From Lagos to the World

Theophilus Taiwo Aladejebi, better known as Tai, is a rising star in the world of modeling and creativity. Discovered on TikTok, Tai quickly gained attention for his unique blend of African heritage and contemporary artistic expression. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, and now traveling internationally—most recently to Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks—he draws from diverse inspirations such as music, film, and global culture. At just 21, Tai has already collaborated with top brands, and with the JBW Chasm timepiece, he continues to explore bold new dimensions of style and creativity.

How did you first get started in modeling, and what inspired you to pursue this career?

I was discovered on TikTok. I had a video that went viral, and from there, a scout reached out. I got signed with LEDREW Models, and yeah, that’s sort of how I got started modeling.

How has your background and upbringing shaped your perspective and the way you create?

I grew up in a traditional African household, where you knew there were strict rules, and you were basically to be on your best behavior. I’ve taken those teachings and have applied them to my content. I hold integrity with the stuff I make and if I don’t feel like a piece of content is good whether it’s a picture or video I just won’t post it. I feel like that sort of stems back to my teachings at home if it’s good, do it and if it’s not good, don’t do it.

How would you describe your creative process?

My creative process begins a lot with music that I listen to. Songs inspire me. I also like movies and a lot of stuff around that I absorb…you can think of me as a blender like you throw a bunch of stuff in the blender and then you get a mix of all the stuff you put in from everyday life experiences, things I’ve seen in movies or songs that I’ve heard. I just look and learn from what other people are doing and interpret it in my way. Books help out a lot, and podcasts. I enjoy gathering information from things that are around me.

You often travel. Can you tell us about some of the most impactful experiences you had during that time and how they have impacted your career?

So the first time I was able to travel was when I got my Canadian passport last year in April 2023 and the first place I went was New York. I hadn’t had any expectations of you know what I was looking for. I kind of went there with an open mind and the moment I stepped foot in that city I realized that it’s a place that I love and through spending time in the city, making connections with people, and networking I think it’s impacted my career. I would not have imagined before I started to travel, and those are the kinds of experiences that I look forward to when I do travel, for example going to Paris for fashion week and meeting people who know me altered the way I look at the work that I do. It gets to real people that are watching that are listening and you really can leave an impact on the world.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career?

One of the most rewarding aspects of my career is the fact that I work for myself and have my own schedule - I feel like a lot of jobs don’t offer that. Another aspect of my job that I think is very rewarding is the fact that my work is based on creativity, which gives you the freedom to do anything you want, so that’s a very liberating thing. It’s that you could do anything you want as long as it fits within the brief.

I would also mention another thing that is very liberating about my work is that I could work from anywhere in the world - whether it’s modeling and/or I’m doing a campaign for a brand that could be shot anywhere they choose.

What keeps you motivated amidst the challenges the industry could bring?

My motivation is to be an iconist, and I feel like to be someone that is so iconic that you’re an iconist, you just have to be different. My motivation comes from a place of me wanting to stand out. Every day I look at my videos and I look at numbers and theorize ways to improve. One of my motivations is just to be different because there’s so much sort of digital jargon online. There’s so much going on and my goal is to step through that and show my audience or people that are watching the digital consciousness, like hey look at this thing. That’s my motivation.

What are some goals you have for the future, both personally and professionally?

I mean my goal for the future is to have a beach house in Malibu on the Pacific Ocean obviously but to be honest my goal for the future is to be able to take care of my family. I was born in a different country and I grew up in a different country so I kinda know what the other side of the world looks like, so my goal is to elevate my life and my family‘s life. Professionally I do want to have a company of some sort. I study science in school so I want to do something that combines tech and fashion.

What are some inspirations you have when creating your imagery?

A lot of my inspiration comes from watching movies and TV, specifically movies because I like stuff like framing, cinematography, and lighting. I take pride in my content for being high quality because I always try to match it similar to motion pictures. I feel like online where a lot of the content is just made quickly, having some sort of storylines with feelings that people could share is important and is overall my inspiration. I just watched Catch Me If You Can, it was a cool movie. I’m always thinking about how can I do something that can make people feel the way that they feel when watching a movie if you know what I mean.

What are some other passions of yours outside of modeling?

My passions outside of modeling I would say is fashion and travel which is sort of a cheap answer because that’s the same thing as modeling. That’s what I spend like pretty much spend 24/7 doing I actually have been wanting to get into acting.

What is a goal you haven’t accomplished yet in the industry?

I’ve never done a runway show in Paris so that’s something I want to do. It’s only 2024 so it’s just the beginning. I don’t think it’s like the end goal. The end goal would probably be to star in a movie.

What do you think about the Chasm timepiece?

I love the watch. I think I like it so much because it doesn’t look like a watch at first glance. I also think I am attracted to the industrial minimalist vibe of the watch.

Any advice you would give?

If I were to advise someone at this stage of my career, I would tell them that if they’ve ever had an idea, or they think they’ve gathered knowledge, the only way to truly be iconic is to take those ideas and the knowledge and to act on it. You have to act. I think that’s the key. Act upon your ideas.