Name: Badara (Badou) Ndiaye
Profession: CEO and Founder of BSMLifestyle, LLC (Social Media Business) and www.badaraofficial.com / Men’s Fashion Editor at www.FashionToMax.com
Age: 31
I have changed/contributed to my industry by: Bringing a fresh perspective to the men’s fashion platform.
There comes a time in every athletes career when they come to the realization that their playing days are winding down. For the 6’11” basketball player Badara (Badou) Ndiaye, that moment came much sooner than expected. Born in Senegal and the son of a diplomat, Ndiaye was specifically handpicked to play basketball for the U.S. and did not disappoint. He played for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and subsequently for FIU then almost in the same breath, he became injured.
After a career changing surgery derailed his promising collegiate and professional careers, he had to re-invent himself. After digging deep inside himself he was able to pull out his true purpose which is the love, for aesthetic, beauty, and fashion.
The combination of art and fashion has driven Ndiaye to heights that his 6’11” frame could never had dreamed of. “Being 6’11” helps me stand “above” the crowd,” Ndiaye tells BE Modern Man
. “My personal style gives me an extra couple of inches.” At his height, Ndiaye is a walking advertising piece for himself as he builds his career as a fashion editor, trendsetter, and brand originator.A regular participant in Milan Fashion Week, Ndiaye has been featured in GQ/UK, New York times, WSJ, and Women’s Wear Daily. “Having my basketball career abruptly interrupted, I had to find myself a career which I would find fulfillment in,” says Ndiaye. “I had to totally rebrand and recreate myself from a 6’11” basketball player to a 6’11” men’s fashion influencer. The marketing and rebranding of myself took a concerted effort to say the least.”
Currently, Badara is traveling in and out of the US, fulfilling his passion. The originator of Badara Official, Ndiaye offers his audience a peek into what men’s fashion wear is really all about from a consistent, palpable, and fashion forward life changing point of view. “I believe there is a saying that states fashion is what you buy, and style is what you make of it,” Ndiaye tells BE Modern Man
. “Style is something personal, and is the one thing in my industry that sets us all apart from each other. As I develop the marketing and advertising plans around my fashion business I always keep this at the forefront of my mind.”Read more on page 2…
Despite the derailment of a promising basketball career Ndiaye found the strength to move forward. Solicited by high profile names like Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, and Jennifer Lopez, Ndiaye was thrusted into the limelight as the main actor/model in an energy drink commercial. “I always say follow your dreams, keep your eyes on the ball, and never give up because there will be obstacles in life but you just have to keep going,” Ndiaye tells BE Modern Man
. “I moved to the U.S. in 2005 after receiving a Division I basketball scholarship. I thought I was going to play professional basketball, but unfortunately I had to stop playing due to a knee surgery. The lesson is to never let an obstacle stop you dead in your tracks. Get right back up and do something great with your life. The only thing stopping you is you.”“Let me tell you something, being 6’11” in the fashion world is very challenging. My main objective is to encourage everyone I encounter to express his or her individuality through whichever outlet they may choose. For me it is fashion, and fashion is connecting people in a similar way that social media does. As advertising moves to a space of connectivity and brand transparency, I believes that this is what was missing in fashion advertising and marketing. The ability to witness a diverse group of people being represented in a traditionally monolithic industry is much needed.”
A men’s fashion jewel has arrived through the diligent eye of Badara Official, and that jewel is gleaming bright. “Being named a BE Modern Man is such a humbling honor,” says Ndiaye. “I am in a group of elite leaders that keep on going, persevere, innovates and inspires.”
The BlackEnterprise.com team salutes Badara (Badou) Ndiaye for standing tall in the face of his challenges and finding his true passion outside of the sport he loves. We are honored to call Ndiaye a BE Modern Man. Stayed tuned as the 6’11” fashion influencer continues to make an impact and changes the traditional marketing and advertising strategies in the world of fashion.
It’s our normal to be extraordinary. Follow @blackenterprise and join the BE Modern Man conversation using #BEModernMan.