There are some who say that beauty is only skin-deep, and that many
who appear beautiful outside may not be as good on the inside. But if
you meet Liya Kebede, you would definitely prove these people wrong. Her
natural, flawless beauty on the outside is matched by her compassionate
and loving heart. Let us learn more about this fantastic woman and see
what makes her so extraordinary.
Liya Kebede is a world renowned fashion supermodel, designer and
women’s advocate who has appeared numerous times in several famous
fashion magazines such as Vogue, and has been featured in numerous
fashion shows by popular fashion brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Dolce
& Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Tommy Hilfiger, Escada, Emanuel Ungaro,
and Yves Saint-Laurent.
Liya is also the first woman of color that represented the Estee
Lauder brand, a world famous company that manufactures skin care,
make-up, fragrance, and hair care products.
Liya’s natural beauty and talent for modelling has allowed her to
become a very successful fashion model to the point that she is
currently listed as one of the World’s Top Earning Models by Forbes
magazine, making Liya only the second Ethiopian to have been included in
the Forbes magazine’s Richest List, the first one being Mohammed Al
Amoudi.
Many fashion critics have praised Liya for being such a natural in
the modelling industry. Whenever Liya steps up to the ramp and walks
during a fashion show, she brings such a surprise to the crowd by making
her poses seem very effortless for her. Liya has such a talent for
modelling that even James Scully, a talent hunter who is responsible for
picking the models who would walk on the top runways, keeps getting
amazed by Liya. He said of her during an interview:
“An all-time eternal favorite for me — she's an exotic Grace Kelly.
Models work for years to develop the poise, grace, and style that she
came to the business already equipped with! It still shocks me that I
sometimes have to sell her to a client, but every time she walks in the
room, she always proves me right.”
Liya’s spectacular rise to fame and stardom in the fashion world is
an inspiring story in itself because during that time, only the
Caucasians dominated the runways. There were many times in her earlier
career that Liya was turned down simply because she was of a different
color, but she never let the critical voices weigh her down. When she
developed her goal and desire of becoming a fashion model, Liya never
let the obstacles stop her from reaching the goal – it kept her going on
and on, being persistent in spite of all the negative situations and
voices that tried to discourage her. In an interview made with her, Liya
stated:
“If you don't have a dream in life, I don't know what you have. You
have to want something beyond your reach; it's exciting when it works
out.”
Liya is also a well-known businesswoman, having founded her own
company which she named Lemlem. Lemlem, which in her mother tongue means
“to bloom”, is Liya’s way of not only preserving and promoting
Ethiopian culture, but is also her means of giving jobs to her fellow
countrymen by having the clothes made by hand in Ethiopia. Lemlem
designs are being sold in many boutique shops around the world today,
such as Barney’s, J.Crew and Net-a-Porter.com.
But apart from all the successes that Liya has achieved in her
career, what makes her very fascinating is for her to have the time to
engage herself in philanthropic work. Liya is an active advocate of
maternal welfare, and is a World Health Organization Ambassador for
Maternal, New born and Child Health.
Liya has also founded her own charitable organization, the Liya
Kebede Foundation, in an effort to reduce the mortality rates of
pregnant mothers and newly-born children around the world. In an
interview, Liya revealed how she has the desire of helping mothers and
children internationally:
“I am driven by the desire to help save the lives of mothers and
children worldwide. I was lucky to give birth in New York City, so I
didn’t have to worry about whether my child and I would survive. I am
grateful to be a maternal health advocate. It’s something that gives me
so much back.”
Currently, Liya actively engages in her activities as a
philanthropist, entrepreneur, and especially as a model. She also
exposes herself more in the show business, but she says that she would
still put modelling above a show business career. She states:
“Modeling still excites me. It is a great form of expression for me. I
have been lucky enough to work with incredibly talented people. I’ll
never forget seeing my first French Vogue cover and spread. Seeing all
those images of myself in a magazine like that — it gave me such a
thrill! Another exciting moment was my first American Vogue shoot. It
was a big group shot, of all top models, by Steven Meisel. I was in awe.
And smitten with the profession.”
