Liya Kebede — Cinderella
Liya Kebede was born March 1, 1978 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She was discovered by a director while she was attending Lycée Guebre-Mariam and was soon signed by a modeling agency in Paris.
Her modeling career began to take off when she was signed by Tom Ford for his Gucci fashion show in 2000. Then, in 2002, she was featured on the cover of Paris Vogue.
Liya Kebede’s campaign work includes: Anne Taylor , Balenciaga , Bottega Veneta , Dolce & Gabbana , Emanuel Ungaro , Escada , Esteé Lauder , Gap , Givenchy , H&M , J.Crew , Jones New York , Kenzo , Lanvin , Lord & Taylor , L’Oréal , Louis Vuitton , St. John , Tiffany & Co. , Tommy Hilfiger , Vidal Sassoon , Yves Saint Laurent, and Victoria’s Secret.
Kebede’s fashion covers include: Italian, Japanese, American, French and Spanish Vogue, V, Flair, i-D and Time’s Style & Design.
Quotes:
“One thing modeling taught me is that the spotlight can change everything.”
“It’s not just Ethiopia, but Africa in general — most of the media concentrates on what’s not going well. But there is so much beauty there. When you go, it changes everything. It changes you, your life, and the way you see things. The challenge is changing the image of Africa that’s been anchored in people for years now.”
“The most inspiring piece of advice I’ve gotten is simply to persevere. My mom taught me to always keep going no matter what from an early age. When it feels too difficult to push forward, I always remind myself, ‘This too shall pass,’ and then I redouble my efforts.”
“I don’t think we should judge celebrities for doing charity work. Period. Whatever their reasons for doing it, they are shedding light on issues that would otherwise go unnoticed.”
“Take good care of your skin and hydrate. If you have good skin, everything else will fall into place.”
Liya Kebede In Person:
Notable Work:
Anne Taylor , Balenciaga , Bottega Veneta , Dolce & Gabbana , Emanuel Ungaro , Escada , Esteé Lauder , Gap , Givenchy , H&M , J.Crew , Jones New York , Kenzo , Lanvin , Lord & Taylor , L’Oréal , Louis Vuitton , St. John , Tiffany & Co. , Tommy Hilfiger , Vidal Sassoon , Yves Saint Laurent, and Victoria’s Secret.
