Table of Biography
Alek Wek is a South Sudanese-British designer as well as a model. Alek Wek has been acclaimed for her influence on the perception of beauty in the fashion industry. Likewise, she was listed as one of BBC’s 100 Women in the year 2015.
Early Life and Childhood
As of 2023, Alek Wek’s age is 46 years old. She was born on April 16, 1977, in Wau, South Sudan. Her birth sign is Aries. Likewise, her father’s name is Athian Wekand she is an education officer Her mother’s name is Akuol Wek.
During the civil war in 1985, her family broke out in Sudan, so the Wek family left their home. Ultimately, her father died on the journey after an infection broke out in his hip due to a past surgery. Then, Wek’s family went to London in 1991, where Alek had a hard time adjusting to the cold climate. Similarly, she is the aunt of runway model Ataui Deng.[
However, there is no information about her siblings. However, she has a niece named Ataui-Deng Hopkins, who is also a model just like her. Alex belongs to the British- Sudanese citizenship and ethnicity of Sudanese. Reflecting on Alex’s educational history, she graduated from the London College of Fashion.
Professional Life
Talking about her professional life, she appeared for the first time in Tina Turner’s music video ‘GoldenEye’. Similarly, she also appeared in ‘Got ‘Til It’s Gone’, a music video by Janet Jackson.
Likewise, She signed with Ford Models, a very prestigious agency based out of New York City in the year 1996. In the year 1997, she was also featured on the cover of “Elle” magazine, the first African woman to have this distinction. Then, she was photographed for a calendar in which the artist Joanne Gair painted her body in bright, beautiful colors in 1999.
Caption: Alek Wek on ramp walk (Source: IMG Models)
After that in 2002, she made her acting debut playing a princess of Sudan in the film ‘The Four Feathers’ and starred in a campaign for the Gap. In addition, she launched ‘wek1993’ in 2005. Furthermore, she also starred in the 2018 supernatural horror movie Suspiria.
‘wek1993’is a line of handbags that are for sale in Selfridges department stores dedicated to her father. It is named after his birth year and designed to look like the briefcases he used to carry. Likewise, she released her biography book entitled ‘Alek’ in 2007.
Furthermore, she appeared on the cover of ‘Ebony magazine with fellow models Tyra Banks and Kimora Lee. She served as a guest judge on the acclaimed reality show, ‘America’s Next Top Model’, in company with Tyra Banks in the year 2011.
Likewise, she endorsed ‘Marks & Spencer’ for a campaign, a significant milestone for her professionally as well as personally as she used to shop there as a teenager in 2014.
In 2018, she made a film debut in Suspiria in the role of Miss Millius.
Campaigning
Since 2002, she also has been an advisor to the U.S. Committee for Refugees Advisory Council. It helps to raise awareness about the situation in Sudan, as well as the plight of refugees worldwide. Likewise, she is a missionary for World Vision, an organization that combats AIDS, an ambassador for Doctors Without Borders in Sudan, and devotes time to UNICEF.
In 2007, she also published an autobiography, entitled Alek: From Sudanese Refugee to International Supermodel, documenting her journey from a childhood of poverty in Sudan to the catwalks of Europe. Moreover, she appeared as a guest judge in the sixteenth cycle of America’s Next Top Model in July 2011.
In July 2012, she returned to South Sudan with the UN Refugee Agency to highlight the stories of refugees rebounding from the north and the massive efforts needed to build and stabilize the country. In 2012, she drew up Amarula as the face of their campaign African Originals.
Alek Wek – Net Worth 2024
Alek Wek is a hardworking and talented model. She was displayed in the print ad for Marks and Spencer along with Rita Ora, Emma Thompson, Annie Lennox, and Rachel Khoo in the year 2014.
She has also done advertising for Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Clinique ‘Happy’ Fragrance, Ellus, Eluxury, Fashion Breast Cancer Campaign, Gap Jeans, Issey Miyake, Jeanie, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jones New York, Joop!, Kenzo, Kitsho, Michael Kors, Moschino, St. Emile, and XOXO jeans.
Likewise, she has accompanied a great amount of net worth from her professional career. Likewise, her estimated net worth is around $20 million. But her income and salary are still under review.
Despite, being a famous personality, she hasn’t been endorsed by any brands till now. Hope she might be involved in some of the brand endorsements in the coming future.
Personal Life
Alek Wek is possibly single at present. However, talking about her past relationship, she was dating Italian real estate magnate Riccardo Sala in 2003. They started going out after repeatedly meeting for dinner and later were in a live-in relationship. However, they parted ways along the way.
Caption: Alek with her boyfriend (Source: Zimbio)
From Alex’s birth till the age of 14, she suffered from a skin condition known as psoriasis. It’s because of climate change as she moved to London with her family.
Body Measurements
Alek Wek has an amazing personality with a stunning body. She has a height of 5 feet 11 inches and weighs around 56 kg. In addition, she has a chest-waist-hip body measurement of 34-23-35 inches.
Likewise, her hair color is dark brown and her eyes color is dark brown. Further, her dress size is 4 (US) and her shoe size is 9.5 (US).
Caption: Alek (Source: online)
Alek Wek – Social Media
Alek Wek is socially active on media like Instagram, Twitter, etc. But she does not have a Facebook account. Likewise, she has more than 10k followers on Twitter and around 151k followers on Instagram.