In 1995, an 18-year-old refugee from Sudan was at an outdoor fair in Crystal Palace, south London, when a model scout approached her. Her mother did not approve. Alek Wek went on to become one of the most recognisable faces in fashion.
Wek was born in 1977 in Wau, in the south of Sudan, now South Sudan. She is Dinka, one of the region’s largest ethnic groups, known for their height and for cattle herding, which is central to Dinka life and wealth. Her childhood was shaped by the civil war between the north and south. The family fled fighting, and her father died after an injury went untreated. In 1991, she escaped to London with a sister, and her mother later joined them.
Breaking the mould
Wek’s dark skin, short natural hair and features were different from the standards the fashion industry had promoted for decades. Her success challenged those standards. She appeared in Tina Turner’s music video for “GoldenEye” in 1995, and in 1997 she was on the cover of Elle, a moment widely described as a breakthrough for dark-skinned Black women in fashion.
She walked for major designers and appeared in campaigns for leading brands. Many Black women have said that seeing Wek in magazines changed how they saw their own beauty. The actress Lupita Nyong’o has spoken about how Wek’s success helped her feel beautiful as a young girl.
Refugee advocate
Wek has worked with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and other organisations to raise awareness of refugees and the situation in South Sudan. She has spoken about her own experiences of war and displacement.
Beyond modelling
She published a memoir, Alek, in 2007, describing her childhood in Sudan, her escape and her career. She has also designed a line of handbags and worked on other creative projects in fashion and design.
South Sudan
South Sudan became independent in 2011, but it has since suffered civil war and humanitarian crises. Wek has continued to speak about the country’s needs.
Legacy
Wek’s success opened doors for dark-skinned models from Africa and beyond, including later stars from South Sudan such as Adut Akech.
She was a teenage refugee at a fair in south London. A few years later, girls around the world were looking at magazine covers and seeing someone who looked like them.
