Alek Wek Bio (Biography)
Pictures
Biography
Often referred to as "The Face of Africa," one is hard pressed to ignore tall, sleek, slender and dashingly beautiful Alek Wek when she walks into a room, no matter how hard they may try! Alek is not only one of the world's top runway super models but she is also an avid actress and activist. You'd be hard-pressed to find any man who doesn't love Alek whether she speaking to crowds or baring her beauty.
And aside from being one of the world's most beloved runway models, Alek is also highly sought after for ads, music videos and movies. In her spare time, which she forcefully creates for herself, Alek is a member of the U.S. Committee for Refugee's Advisory Council-a cause that is not only close to her heart but has also affected the lives of Alek and her family in the past-helping to raise awareness about the current condition of the Sudanese and all other refugees across the world.
Although Alek was discovered by chance at a outdoor market in the south of London, she has made her way to the top of the modeling world in no time, bringing her beauty, selflessness and her humility with her on the journey.
Born in 1977 in Bahr al Ghazal, Sudan, Alek attributes her strength and prosperity in life to the support and hard work of her parents, especially her father, for whom she named her line of designer handbags (Wek 1933 is the way in which Alek carries on her father's last name and birth date, for now anyway).
Alek received her first big break in 1995 when she was featured in Tina Turner's music video for GoldenEye, followed by an appearance in Janet Jackson's "Got it Til it's Gone" video in 1996, the same year in which Alek signed on with the Ford Modeling agency. Since that time, Alek has strutted her stuff down the runway and into our hearts and wallets for designers like Donna Karan and Ermanno Scervino.
But Alek is not just another runway model. Amongst her many ventures are her entrepreneurship with her handbags, as well as print ad modeling for Clinque and Victoria's Secret among others, and has also appeared in a number of films, taking on both large and small roles.
In 1997 Alek was named MTV's Model of the Year-perhaps her start as a music video starlet had something to do it, or perhaps it was just her ferocious good looks and chocolicious skin.
Alek does a decent job of keeping her private life a secret from the Paparazzi and prying fans, not having been in the news very often with articles and pictures claiming to know the inside scoop on her future flirtations.
So whether you next see this beauty battling the newbies to keep her place as queen of the super models, or battling the bad guys to save the Sudanese and other refugees, Alek's style and grace is a breed all its own, which is probably why she was ranked in the top 20 of Channel 5's World's Greatest Super Model list.
And aside from being one of the world's most beloved runway models, Alek is also highly sought after for ads, music videos and movies. In her spare time, which she forcefully creates for herself, Alek is a member of the U.S. Committee for Refugee's Advisory Council-a cause that is not only close to her heart but has also affected the lives of Alek and her family in the past-helping to raise awareness about the current condition of the Sudanese and all other refugees across the world.
Although Alek was discovered by chance at a outdoor market in the south of London, she has made her way to the top of the modeling world in no time, bringing her beauty, selflessness and her humility with her on the journey.
Born in 1977 in Bahr al Ghazal, Sudan, Alek attributes her strength and prosperity in life to the support and hard work of her parents, especially her father, for whom she named her line of designer handbags (Wek 1933 is the way in which Alek carries on her father's last name and birth date, for now anyway).
Alek received her first big break in 1995 when she was featured in Tina Turner's music video for GoldenEye, followed by an appearance in Janet Jackson's "Got it Til it's Gone" video in 1996, the same year in which Alek signed on with the Ford Modeling agency. Since that time, Alek has strutted her stuff down the runway and into our hearts and wallets for designers like Donna Karan and Ermanno Scervino.
But Alek is not just another runway model. Amongst her many ventures are her entrepreneurship with her handbags, as well as print ad modeling for Clinque and Victoria's Secret among others, and has also appeared in a number of films, taking on both large and small roles.
In 1997 Alek was named MTV's Model of the Year-perhaps her start as a music video starlet had something to do it, or perhaps it was just her ferocious good looks and chocolicious skin.
Alek does a decent job of keeping her private life a secret from the Paparazzi and prying fans, not having been in the news very often with articles and pictures claiming to know the inside scoop on her future flirtations.
So whether you next see this beauty battling the newbies to keep her place as queen of the super models, or battling the bad guys to save the Sudanese and other refugees, Alek's style and grace is a breed all its own, which is probably why she was ranked in the top 20 of Channel 5's World's Greatest Super Model list.