup brand, AYAN by Toni Malt Makeup. A resident of Dubai for over 17 years, Chanel told L’Officiel Arabia last January that she owes her modeling success to “[her] unique look, personality, and stage presence.” Since making her debut at a royal Abu Dhabi fashion show, Chanel has worked for top fashion houses like Chanel, Tiffany, Cartier, Valentino, and Dolce & Gabbana. In between all of that, Chanel is also the annual face of Piaget, a Swiss luxury watch brand.

When Chanel isn’t working, the star enjoys spending time with her family. Chanel, who is believed to be in her 30s, told Cosmopolitan Middle East shortly after RHODubai was announced in November that she decided to jumpstart her career by moving to Brazil at 18. While there, she fell in love with Luca Salves, and the couple moved to the USA shortly after tying the knot before finally settling in the UAE. Chanel and Luca, who is an artist and fellow model, have one son, Taj. The 14-year-old, like his parents, has also begun to dabble in the modeling world, with Chanel recently sharing images of Taj posing for Vogue Arabia.

With experiences across North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, Chanel Ayan’s storyline on RHODubai will no doubt hold a lot of substance. While some are skeptical about the incoming program due to Dubai’s history of human rights violations, others are ready to see the rich and glamorous lifestyles of Chanel and her co-stars. With June 1 only a couple of months away, Bravo fans only need to wait a little longer to see how the newest Real Housewives additions interact with each other.

The Real Housewives of Dubai premieres Wednesday, June 1 at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.

Sources: Chanel Ayan/Instagram, People, L’Officiel Arabia, Cosmopolitan Middle East, Chanel Ayan/Instagram

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