I wanted to give a woman comfortable clothes that would flow with her body. A woman is closest to being naked when she is well-dressed.
Coco ChanelRead
There are mothers who sew for six months to make a fashion collection - someone's grandmother, someone's sister. We come in and get paid to walk for 10 minutes at the end. Whenever I think about that, I realise it's not about me. I was just the one chosen to represent those women and sell the clothes.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the hard work of women behind the scenes in fashion, highlighting the model's role as a representative rather than the center of attention.
Alek Wek's quote reflects on the often-overlooked contributions of countless women who dedicate significant time and effort to create fashion collections. By recognizing that the model serves merely as the representative of these skilled artisans, it underscores the collaborative nature of the fashion industry and reminds us that success is collective, not individual.
In practice
In a speech about diversity in fashion, this quote can help illustrate the importance of highlighting the creators behind the scenes.
I wanted to give a woman comfortable clothes that would flow with her body. A woman is closest to being naked when she is well-dressed.
Fashion becomes unfashionable. Style never.
You gotta have style to get up in the morning
When I started, I knew nothing about fashion. I remember, my first day going to my agency, I was wearing these huge bell-bottoms - they were patchwork corduroy and denim, which, at the time, I thought were amazing. My agent told me, 'You have a casting with Prada - you have to burn those jeans.'
Nothing goes out of fashion sooner than a long dress with a very low neck.
Go out there and try on everything - short skirts, long skirts, mid length, little jackets, men's clothing - and really look at yourself; really walk around in the clothes. Don't just take someone else's advice. You must feel you in these clothes and feel what it's like to live in them.
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