In The Close-Up, Coveteur gets up close and personal with the people shaping the creative industries as we know it.
Adwoa Aboah, the British supermodel and mental health activist who splits her time between London and Los Angeles while conquering motherhood in style, logged onto Zoom immediately generous. She was open to chatting about absolutely anything: her daughter Shy, who loves Hello Kitty, dance parties, and hardcore rock music; the term 'popcorn hoe', a woman who tends to dress casually but will step out fully dolled up for very special occasions; and from Ghanaian girl to Ghanaian girl, the importance of moisturizing being instilled from a young age.
Initially an investor in Uni, the body-care brand which Aboah loves for their transparency, honest presentation and, of course, their moisturizing benefits, Aboah and Uni have collaborated on a more creative level with their recently released holiday campaign. “When I discovered Uni, I loved that they made sustainability feel sexy. There’s an ease and honesty in what the brand does that resonates with me," Aboah said. "This campaign celebrates that shared vision, that you can have beautiful high performing products that are sustainable.”
Below, Coveteur caught up with Adwoa Aboah and unpacked what being a Taurus means, how manifestation works for her, and the completely unsurprising but notable joys of being a girl mom.
instagram.com/adwoaaboah
What's your star sign and do you relate?
"I'm a Taurus through and through. How do I relate? How do I not relate to being a Taurus? I relate to being a Taurus homebody. They say we're materialistic. I would say that we like our things, but they don't need to be expensive. But we do take pride in our objects and our spaces. We can go a long time without actually being around people. We work well in social events, but we're fine by ourselves. I can take a lot and then I'll have a Taurus crash out where I want to cut everyone and everything from my life. Taurus' are inherently very jealous people. I think I was jealous, but I'm not anymore. I don't like that trait, so I worked hard to not be that way."
What three words best describe how you're feeling right now?
"Oh my god. I'm overwhelmed. Joyous. And maybe persistent."
What's your favorite memory from this past fashion month?
"It was so nice having my sister in Paris. We don't usually get to do all those things together, so going to the Celine show was so fun to do together. And then we had a few nights out with all our girls. It was really nice to have a partner in crime."
instagram.com/adwoaaboah
What color is your aura?
"Oh my god, I don't know. What color is it right now?"
I feel like it's green.
"Oh, I like that. What does that mean?"
I think it's down to earth. It's warm. It feels calm. Do you feel calm?
"Do you know what? Even though I feel un-calm because there's so much going on that I have to juggle, there's also a calmness that I have because it's just not that deep. Do you know what I mean? It's all fine. That's the kind of why I'm persistent. It'll be fine. Whatever the day throws me, tomorrow's a new day and then there's another day after that. There's just no point being overstressed about these things when we know how chaotic the world is. That's my outlook. So okay, you think green. I'm quite loving purple. And then when I looked up purple, because I was very attracted to purple all of a sudden, I learned it's apparently a color where you know yourself and there's a balance. So it would be maybe purple or green."
instagram.com/adwoaaboah
How would you describe your personal style?
"It varies. I think I feel most comfortable in, I suppose less feminine attire. I call it 'a popcorn hoe': we have our moments where we want to dress and put on a look. But I think on a day-to-day, the baggier the fit, the better for me. I'd probably say that if 'the clean girl' was on one end of the spectrum, I would be on the completely other side of that scale. For me, it's like: how many patterns can one put on at one time? If anything, if the look makes too much sense or if it looks pulled from a Pinterest board, then I'm like: I need to change it. It doesn't feel too thought out. It is not even practical either. I like it to be impractical. It's just definitely comfortable."
What are the last three things you wrote in your notes app?
"I have 'earring' written down. Oh, I just did a job with Cyndia Harvey and I bought this 'mom 'earring and I got a 'dad' and I wanted to send her the dad one. Then I have I have Michella Bredahl's book, 'Rooms We Made Safe', which I just ordered. She had a show in Amsterdam, and obviously I'm not in Amsterdam, but I ordered her book. The third is a reminder email will people. I have to finalize my will. Oh and my sister owes me money as well. I've been getting rid of clothes and selling some from my house, but she just comes and takes them. Doesn't ever give me the money for it."
