New mother Naomi Campbell was photographed for the first time with her 9-month-old daughter for the cover of British Vogue.
The supermodel remained tight-lipped about becoming a mother until after her daughter’s birth—becoming a mother at 50.
“She wasn’t adopted – she’s my child,” she told the publication: “I can count on one hand the number of people who knew that I was having her,” she admits. “But she is the biggest blessing I could ever imagine. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”
The model was one of the most prominent Black mainstream supermodels in the 90s. While these days, the fashion world is a much more diverse environment with lots more opportunities for women of color, the playing field was far more brutal at the height of the supermom’s career.
“Everyone’s journey is written. This is my journey, this is how it’s written,” she tells British Vogue. “But yes, there were lots of times when I would walk in the fashion shows, but I was never picked for the ad campaigns and it would hurt – it really hurt. I would have to suck it up and keep moving. Of course, it would have been great to have had that support around me back then, but I’m proud to see it happen now, I’m proud to see the diversity now. But I say this with all sincerity: we’re not here for a trend. There are so many companies who are in this only because they don’t want to get called out. No. Don’t do it from that place, do it because you understand that it’s the right thing to do. There is still a long way to go.”
And the work doesn’t stop.
Campbell is currently a global ambassador for the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust (QCT). The trust, founded in 2018, supports young people driving for change in their communities across sectors.
