Elsa Majimbo, the Kenyan influencer who became known for her chip-eating comedy bits four years ago, has shared her unfiltered account of how befriending Naomi Campbell derailed her modeling career.
In her Feb. 18 Instagram Story, she took a moment to show off her outfit as she excitedly shared, “I’m so happy today. I’m so happy. I feel like this is the first day of my life. I have let so much weigh me down off my chest…It’s a beautiful day!…I feel fantastic; I feel free.”
In a since-deleted TikTok post, the 22-year-old dished on how she went from feeling special with Campbell by her side to feeling controlled. The multifaceted content creator met Campbell in December 2020 when she accepted an impromptu vacation trip with the 90s fashion icon.
At one point during the trip, she claimed Campbell told her, “‘You know, we should do a documentary, a film about you living in Kenya.’” Moments from their time together can be viewed in the “A Day in the Life with Elsa Majimbo” video shared on Campbell’s YouTube page in 2021.
Majimbo agreed to the seemingly once-in-a-lifetime business proposal and was introduced to a number of Hollywood figures, some of whom were under the impression that the supermodel orchestrated her entire career.
“‘Yeah, she told us like she made you, and she built you, and she made your career…like what you have is because of her,’” said one of the women. The influencer explained that Campbell did help to give her credibility, but that her career could not be solely attributed to the fashion industry veteran. By March 2022, their relationship had soured just as Majimbo’s 15-minute documentary, “Elsa,” was presented by the Tribeca Film Festival.
Elsa did a big mistake by uploading this Tiktok video. Naomi Campbell got connections and trust me no big brand or name will want to associate with her in future despite the fact she deleted it. pic.twitter.com/2oZxpNxtqJ
— Allano™🍉 (@papaallano_) February 18, 2024
Campbell was allegedly under the impression that her mentee moved forward with their initial idea for the project without her. “‘No, no, that’s not what it’s about,’ I tried explaining to her. And then she was like, ‘I’ll sue you for the rights of this movie, and you know I will,’” she recalled in the post. The film touches on her life in Kenya, how she endured bullying, and how she found a way to be her authentic self in the comedy space.
Shortly after their exchange, Campbell severed ties with the young woman. As a result, Majimbo claims her career began to go “haywire.” “Having someone like Naomi Campbell not like you in the industry is not a good thing…I started drinking a lot, a lot, a lot,” she said.
A chance encounter with former British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful helped her piece together that her former mentor may have had a hand in the “trials and tribulations” she was experiencing.
“Talking about the Naomi Campbell situation is very hard and scary for me. But I don’t want to be owned by someone else, and I want to acknowledge a lot of big hits and blows in my career came from another Black woman and not my own incompetence,” she added.
Majimbo again reached out to her and apologized. When they finally made amends, the rising model said she made sure to inform Campbell of her every move, even allowing the runway beauty to advise her on what opportunities to accept in hopes of avoiding another falling out. Within weeks, she said the dynamic of their friendship did not feel healthy, nice, or normal. So she removed herself from Campbell’s orbit.
“So yeah, me and her, we’re not friends. We are not enemies. We’re not anything. Just naturally, in association so we are just strangers,” added the social media sensation. According to her, she deleted the TikTok after it got back to Campbell.
“She threatened to sue and post screenshots of a time I asked for her to help me with some older white executives that were trying to sleep with me. I’m now moving on and leaving it in the past,” she tweeted.
Well, if Naomi Campbell didn’t blackball her before.. it’s gon happen now
— 𝕽𝖚𝖉𝖊 𝕰𝖓𝖎𝖌𝖒𝖆 (@Navistarkadiri) February 18, 2024
I don’t know about yall, but I would have kept my mouth shut if I was Elsa and continued rubbing oil on my beautiful body.. pic.twitter.com/6iWkeTdawP
In separate tweets, she wrote I already healed. I cut communication with her and decided no job or money was worth the embarrassment and trauma” and that Campbell made her an “alcoholic and full blown depressed.”
Campbell is currently promoting her new clothing collection in partnership with BOSS, and has not issued a public statement addressing the claims.
