«You can’t let someone else lower your self-esteem, because that’s what it is – self-esteem. You need to first love yourself before you have anybody else love you.»
– Winnie Harlow
Today is International Women’s Day (IWD) and we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of inspirational women such as Winnie Harlow. I admire the Canadian fashion model, spokesperson, and activist who shows us to love ourselves with all our little imperfections.
Role model Winnie Harlow posing naked on her Instagram @winnieharlow
She was diagnosed with vitiligo, the chronic skin condition, characterized by depigmentation of portions of the skin, at the age of four. Harlow was a victim of bullying by other children and was reportedly called a «cow, zebra, and all manner of other disparaging slurs» throughout her childhood. The verbal harassment led to her changing schools numerous times and dropping out of high school, after which she contemplated committing suicide.
Her life changed when Tyra Banks discovered her for the twenty-first cycle of the U.S. television series America’s Next Top Model. Winnie gained easily prominence as a contestant despite her skin condition and finished sixth place. From then, she has worked as a successful model and was the face for several campaigns.
Get her look she wore on the streets of New York City recently: Custom Crystal fox fur coat by M.A Skinz, feather-trimmed embellished printed crepe blouse and cropped chain-trimmed printed crepe straight-leg pants, both from Prada‘s Resort 2018 collection and D’orsay Marlene heels in petal by Roger Vivier.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Roger Vivier (Photo by Gotham/GC Images), via Winnie Harlow and stills courtesy of the brands