Alek Wek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alek Wek
Wek at the Red Collection 2007 for The Heart Truth campaign
Born	(1977-04-16) 16 April 1977 (age 48) Wau, Sudan (now South Sudan)
Occupation	Model
Years active	1995–present
Partner(s)	Riccardo Sala (2001-2013)
Modelling information
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Hair colour	Dark brown
Eye colour	Brown
Agency	IMG Models (New York, Paris, Los Angeles, Sydney) d'management group (Milan) Storm Management (London) Mega Model Agency (Hamburg)

Alek Wek, born on April 16, 1977, is a famous model and designer. She is from South Sudan but also has British citizenship. Alek started her modeling career when she was 18, in 1995. Many people admire her for changing how beauty is seen in the fashion world. She belongs to the Dinka ethnic group from South Sudan. In 1991, she had to leave her home and move to Britain to escape the civil war in Sudan. In 2015, the BBC named her one of their 100 most inspiring women.

Alek Wek's Early Life

Alek Wek was born on April 16, 1977, in Wau, Sudan. Her family lived in a small two-bedroom house without electricity or running water. She is the seventh of nine children. Her mother, Akuol, was a homemaker. Her father, Athian, worked as an education official. Alek's name means "Black Spotted Cow."

When the civil war started in Wau in 1985, Alek's family had to leave their home. They were trying to escape from both rebel and government forces. Sadly, Alek's father, Athian, had a bicycle accident and broke his hip. Walking for long periods made his hip infected. When the family returned to Wau, he became paralyzed and later passed away.

Alek Wek's Modeling Career

Starting in Fashion

Alek arrived in London when she was 14 years old. After moving, a skin condition she had, called psoriasis, cleared up. She then went to the London College of Fashion. There, she studied Fashion Business and Technology.

In 1995, Alek was discovered by a modeling scout at an outdoor market in Crystal Palace, London. That same year, she appeared in the music video for "GoldenEye" by Tina Turner. Soon after, she began her fashion modeling career. In 1996, she signed with Ford Models. She also appeared in Janet Jackson's "Got 'Til It's Gone" music video. In 1997, MTV named her "Model of the Year." She was also the first African model to be on the cover of Elle magazine.

Top Fashion Model

Alek has worked for many famous fashion brands. She has been on the cover of Elle in America, France, Germany, and South Africa. She has also appeared on the covers of i-D, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Forbes Magazine Africa, and Ebony. Her photos have also been featured in American and British Vogue magazines.

In 2002, Alek started acting. She played a Sudanese princess named Aquol in the movie The Four Feathers. In September 2015, Alek walked the runway for Marc Jacobs at New York Fashion Week. She later appeared in their Spring/Summer 2016 advertising campaign. In May 2016, she modeled for four special covers of Brazilian Elle magazine.

Changing Beauty Standards

Before Alek, it was very rare to see dark-skinned models in high fashion. Because of her success, black women around the world celebrated her. Oprah Winfrey once said that if Alek had been on a magazine cover when she was young, she would have felt differently about herself. Actress Lupita Nyong'o also shared how seeing Alek helped her. Lupita said she felt insecure as a teenager until she saw Alek. Alek helped her feel more "seen" and "appreciated" by the fashion world.

Designing Handbags

Alek also designs her own line of handbags called "Wek 1933." You can find these bags in some Selfridges department stores. The name "1933" is the year her father was born. Her inspiration for the bags came from a special brass-clasp briefcase her father used to carry.

Alek Wek's Humanitarian Work

Since 2002, Alek has been an advisor for the U.S. Committee for Refugees Advisory Council. This group helps people learn about the situation in Sudan and the challenges faced by refugees worldwide.

She is also a supporter of World Vision, an organization that fights AIDS. She is an ambassador for Doctors Without Borders in Sudan. Alek also spends time helping UNICEF.

In 2007, she wrote her autobiography, a book about her life. It is called Alek: From Sudanese Refugee to International Supermodel. The book tells her story, from growing up in poverty in Sudan to becoming a famous model.

In 2011, she was a guest judge on the TV show America's Next Top Model. In July 2012, she went back to South Sudan with the UN Refugee Agency. She wanted to share the stories of refugees returning home and show the big efforts needed to rebuild the country. In 2012, Alek also worked with Amarula as the face of their "African Originals" campaign.

Alek Wek's Personal Life

As of 2009, Alek Wek lives in Brooklyn, New York. She was in a relationship with Riccardo Sala, an Italian real estate developer, for twelve years. They separated in 2013. Alek is also the aunt of another runway model, Ataui Deng.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Alek Wek para niños

• List of refugees