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New York Magazine

Models

Liya Kebede

New York

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Liya Kebede's photo View off-the-runway photos
Nationality
Ethiopian
Birthday
January 3, 1980
Born In
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Lives Now
New York, NY
Agencies
IMG
Known For
Smile, Legs
Status
Established, good girl, cover girl
Friends
Carolyn Murphy, Raquel Zimmermann, Heidi Klum, Angela Lindvall, Karolina Kurkova, Mariacarla Boscono, Nathan Bogle, Diana Dondoe, Caroline Ribeiro, Paulina Porizkova, Veronica Webb, Amanda Moore, Anne Vyalitsyna, Audrey Marnay
Married
Kassy Kebede (since 2000)
Children
Suhul (born 2001), Raee (born 8/05)
Model Turned...
activist, actress, designer

Off the Runway Photos

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On the Runway Photos

  • Liya Kebede
  • Liya Kebede
  • Liya Kebede

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Quoted

Liya Kebede's Career Highlights

3 JAN, 1980
Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
1998
Moves to Paris to try modeling
SEP 1999
Debuts at the spring Ralph Lauren and BCBG Max Azria shows in New York
2000
Marries fellow Ethiopian Kassy Kebede, a hedge-fund manager
SEP 2000
Tom Ford personally selects Kebede for his Gucci show
2001
Gives birth to son, Suhul
2001
Becomes the face of Yves Saint Laurent
SEP 2001
Appears in Harper’s Bazaar editorial, photographed by Patrick Demarchelier
MAY 2002
Featured on cover of French Vogue
MAY 2002
Appears on the cover of Russian Vogue topless with Karolina Kurkova and Carmen Kass
OCT 2002
Appears in two editorials for Vogue
NOV 2002
Walks the annual Victoria’s Secret fashion show Video»
2003
Patrick Demarchelier photographs Kebede for Tommy Hilfiger
2003
Becomes the face of Dolce & Gabbana, photographed by Steven Meisel
FEB 2003
Becomes the first black model to sign a deal with Estée Lauder
JUN 2003
Appears in an editorial for Vogue, photographed by Arthur Elgort, becoming a favorite thereafter
SEP 2003
Appears on the cover of i-D
SEP 2003
Appears in Vogue editorial, photographed by Steven Klein
2004
Becomes the face of Tiffany's & Co.
2004
Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott photographs Kebede for Louis Vuitton
FEB 2004
Walks the fall Anna Sui, Calvin Klein, Burberry, Fendi, Marni, and Chanel shows in New York, Milan, and Paris
2004
Steven Meisel photographs Kebede for Escada alongside other top models
2004
David Sims photographs Kebede for Balenciaga
MAY 2004
Appears on the cover of Numéro
AUG 2004
Featured on the cover of Italian Flair alongside Erin Wasson
SEP 2004
Featured on cover of Vogue with Natalia Vodianova, Isabeli Fontana, and other top models, photographed by Steven Meisel
SEP 2004
Appears on cover of Harpers & Queen
SEP 2004
Appears on cover of Essence
FEB 2005
Appears on the cover of Spanish Vogue
MAR 2005
Appointed by WHO as the Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health Video»
MAR 2005
Appears in an editorial for French Vogue, photographed by David Sims
MAY 2005
Featured on the cover of Vogue, photographed by Steven Meisel
AUG 2005
Gives birth to daughter, Raee
SEP 2005
Has a role as Faith in Nicholas Cage movie Lord of War
SEP 2005
Walks the spring Baby Phat, Oscar de la Renta, Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga, Christian Dior, and Lanvin shows in New York, Milan, and Paris
SEP 2005
Featured on her second cover of i-D while pregnant
FEB 2006
Opens the fall Diane von Furstenberg show in New York
MAR 2006
Appears in several editorials for Vogue
2006
Appears in Ann Taylor and Gap fall ad campaigns
2006
Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin photographs Kebede for Givenchy
DEC 2006
Has a role as Miriam in the film The Good Shepherd, which stars Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie and was directed by Robert DeNiro
FEB 2007
Opens and closes the fall Roberto Cavalli show in Milan
FEB 2007
Closes the fall Balenciaga show in Paris
JUL 2007
Forbes ranks her among the highest-paid supermodels in the world
AUG 2007
Creates a line of children’s clothing called Lemlem (meaning “to bloom” in Amharic), with pieces that are handmade in Ethiopia and combine traditional weaving and embroidery techniques with modern silhouettes
SEP 2007
Included in Vanity Fair’s International Best-Dressed List
SEP 2007
Opens and closes the spring Derek Lam show in New York
13 OCT, 2007
Named Vogue's second best dressed of the week in a red Vena Cava cocktail dress Photo»
2008
Mario Testino photographs Kebede for the Lord & Taylor spring ad campaign alongside Lauren Hutton, Carolyn Murphy, and rising star Abbey Lee
2008
Contract with Estée Lauder ends
JAN 2008
Appears in Harper's Bazaar editorial, photographed by Terry Tsiolis
FEB 2008
Opens the fall Aquascutum and Emanuel Ungaro shows in London and Paris
FEB 2008
Closes the fall Armand Basi show in London
MAR 2008
Appears in Vogue editorial, photographed by Norman Jean Roy
MAR 2008
Releases her line of children's clothes, Lemlem
30 APR, 2008
Named the world’s fifteenth highest-paid model by Forbes, having made a reported $1.5 million in the past year
MAY 2008
Featured on the cover of British Harper's Bazaar, photographed by Alexei Hay
JUL 2008
Featured on the cover of the all-black issue of Italian Vogue, photographed by Steven Meisel
2008
Ends Olga Sherer's one-year run as the face of Lanvin, with Raquel Zimmermann
FEB 2009
Appears in editorials for Vogue and Japanese Vogue
MAR 2009
Opens the fall Balenciaga show in Paris
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