Meet Ahmad Cissé

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ahmad Cissé. 

Hi Ahmad, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’d like to start by expressing love and gratitude for reaching out with the intention of listening to my story and sharing my passion with the world. My life story is briefly as follows. I was born in The Bronx, NY, raised in Senegal. As I was reaching the peak of my adolescence, I made a return to the U.S. I attended Christopher Colombus High School in The Bronx, NY, and graduated from Frank Cody High School in Detroit, MI. Through being in different parts of the world, I think of myself as someone who has experienced multiple realities throughout my youth which has expanded my worldview and has an innate impact on my thought process as a creative. 

I consistently picked up on photography during the summer of 2020. It was the same year in which I broke through the modeling world in Detroit. My love for photography is a passionate one and modeling came knocking at my door at a time when I was looking to perfect my craft in photography. I was always told I should model. However, I was stubborn to an extreme degree, with the fear that modeling would take me away from photography. Not because I thought to be both were mutually exclusive, but because I was in a stage in which tunnel vision was a prominent trait that expressed itself. That trait later translated into how I pursued my modeling career as everything else took a backseat; including photography. 

The story of my modeling career begins as follows: The founder and CEO of local and critically acclaimed fashion house “Detroit Is The New Black” – Rosalyn Karamoko – hosted a Juneteenth Block Party outside the fashion house and my intent was to simply show up, show love, and to network. While I made some great connections and new acquaintances, there was a dramatic shift when Rosalyn and I crossed paths. We held a short conversation and proceeded to exchanging contact information. I ended up being casted for her upcoming campaign as the model shortly after. Following this was getting casted a month later for a fashion show hosted by the same fashion house. An extreme buzz made it through the city after such event. The scene took an extreme keenness to my look which lead to a domino effect through exposure. Local creatives started to engage my passion for creating through collaborating. 

Note that through attending Solar Power Sunday – hosted by Asa Bey in Detroit, I have worked with Sashat (@iamsashat) and Jalen Shannon (@jstylez.z) prior to this encounter with Rosalyn. Much gratitude to Asa (@Asameansdoctor) for bringing the community together. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My modeling career appears a smooth road when one solely accounts for the analytics. But the day-to-day was not much suggestive of ease and comfort. Catching up to my growth in a synchronizing fashion, expanding expectations from my audience, a larger network of new faces were all challenging. When it dawned on me that all eyes were on me in the Metro Detroit area, I understood that this is no longer something I should be doing just because, but to make a career out of it. I shall no longer be that “new kid” but to become established and en route to being a household name. In spite of these challenges, Matt mentored me through my early days by giving me hours of his time out of his day to motivate, assure, teach, and inspire me. My career would certainly not have been the same without him. Matt helped me overcome these challenges by giving me insight into the Instagram algorithm, business etiquette, communication skills, etc. These skills were essential given that I have a very detached relationship with social media. Hence, I never cared about the algorithm until he came into the picture. He assisted in making sure I had a vault filled with exceptional content to further stimulate my growth. And in that, making sure that the growth reflects in the new work released. That way, we raised the bar each time. 

Another set of struggles were turning down projects that were not in alignment with my set of principles and values. Many of my peers would say “something has got to give”. I came to the conclusion that I’d turn down the world if it means that I lose myself. That is not to say one cannot have both. Another struggle has been coming to terms with the reality of the fashion world. The way a model is “supposed” to be. I am very expressive in how I feel about a project or a garment that will be showcased through me. I am a face in the industry. But my face is also my brand… and I am protective of that. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a fashion model, photographer, designer. I like to call myself an artist. I strive to breathe life and/or revive the beauty in articles; and sometimes, to simply, and innately see the stellar qualities in them. Brainstorming ideas, customizing, and painting are expressed in the former whereas Photography is primarily expressed in the latter. I am oftentimes referred to as a piece of art myself. Which is proper reasoning as to why I have manifested a career as a fashion model. Perhaps because I see the beauty and art in everything myself. I see the beauty in life, the human experience, the mystery which encapsulates life as we know it. My specialty lies in creating. No matter the medium. 

What I am proud of the most is the fact that modeling is a career that pursued me. In the midst of me pursuing the art of photography consistently for 4 months, I would convene in circles of creatives in search of connections, inspiration and insight. I would always be told I should model. Modeling was something I was never fond of. There was a total lack of interest. As a matter of fact. It was not until I met Rosalyn Karamoko that the tables turned as stated previously. In a matter of 16 months, I am now based in Brooklyn and currently signed to 2 agencies. I have worked with brands like StockX, Nike, Bergdorf, Notre, Levi’s, Wallpaper Magazine, and have made it on the cover of Black Fashion Fair’s Volume 0, and have walked for Telfar for New York Fashion Week, 

I am proud to have a wife who is a multi-dimensional creative (@ablackstateofmind). Her experience in multiple mediums is a valuable one. She has already lived the phases and stages I am going through as an artist currently. Having a well-seasoned artist like herself by my side is something I value. I am proud to have a big brother and mentor in Matt (@by.matthewneal) who’s also great at his craft. Our work has always been stellar and his role in my development is evident if one closely follows the journey. 

What I feel sets me apart is certainly my awareness of how my essence reflects in my aesthetic and style. I feel that the way one is expressed externally is contingent upon one’s internal state of being and eternal essence. As within, so without. As much as I feel this, I would say it’s also the dedication. The interstate road trips to different states to expand my network and my range of creative experience was rooted in perseverance. 

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Nurturing genuine relationships in the space would be the best way to go about it. The ratio of peers/fellow creatives gets higher as you maneuver the industry. Hence, you are bound to come across complimentary personalities with possibly the same passion as you or even interdependent passions… What I would say is, to not be fearful of the many faces you may come across. Many of the people in this space are simply people who have developed a sense of purpose and are now fueled by the drive to fulfill said purpose. 

Something which has worked well for me thus far has been to nurture only the genuine relationships. Have a network through your relationships instead of forcing relationships through your network. It is simple. Beware of being an opportunist. That may lead you astray and thus, void of your set of principles, values, and morals. 

Matt was a mentor that saw the potential in me when we first met. Matt is a father and husband. He already inspires me in that regard. The energy between us was very much genuine. Matt is a big brother to me. I am now signed, and Matt saw the timing in that. Me and Matt talk on the phone often just because the relationship is one that transcends us being creatives and/or him being my mentor. I love to keep him in the loop because of how much he is looking for me to grow. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.ahmadcisse.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/666night.skin/ | https://www.instagram.com/thelunaroasis/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8D8pSKYukEYHH-SDdH2MAQ
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmad-ciss%C3%A9-866a45229

Image Credits
Nyeusi Mwezi (@ablackstateofmind)
Andre Stefon (@andrestefon)
Hadar Pitchon (@hadar_pitchon)
Jeremy Mitchell (@xxjmitch)
Justin (@byjvsn)