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The Sudanese model
When Alek Wek appeared on the November 1997 cover of the U.S. edition of Elle magazine, in a photograph by French creative director Gilles Bensimon, it sent shockwaves across the fashion industry. Wek wasn’t traditionally attractive, with her velvety ebony skin and the mere whisper of an Afro.
In Gilles Bensimon’s photograph, however, Wek flashed smile after smile up at the camera while she stood in front of a stark white screen–looking more like someone who would be posing for you than as if she were trying to sell you on something else.
When Alek Wek appeared on the November 1997 cover of the U.S. edition of Elle magazine, in a photograph by French creative director Gilles Bensimon, it sent shockwaves across the fashion industry. Wek wasn’t traditionally attractive, with her velvety ebony skin and the mere whisper of an Afro.
In Gilles Bensimon’s photograph, however, Wek flashed smile after smile up at the camera while she stood in front of a stark white screen–looking more like someone who would be posing for you than as if she were trying to sell you on something else.
Wek was a new vision of beauty – that virtue forever attached to women. It has long been a measure of their social value; it is also a tool to be used and manipulated. Women should not let their beauty go to waste; that’s something people would say back when a woman’s future depended on her marrying well.
Her husband’s ambition and potential should be as dazzling as her fine features. Beauty is, of course, cultural. What one community admires may leave another group of people cold or even repulsed. What one individual finds irresistible elicits a shrug from another. Beauty is personal. But it’s also universal.
There are international beauties–those people who have come to represent the standard over generations. For generations, beauty required a slender build but with a generous bosom and narrow waistline.
The jawline was to be defined, the cheekbones high and sharp – the nose angular, the lips full but not distractingly so- eyes, ideally blue or green, large and bright- hair was to be long, thick , and flowing–and preferably golden- symmetry was desired- youthfulness went without saying–beauty seemed impossible in the broader culture until decades later in 1960s when beauty became very different requiring
In the early part of the 1990s, when society started to take a more relaxed approach, women began to break down beauty constraints. Kate Moss was one influential woman who had a small figure and wore ragamuffin clothes that gave her an air of conventionalism.
She is famous for being short by runway model standards, but she has a distinctive style thanks to it. Kate’s transition from runway model to advertisement model was a major change in how society understood beauty. There were models before her with this type of understanding that existed within the industry’s comfort zone, such as Twiggy and Lauren Hutton.
But those earlier models were still in line with the idea that simple white European features could be attractive in men and women alike. Tyra Banks became famous just for her tan lines and provocatively dressed photographs in Sports Illustrated. With changes like these happening, it seems like race played no role in defining natural beauty.
Wek was a revelation.
Her beautiful features were even more unique with her skin tone and tight coiled hair. In addition, she had a perfectly straight nose and full lips. Her legs were impossibly long and skinny, just like Elle cover girl Wek. Her body was rather thin, but it fit snuggly in her skirt that was fitted with a corset belt to give her a curvier look. In Western culture, she’s jarringly unattractive to them because they’ve been trained to view beauty through the lens of Western culture.
Imagine the impact in transforming your own life and community, such as how Wek has done with her writing. You’ll resoundingly feel that transition’s elevated, freeing feeling of triumph as you witness your actions make an unbelievable difference in others. Although she is still imperfectly striving towards her vision of utopia, many facets of beauty are being expanded upon to reflect more accurately how things have changed over time.
Imagine the impact in transforming your own life and community, such as how Wek has done with her writing. You’ll resoundingly feel that transition’s elevated, freeing feeling of triumph as you witness your actions make an unbelievable difference in others. Although she is still imperfectly striving towards her vision of utopia, many facets of beauty are being expanded upon to reflect more accurately how things have changed over time.
We know that beauty has value, but it’s often difficult for us to control this. We feel at times like we should put up a wall to shield ourselves from the pain and embarrassment of being in the spotlight. But what matters more is surrounding yourself with beautiful people who truly make you happy from the inside out.
When you work with people who have a high level of attractiveness, they tend to have higher salary potential. However, it’s actually not just about looks. It’s often about intelligence, charm, and collegiality as well.
Beauty is an integral part of this equation! Ultimately, if someone says your beauty doesn’t matter or that you’re not gorgeous enough, it isn’t just painful or embarrassing; it may be dangerous. Beauty is a powerful part of our conversation today and those that don’t see themselves or others as beautiful are suffering greatly by not being seen or valued at the same level as other humans!!