Winnie Harlow's Role Models Are Beyond Relatable
When Winnie Harlow first strutted into her "America's Next Top Model" audition, the model asked the reality show's viewers (via YouTube), "How can I show you the beauty in differences?" Host Tyra Banks said she picked Harlow to answer that very question. "The moment I laid eyes on Chantelle [Winnie Harlow], I wanted her on 'Top Model,'" she said (via Independent). "Her beauty is undeniable and her skin breaks down barriers of what is considered beautiful."
The Canadian model shot to fame soon after the show ended (although she would disagree) and stirred widespread awareness of her rare skin condition, vitiligo, through vibrant campaigns for brands like Desigual and Diesel (via HuffPost). Harlow's striking appearances on prominent runways and campaigns have challenged notions of beauty while uplifting many. And, while she doesn't want to be considered a role model, she does admire and look up to someone we've all idolized at some point in our lives.
Winnie Harlow looks up to this famous musician
Nicki Minaj is always one playlist away from becoming our guiding lights, but Winnie Harlow has been finding inspiration in the rapper since before Spotify was a thing. "I've loved Nicki since I was 12 years old," she revealed in an interview with Vanity Fair. "I was introduced to her mixtapes when I was in middle school. That's been one of my favorite artists for the longest time. I always wanted to meet her."
Famous people run in famous circles, and Harlow didn't need to summon a fairy godmother to meet Minaj. She only needed a Balmain after-party. She described meeting Minaj to Vanity Fair. "They started playing some Nicki tracks from old, old school [at the after-party]," she recalled. "Obviously, she has so many songs that she was like, 'Who is this [playing]?' I was like, 'Girl, this is you!' I knew all the songs. She was like, 'Whoa!'"
A few other iconic women also inspire Harlow, including Marilyn Monroe and Cher. "Recently, I have been loving Cher's old looks," she said in an interview with Vogue. "I've been looking through a lot of them and just seeing how she used to experiment with her hair, her looks, and her outfits."
With an accomplished cast of women like these, we wouldn't be surprised if Harlow's Pinterest board looks a lot like ours.