What's the most surprising thing about being a girl mom?
"I don't know if it's a girl mom thing or just the African in me. I really think it's just the African in me. My dad was always so adamant about us kind of looking a certain way. And that doesn't mean wearing a certain outfit, but we always looked good. And we always felt good. And that could be a girl mum thing, but I think it's more an African thing: she's always moisturized, you know what I mean? That's more my dad in me. Shy is always very greased up. It's not really surprising, I just always knew it was going to be really fun to have a witchy coven. If you asked me what's surprising about being a boy mom, I would probably have more answers for you. But I feel like I was destined to be a girl mom."
instagram.com/adwoaaboah
What's your favorite restaurant in London?
"If I'm going to go bougie, the River Cafe, that's just for me, the best restaurant. And just the best energy. It always feels like it stays the same. So many of these things can get kind of a little bit ruined. And it feels like it still has the same energy it did from all those years ago, but obviously it's expensive. So it's a special occasion sort of restaurant. And Speedboat Bar is really good for Thai food."
What's your favorite Ghanaian dish?
"Maybe Kelewele. And oh my god I love spice, shito is my favorite."
What's your favorite Uni product?
"I would say the body oil. The body oil is mind blowingly good. I'm quite particular about my moisturizing routine. Nothing really does the trick, but that body oil does very well."
Uni
What do you love about Uni overall?
"I've loved it since the first time I was an investor, before I did this campaign with them. It is very authentic. I like that the branding feels kind of modern, but also fresh and clean. It's just exactly what it says on the tin, it is unpretentious and uncontrived. And that's usually not the way it is with all brands. I feel like Uni is exactly what they say they are. And I think that's quite refreshing. It was a very easy yes when I first invested and it was a very easy yes to start working with them creatively as well."
Can you describe your perfect day?
"I love anything that's just mom-centric. I'm so back to work, so when I get to just be just a mom, I absolutely love it. We'll go for lunch together or maybe we'll go for dinner. I'm not very good at the mom activities. I like to do adult activities with her. We'll go to the shops. I love going to the playground with Shy. I drive in London, but I also live half in LA. So driving, listening to music, just pumping the music in the car. That is my happy place. Pilates in the morning.But I think for me right now is the perfect day would be just where I just get to solely focus on being a mom and not being pulled in any other direction except for just being present with Shy."
What's the biggest difference between London and LA?
"The weather. But if I wanted to get a bit deeper than that, a little more layered, I would say sense of humor. The sarcasm. I'm not saying no one's funny here, but we're definitely funnier in London."
instagram.com/adwoaaboah
Do you believe in manifestation?
"Yeah. Big one. I sometimes wish there was a better word for it, but I definitely believe in intention. I definitely believe in not just sitting and wishing. It's definitely about wanting something and I suppose belief, but also putting out the right energy and hoping to be returned for that in some sort of, and it might not even be something that you wanted. I think it takes shape in different ways and when you least expect it as well."
What are you manifesting for 2026?
"I feel very fulfilled at the moment. was talking to someone the other day and they were like: you need to do this and you need to do that. I was like: 'I'm very content.' I don't want for too much anymore. I feel like there are obviously bits and pieces that I want success with or a particular role, but on a day-to-day basis, I feel very content and fulfilled in my life. So I think on a more emotional level, it would be more like I manifest for other people, other individuals in my life that I think are maybe at a kind of integral moment in their life where they're needing certain things that are going to fulfill them and help them and guide them. So I suppose my manifestation is for them so that they find what they need. Yeah, it would be more for other people in my life for 2026. Just some joy, I think."
instagram.com/adwoaaboah
What's entertaining you lately?
"Shy really makes me laugh. She's a rocker as well. She loves hardcore music, which is just very fascinating to me. So that keeps me entertained. Being a mom is very entertaining actually."
What do you want to be remembered for?
"Oh, I don't know. Just being a kind hustler. That should be on my tombstone: 'She was a hustler. A kind hustler.'"
