Supermodel Alek Wek made her mark in fashion when ZERO African models existed on the catwalk. The Sudanese stunner changed the world and redefined beauty. Her face would soon grace major magazine covers, countless spread and every major fashion show from Chanel to Ralph Lauren. Wek opens up to Guardian magazine about her trailblazing career, diversity and Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.
On her mother’s influence on her beauty:
“Our confidence came from my mother. She told us it was about celebrating the beauty of being a woman – that’s what made you gorgeous. You can feel very strongly that someone doesn’t like you. I think any model who didn’t have the same sort of upbringing as me would find that very difficult. But I absolutely knew I was entitled. I never thought I was ugly – it never crossed my mind.”
On people’s of her when she first started:
“When I started, I’d hear other people saying, ‘God, she’s so bizarre-looking’, because I didn’t look like the girl next door. But I was just normal. I was the girl next door. There were people in high fashion I could better relate to, who were doing something more interesting and not talking this sort of rubbish.”
On growing up in South Sudan:
“We had an extremely simple life. No running water, no electricity. We walked to a well for drinking water, and the loo was a hole in the ground. My mother ran the house, but if we complained about anything, we’d be told to clean it,” she laughs. “It was a tiny town, where everyone knew everyone. We had no idea how poor we were, because we were so rich in our culture, our education. I loved going to school, walking home via the mango trees for a snack.”
On how she felt when Lupita N’yong’o called her an inspiration:
“It was very humbling. I never fully understood the magnitude of what I was doing, because I hadn’t grown up in this culture.”
