Anya Ayoung-Chee

Anya Ayoung-Chee (born October 17, 1981) is a Trinidadian fashion designer, model and television host. She was Miss Trinidad & Tobago Universe 2008 and was a contestant in the Miss Universe 2008 pageant. She was the winner of Project Runway's ninth season in 2011. She founded the fashion lines Anya de Rouge and Pilar and the online fashion retailer cANYAval.

Anya Ayoung-Chee
Anya at the Miss Universe 2008 Pageant
Born
Anya Ayoung-Chee

(1981-10-17) October 17, 1981
New York, United States
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
TitleMiss Trinidad & Tobago Universe 2008
Beauty pageant titleholder
Hair colorBlack
Eye colorBrown
Major
competition(s)		Miss Trinidad & Tobago Universe 2008 (winner)
Miss Universe 2008
Project Runway season 9

Early life

Anya Ayoung-Chee was born to Trinidadian parents in New York City but moved to Trinidad at the age of two; she therefore holds dual Trinidadian and American citizenship.[1] She is the only daughter in a family of eight. From an early age she pursued classical ballet training. During her attendance at an all-girls secondary school, St. Joseph's Convent (Port of Spain), that she became passionate about art and design. She continued her education in London and New York, studying graphic and interior design at Parsons School of Design and Central St Martins School of Art and Design. She remained in New York until 2007, when her brother, Pilar died. She then returned home to Trinidad.[2]

Miss Trinidad & Tobago

Following her return to Trinidad, Ayoung-Chee entered the 2008 Miss Universe competition and won the title of Miss Trinidad & Tobago. She is the second title Miss Trinidad & Tobago in the franchise's 44-year history to be of Chinese descent. When asked, "Is your Asian heritage an issue since you represent a country with an overwhelming African and Indian heritage?" Ayoung-Chee replied, "Trinidad & Tobago is unique in its ethnic make-up because it is a country with people of all races. I am of mixed origin, mainly Chinese, Indian and Caucasian, and although my particular mixture is a minority, I represent the unusual combination of ethnicities that defines us as a people."[3]

Following her success as Miss Trinidad & Tobago, Ayoung-Chee went on to host a number of Caribbean television and web-based shows, including her own fashion show, Make It Yours.[4]

Ayoung-Chee had been involved in philanthropy since 2003, when she became a member of the TallMan Foundation. The foundation was established by her family for the empowerment of young people in underprivileged areas. Following her Miss Trinidad & Tobago title, she became more involved in charitable work. In 2008 the United Nations Association of Trinidad & Tobago (UNATT) asked Ayoung-Chee and Gabrielle Walcott to be spokeswomen and champions for the group. They both served during their reigns as Miss T&T, and continue as members of UNATT, the NGO arm of the United Nations which aims to advocate for the United Nations and the Millennium Development Goals.

Fashion designer

During the Miss Universe pageant, Ayoung-Chee brought her design training and experience to her own wardrobe, most of which she designed and styled,[5] and she decided to become a fashion designer as a result.[6] She auditioned for and was accepted as a contestant on Season 9 of the American television show Project Runway in 2011.[7]

Ayoung-Chee had experience creating designs, but her tailoring had been done by others. Despite learning to sew only four months before auditioning for the program,[8] she placed in the top three of most of the challenges, and eventually won the competition on October 27, 2011. Ayoung-Chee earned $100,000 from L'Oreal Paris to begin her own women's line, Pilar—named after her deceased brother. She also was featured in a fashion spread in Marie Claire and received a $50,000 technology suite by HP and Intel with which to design and sell merchandise, as well as a partnership with Piperlime.com. She was also voted the fan favorite in a Twitter contest, for which she received another $10,000.[9]

Ayoung-Chee continued to design for Pilar and also founded a lingerie line, Anya de Rouge. In 2014 she appeared on reality show Under the Gunn, working with Tim Gunn to mentor other designers.[10]

She has hosted events and produced fashion for Trinidad's carnival,[11] and has founded online store cANYAval, where she works with other designers creating clothing inspired by Trinidad's carnival. The store focuses on Monday Wear, or elaborate bathing suits worn on the day before carnival Tuesday.[12] She is also a travel ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago.[13]

In 2019, Ayoung-Chee competed in Season 7 of Project Runway All Stars, that featured a cast of previous winners. She placed 10th overall.[14]

Personal life

Ayoung-Chee met her longtime boyfriend Wyatt Gallery in 2006 at Trinidad carnival. Following the theft and release of their private sex tape in 2009, they ceased to appear in public together for some time, but continued dating. The two became engaged in 2015.[15] The couple married in January 2018, [16] and their son Kaïri Pilar Gallery was born on July 3, 2018. [17]

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References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-10-24. Retrieved 2011-10-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Meet the Stylist: Anya Ayoung-Chee". SimplyStylist.com. 13 Feb 2014. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 30 Apr 2016.
  3. "I am unique and eclectic". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 14 June 2008. Retrieved 30 Apr 2016.
  4. "Meet the Stylist: Anya Ayoung-Chee". SimplyStylist.com. 13 Feb 2014. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 30 Apr 2016.
  5. "Meet the Stylist: Anya Ayoung-Chee". SimplyStylist.com. 13 Feb 2014. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 30 Apr 2016.
  6. "Sex-Scandal Beauty Queen Now a Contestant on 'Project Runway'". Gawker.com. 13 July 2011. Archived from the original on 2016-03-22. Retrieved 30 Apr 2016.
  7. "'Project Runway' Season 9: Meet the Designers: Anya Ayoung-Chee". Lifetime Networks. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved 30 Apr 2016.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  8. Zaino, Nick (25 July 2011). "Heidi Klum, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia Preview the 'Project Runway' Premiere". AOL TV. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  9. "Anya Ayoung-Chee wins 9th Season of Project Runway". Asia Pacific Arts. 2011-10-31. Archived from the original on 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2011-11-19.
  10. James, Danielle (15 Sep 2014). "The Evolution of Anya: The Fashion Designer, the Mentor, the Winner". Huffington Post HuffPost Style. Retrieved 30 Apr 2016.
  11. Downs, Kenya. "Carnival Made In China: Trinidad's Annual Festival Faces A Generational Divide". WLRN Miami. Retrieved 30 Apr 2016.
  12. Dennis, Kendra (8 Sep 2014). "Largeup Interview: Anya Ayoung-Chee on cANYAval". LargeUp. Retrieved 30 Apr 2016.
  13. Sander, Brice (26 Dec 2014). "Where Are They Now: All 13 "Project Runway" Winners". Buzzfeed. Retrieved 30 Apr 2016.
  14. "Watch All Stars Goes Global Full Episode - Project Runway All Stars - Lifetime".
  15. "Anya's engaged". Trinidad Express. 25 Jan 2012. Retrieved 30 Apr 2016.
  16. "Anya and Wyatt tie the knot". www.looptt.com. Retrieved 2018-08-18.
  17. "It's a boy: meet Anya Ayoung-Chee's son, Kaïri". www.looptt.com. Retrieved 2018-08-18.
Preceded by
Gretchen Jones		 Project Runway winner
Anya Ayoung-Chee		 Succeeded by
Dmitry Sholokhov
Preceded by
Kenisha Thom		 Miss Trinidad & Tobago Universe
2008		 Succeeded by
La Toya Woods
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