Life is full of games. Winning games is not a matter of chance; it would rather a matter of using all the opportunities at hand. Considering the aforesaid reality some played proactively and recorded positive results for themselves, their country as well as the world at large.
Truly, Liya Kebede is one among those individuals who influenced the world. She was born on March 1, 1978 and raised in Addis Ababa. Later one, she became an Ethiopian-born model, maternal health advocate, clothing designer and actress. Liya has appeared three times on the cover of Vogue. Liya served as the WHO’s Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health since 2005.
A film director spotted her while she was attending Lycée 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. Liya, later relocated to New York City.
Her big break came when Tom Ford asked her for an exclusive contract for his Gucci Fall/Winter 2000 fashion show. Then in May 2002 she was on the cover of Paris Vogue, which dedicated the entire issue to her according to The Essence magazine.
It was a few years after she signed an exclusive with Tom Ford-era Gucci and covere French Vogue for the first time that she was approached by the World Health Organization to ask if she’d be interested in helping raise awareness about maternal health.
Her concern to reduce and stop maternal death during childbirth is a highly valued issue. She understands that mothers die in childbirth in a place called Africa. That is why she shows her willingness for WHO calls to raise awareness of the issues in the area according to Fashionista report.
She has been seen on the covers of Italian, Japanese, American, French and Spanish Vogue, V, Flair, i-D and Time’s Style & Design. She has been featured in ad campaigns including those for Shiatzy Chen, Gap, Yves Saint-Laurent, Victoria’s Secret, Emanuel, Ungaro, Tommy Hilfiger, Revlon, Dolce & Gabbana, EScada and Louis Vuitton according to Savoy Magazine.
In 2003, Liya was named the newest face of Este`e Lauder cosmetics, the only Ethiopian to serve as their representative in the company’s 57-year history. At this time she was ranked #1 on models.com.
In July 2007, with Liya Kebede earning $2.5 million over the previous 12 months, Forbes named her eleventh in the list of the World’s 15 Top-Earning Supermodels. The following year, casting agent James Scully likened her to “an exotic Grace Kelly” as stated by New York Magazine.
In 2009, she starred in the film-adaption of the bestselling autobiography Desert Flower by former supermodel Waris Dirie. The film recounts Dirie’s childhood in Somalia, her rise to stardom and subsequent awareness campaign against female circumcision. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival and received a standing ovation according to BBC News. She has also had minor roles in The Good Shepherd (2006) and Lord of War (2005). She was featured as a ‘Face of the Moment’ in May 2009’s US Vogue.
In 2011, Liya was among the models featured in Lacoste’s “new look” campaign in January, a different advertising concept for the year, under the new tagline, “Unconventional Chic”. The ads were shot by Mert and Marcus, showing models wearing the iconic white Lacoste polo shirt worn over fancy black evening wear. She has starred with Jake Gyllenhaal in a Calvin Klein ad and she is currently on the list of “New Supers” by models.com.
Liya Kebede also launched Lemlem, a clothing line, in 2008. Lemlem, which means “to bloom” in Amharic, features hand-spun, woven and embroidered women and children’s clothing. She founded the line to help preserve the art of traditional weaving in Ethiopia and to offer work opportunities to local artisans. Lemlem is sold at Barney’s, J.Crew, Net-a-Porter.com and numerous boutique shops. She hopes this will be part of a sea change for her home country, saying that “It’s wonderful to be able to donate and help people”.
In 2005, Liya Kebede was appointed as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. She then founded the Liya Kebede Foundation, whose mission is to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality in Ethiopia and around the world. The organization funds advocacy and awareness-raising projects as well as providing direct support for low-cost technologies, community-based education, and training and medical programs. In one health center that the foundation works with, hospital deliveries rose by over 50 percent in 12 months.
Liya has traveled to Ethiopia to support maternal health projects on multiple occasions. In 2009, she worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of their Living Proof Project. She served as a High-Level adviser for the Center for Global Development’s 2009 report “Start with a Girl: A New Agenda for Global Health”.
She writes for The Huffington post about maternal and child health, and has been featured in Vogue and on The Daily Beast. She is also part of the Champions for an HIV-Free Generation, an organization of African leaders led by former president of Botswana Festus Mogae.
The Ethiopian Herald May 21/2020
BY MULATU BELACHEW
