Liya Kebede

Infobox Model
name = Liya Kebede

---

caption = Liya Kebede enters Bryant Park, New York City during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week show on September 9, 2007. Photograph by Christopher Peterson.
birthname =
birthdate = birth date and age|1978|01|03
location = Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
height =
haircolor =
eyecolor =
measurements =
weight =
dress size =
shoesize =
agency =
alias =
homepage = http://www.liyakebede.com
spouse =

Liya Kebede (born January 3 1978) is an Ethiopian model who has appeared on the cover of US "Vogue" twice. According to "Forbes", Kebede was eleventh-highest-paid top model in the world. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/16/wforbes116.xml Forbes Top Fifteen Models] . Retrieved on 2007-06-16.]

Personal life

Kebede married Ethiopian hedge fund manager Kassy Kebede in 2000 and they have two children together; son Suhul (b. 2001) and daughter Raee (b. August 2005). [Burke, Meredith Melling. "Cause for Celebration" US "Vogue" (December 2006).] As of 2007, the family resides in New York City.

Biography

Kebede was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Wiltz, Teresa. "The Swan." "Essence" magazine (September 2004).] A film director spotted Kebede while she was attending Lycee Guebre Mariam and introduced her to a French modeling agent. After completing her studies, she moved to France to pursue work through a Parisian agency. Kebede later relocated to New York City. She has remarked that the modeling industry in Ethiopia is quite different from the catwalks on which she is now ubiquitous. In contrast, in Ethiopia she had to provide her own shoes for each runway show.

Modeling career

Kebede's big break came when Tom Ford asked her for an exclusive contract for his Gucci Fall/Winter 2000 fashion show. Kebede was a finalist in the Miss World supermodel contest and later established a place in fashion's elite by modeling on the New York, Milan, London and Paris runway circuit [http://www.style.com/peopleparties/modelsearch/thumb/person489 Liya Kebede Photos on Style.com] ] . Kebede's popularity in the fashion industry sky-rocketed when she appeared on the cover the May 2002 edition of Paris "Vogue" which dedicated the entire issue to her .

Kebede has been seen on the covers of Italian, Japanese, American, French and Spanish "Vogue", "V", "Flair", "i-D" and "Time"'s "Style & Design". Kebede has been featured in ad campaigns including those for Gap, Yves Saint-LaurentSterling, Wayne. "Model Citizen." "Savoy" Magazine, page 31.] , Victoria's Secret, Emanuel Ungaro, Tommy Hilfiger, Revlon, Dolce & Gabbana, Escada and Louis Vuitton. In 2003, Kebede was named the newest face of Estée Lauder cosmetics, the first black person to serve as their representative in the company's 57-year historyNaughton, Julie. "Estee Lauder's New Ethnic Mix." "Women's Wear Daily" (March 14, 2003).] . Her contract was rumoured to be for $3 million dollars .

Kebede is one of a very few ethnically African models featured in major fashion photo shoots and runway shows . According to Conor Kennedy, in 2003 a booker at Elite Model Management, :"It's like there's only room for one very successful black model at a time. For the past year it's been Kebede"Trebay, Guy. "A Black Model Reaches the Top, a Lonely Spot." "New York Times" (April 8, 2003), C16] .

In 2005, Kebede was appointed as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child HealthHolgate, Mark. "Role Model". US "Vogue" (May 2005).] . She also appeared in a group montage on a rare (as of recent years) group montage of up and coming supermodels.

In summer of 2006 she was also one of the very few black models to have been given a cover of American "Vogue", the issue highlighted her humanitarian work.

In July 2007, earning at an estimated total of $2.5 million in the past 12 months, "Forbes" named her eleventh in the list of the World's 15 Top-Earning Supermodels [ [http://www.forbes.com/media/2007/07/19/models-media-bundchen-biz-media-cz_kb_0716topmodels.html The World's Top-Earning Models] ] .

Kebede has also had minor roles in two films: "The Good Shepherd," and "Lord of War" [imdb name|id=1493135|name=Liya Kebede] .

In 2008, Kebede was on the cover of Vogue Italia's all Black Issue.

Quotes

*"Honestly, I wish I could've lived in their time. They had so much fun." – Liya on the supermodel era, "Vogue"
*"Every day we hear about the dangers of cancer, heart disease and AIDS. But how many of us realize that, in much of the world, the act of giving life to a child is still the biggest killer of women of child-bearing age? That over half a million die every year? Or that 3 million babies are stillborn? Or that another 4 million die during the first days and weeks of life?" – during her [http://www.who.int/goodwill_ambassadors/liya_kebede/un/en/ acceptance of the 2005 UN Day Award] .

References

External links

* [http://www.liyakebede.com/ Official site] , has scans of many sources for this article (after intro, select 'Press')
*fashionmodel|id=Liya_Kebede|name=Liya Kebede
*imdb name|id=1493135|name=Liya Kebede

Persondata
NAME=Kebede, Liya
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Ethiopian model
DATE OF BIRTH=January 3, 1978
PLACE OF BIRTH=Addis Ababa, Ethiopian
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=