Beauty
Vitiligo Model Winnie Harlow Breaks Beauty Standard Of Fashion Industry
One photoshoot session changed her life.
The beauty standard in the fashion industry is based upon unproven theories and an unhealthy portrayal of what’s considered “pretty.” And for a long time, it gatekeeps even people of various skin colors from being allowed into the modeling world.
Canadian model Winnie Harlow is among the few who break those standards with their unusual looks.
She was born Chantelle Brown-Young. While she enjoys the glam life of a supermodel, Chantelle used to be bullied for her skin condition.
Patches of pigmented skin formed on her tan-color skin, the first signs of vitiligo, when she was 4.
But she’s a world-class model now and is the ambassador of the Spanish label “Desigual.” She leads a luxurious life as she mingles with other A-listers like Madonna and Nicki Minaj. The 27-year-old shares many of her life’s milestones as she raises to the peak of her modeling career in an interview with CNN.
She was called a “cow” and “zebra” among many things as a child, forcing her to be homeschooled to avoid the verbal abuses she receive at school.
It sounded severe, but Winnie called the event of her dropping out from high school to have “rejuvenated” her.
She learned to stand up for herself and stopped paying attention to the insults directed at her.
“I learned to love who I am despite what anyone would say about or to me,” she proudly said.
The thought of entering the spotlight of the runway never crossed her mind. She shared, “I actually wanted to be an entertainment journalist.”
“To be completely honest I never thought I could become a model growing up,” she revealed. But it all changed thanks to the Toronto Photographer, Shannon Boodram. She encouraged her to build her portfolio and social media following.