David Gikawa, 38, was remanded in custody after appearing at Thames Magistrates Court in London accused of killing Linah Keza.
The former Miss Africa contestant, 29, was found in her flat in the early hours on Wednesday with her three-year-old sitting beside her, weeping in a pool of blood.
She had stab wounds to her chest and it is believed the child witnessed the horrific murder.
Ms Keza was pronounced dead at the scene in King Edward Road, Leyton, east London, at around 4.30am.
Gikawa spoke only to give his name, date of birth and address, of King Edward Road, Leyton, during the one minute hearing.
He will appear next at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.
Tributes have been paid to the model, who was born in Uganda before moving to Rwanda as a teenager.
She came to the UK more than 10 years ago and graduated from the University of Wolverhampton.
Her brother Jack Hodari told the Evening Standard: "It's so tragic that good people die this young.
"I am not saying this because she was my sister, but the whole world can tell you this."
Chairman of the Rwandan Community in London, Patrice Shema, said: "We still can't believe that Linah is gone. You see these things on television but when it happens to you and it's a close friend, that's when the reality hits home.
"Linah has been a very active member of our community. She was such a wonderful girl, very happy, passionate about modelling."
The community is now trying to raise money to have her body flown back to Rwanda when it is released by police.
Ms Keza, who was registered with the AMC Agency, was a contestant in Miss Africa 2010.
An AMC Agency spokesman said: "She was very compassionate, amazing and a professional girl. Everybody that met and worked with her via the agency will miss her greatly."
Police watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating contact between police and Ms Keza before she died.
The IPCC said officers had contact with her on three separate occasions in the days before she was killed.
IPCC commissioner Jennifer Izekor said: "This is a tragic case involving the death of a young woman who was in the prime of her life and our thoughts go out to Linah's family and friends, who naturally must be devastated.
"Our investigation is in the very early stages and we will be making contact with Ms Keza's family to explain our involvement and to answer any questions they may have.
"As a murder investigation is under way, we need to be cautious about information we make public so as not to interfere with the ongoing criminal proceedings.
"We hope to be in a position to outline the IPCC's investigation in due course."
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