I was almost sure that this Fashion Week of the Autumn-Winter 2022-23 haute couture that took place in Paris from 4 to 7 July 2022 would not happen without confusion. Without the Metavers, the new name of Facebook, as usual, find grain to grind. For lack of real scandals, Internet users have found one, as far-fetched as some requests for friendships that are made there: an idyllic presupposition between an Ivorian influencer and a renowned Brazilian footballer. Based on a photo. Amazing.

I just bumped several minutes of some videos in which we see Neymar Jr. Standing next to Emma Lohoues, DJ Arafat’s former girlfriend, converted into an influencer, a status that means nothing. It was not worth it. But voices more indignant than mine did not hear it the same way.

How can you pose with an “escort”, smile on your face, and not be able to hit a ball correctly for an entire season? How can we come to expose ourselves in this way, in the eyes of the world? When we know the links that footballers have with the escorts (several players of the French team have been involved in such a story), we wonder. We also know that footballers and influencers have a not at all crazy history. But at this stage, the question is not how. The answer is that they did. The question at €222 million – Neymar’s salary would be: is there anything in between? Love? Frankly, I don’t care. As long as they are adults, they can do it anywhere they want.

Two words about Neymar Jr. and Emma Lohoues, whom I know a little and appreciate a lot. One, as a player of my heart club, the PSG. The other, as a woman who lives on emoticons, followers. Neymar is a very high-flying player, even though he has had the square foot for some time. Emma Lohoues, a great influencer, stars of several famous brands.

Once, the videos – just a few seconds old – of Emma-Neymar put online, it felt like a bomb. The Metaverse started to boil. It’s as if the Internet users had given themselves the word. Everyone played their part as in a well-rehearsed play. Everyone has their own story. Everyone knows something: false or true. The important thing is to keep the debate going. While the fans of the two stars celebrated the event, the opponents called the pose “naughty”. Each one did what he had to do, each one fulfilled his contract, not forgetting to add his grain of salt. When the eyes of Neymar Jr. shone. When Emma Lohoues’ lips smiled. It was all dissected from top to bottom. But what was the context?

We were at fashion week in Paris. And, the two stars, the faces of the big brands, did nothing but do what thousands of people did: immortalize the moment. Ah! comics! To the truth, these are quite banal revelations, terribly banal. Let us focus on what is visible, palpable. Even if a picture, it is said, is worth more than words.

On July 2, 2022, in the festive hall of the Sofitel Hotel in Abidjan, Miss Ivory Coast was elected. Every year, COMICI, Comité Miss Côte d’Ivoire and Ivorian mobile phone networks invite their subscribers to elect the new Ivorian beauty queen. This year, this election will take place in the presence of Miss World 2021 Karolina Bielawska, under the eyes of Olivia Yacé, second runner-up of the last edition of Miss World. The party will be guaranteed.

Who wears the Miss CI sling?
All eyes were on the Sofitel Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan. The vast Felix Houphouët-Boigny Hall of Feasts, dressed in light, was full of lovely people. Names thrown in the air by the master of ceremonies. Beautiful young women, graceful, all beautiful as each other, parade on the podium. Flowery presentations. Hearty applause. Performances by artists. A bailiff proclaims names. Successively, young ladies come forward, greet and bow. A name: Miss Marlene Kouassi Kany! A charming young lady, her hair cut to the ground, advances delicately, almost on tiptoe, with perfect grace. She rejoices and collapses. Applause and lively: “Long live Miss!”

Marlène Kouassi Kany: the queen of Ivorian queens
The public and jury chose Ms Marlene Kouassi Kany, a 23-year-old master’s student in private law. The youngest of seven children, she was shortlisted in Aboisso in the Comoé region. Marlene’s choice has been a hot topic on social media. It’s an unchanging ritual; it’s the same story every year. The miss went on the grill. Olivia did. Time made them lie. We got used to it. Until the next election, the life of Miss Marlene Kouassi Kany will be charged; it will change in every detail. She won’t have a minute left. Her habits will be set like clockwork. From now on, the Oliva Yacé page has turned. In replacement, Marlène Kouassi, the new Ivorian beauty queen, will preside over all the activities of COMICI, the Miss Côte d’Ivoire Committee, with two dolphins by her side: Mlles Diako Nassita and Gnakpa Laure. But, this life also has its advantages: fame, notoriety, a new car.

A crown too heavy to wear?
Before Miss Olivia Yacé, no one would have doubted Marlene Kouassi’s ability to carry the country’s colours high. But Olivia Yacé, let’s face it, set the bar too high. And then, Marlene’s speech in the final left many Ivorians puzzled. In essence, she said she wanted to “work for the reintegration of young people who drop out of school”. Amazing! In front of my television, I wanted to yell at her: “But that kind of thing is over. It’s 2022, my big one! Come on!” If Marlene does not review her position, she risks remaining in the shadow of Olivia Yacé who had succeeded in astonishing the world by her presence. There is the Miss World contest on the horizon. Now, the focus is on the education and intelligence of the candidates. At this level, beauty alone is not enough. Each Miss must choose “an activist platform to promote during her one-year term”. The world today is resolutely focused on climate, gender, human rights and emerging democracies, and she talks about ‘reintegration’ and ‘dropping out of school’. She would gain by quickly finding a theme that will make her stand out. The game has only just begun.

The 70th edition of the prestigious Miss World beauty contest held in Puerto Rico delivered its verdict on Thursday, March 17, 2022: Karolina Biewlaska, Miss Poland, who was crowned Miss World 2022. Africa is consoled with the second runner-up position with Ivorian Olivia Yacé, just behind Miss United States, Shree Saini.

Ivorian Olivia Yacé was ranked 2nd runner-up at the end of the final phases of the Miss World beauty contest, this Thursday, March 17, 2022. She is the first francophone African to reach this level.

It should be added that Miss Côte d’Ivoire 2021 was first place in the Top Model Challenge, second place Miss world best national designer and “Head to Head”.

Olivia Yacé, who is the pride of Ivorians and Africans in general, was born in the United States. She is a marketing student at Widenera University in Philadelphia.

On the Facebook social network, Ivorians said they were proud to have been represented with dignity by the young woman. Starting with the President of the Republic, who writes: “My warm congratulations to our Miss, Yacé Olivia Miss Ivory Coast 2021, 2nd Dauphine at the Miss World contest, for having worthily represented our country and magnified Ivorian culture on the world stage. We are proud of you!” , and the Prime Minister, Patrick Achi, who posted these words: “Dear Yacé Olivia Miss Ivory Coast 2021 What pride!!! Yesterday, in front of the world, your charm, your naturalness, your charisma brought to the top the colors of our beautiful nation! Thank you, thank you for everything! And congratulations again, for this title of 2nd Dauphine Miss Monde»