I feel very responsible for young models of colour. They come to me and tell me they're not getting jobs, and I do what I can to speak up for them.
Naomi CampbellRead
When I first got Yves Saint Laurent Couture, I didn't know how to take off a cape. I would ask Katoucha and Dalma - the real divas of the runway - 'Can you show me?' I've never been afraid to ask for help.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the importance of seeking help and learning from others, regardless of one's status or experience.
Naomi Campbell reflects on her early experiences in the fashion industry, emphasizing that even as a well-known model, she was not hesitant to ask for assistance from others who were more experienced. This humility and willingness to learn demonstrate that no one is above asking for help, and that collaboration and learning from others are crucial aspects of growth and success.
In practice
In a motivational speech about teamwork during a fashion event.
I feel very responsible for young models of colour. They come to me and tell me they're not getting jobs, and I do what I can to speak up for them.
Patrick Demarchelier was the one who got me my first Vogue cover. It was French Vogue - I think in ’87 or ’88. I think I was the first black model to be on the cover of French Vogue, which was shocking to me because when I asked them about it, they were like, "Oh, no. We’ve never had that before."
I’ve been offered jobs by companies that supported apartheid many times in the 25 years of my modeling career, but I have never taken one of them. I have to refuse that money, because I’m not going to work against my people. They’ve suffered enough.
It is always better to be slightly underdressed.
Basic clothes are for all women, to last for decades and decades. They are the future and will never change. I am persuaded of that.
All it takes are a few simple outfits. And there's one secret - The Simpler The Better
Fashion should be about making clothes that make all women look beautiful, not making women starve so that they can fit in a size 8.
I believe that my clothes can give people a better image of themselves - that it can increase their feelings of confidence and happiness.
Wear what you feel comfortable with. People say nasty things about what I wear in the street. I'm always in worst dressed lists, but you just have to dress for yourself and nobody else.
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