'It's a lot of work!' Catwalk favorite Winnie Harlow admits she 'doesn't want' to be seen as a 'role model' or a vitiligo spokesperson as she poses for the cover of Wonderland

  • The 21-year-old rose to fame on America's Next Top Model and has done campaigns for Diesel and Desigual
  • She said she would rather be an 'inspiration' than a 'role model', and being a role model — like Zendaya — is a lot of work 
  • The model admitted she thought the invitation to appear in Lemonade seemed 'sketchy' until she new Beyoncé was involved

By Carly Stern For Dailymail.com

Published: 13:27 EST, 26 May 2016 | Updated: 16:30 EST, 26 May 2016

Winnie Harlow never intended to be a spokesperson for her skin condition, vitilgo —  but since first being thrust into the spotlight a few years ago, she has found herself as the reluctant face of the disease.

And that face has gotten her far. Following a stint on America's Next Top model and appearances in music videos for Drake and Beyoncé, the 21-year-old model's social media following has grown to 1.1 million.

But now, as she covers Wonderland magazine's summer issue, Winnie is speaking out against her 'role model' status, insisting that she's just living her life. 

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Star: Model Winnie Harlow appears on the cover of the summer issue of Wonderland magazine 

Star: Model Winnie Harlow appears on the cover of the summer issue of Wonderland magazine 

Famous: The 21-year-old is incredibly recognizable thanks to her vitiligo, a skin condition that causes the loss of skin color

Famous: The 21-year-old is incredibly recognizable thanks to her vitiligo, a skin condition that causes the loss of skin color

Inspiration: She said she never wanted to be the spokesperson for the disease and doesn't see herself as a role model

Inspiration: She said she never wanted to be the spokesperson for the disease and doesn't see herself as a role model

'I personally don’t know why I’m seen as a role model. I like to call myself more an inspiration if anything. I’m happy to inspire your seven-year-old child, but I do not want to be her role model,' she told the magazine.

It's not necessarily that she's undeserving of the title, she explained — but holding yourself up as a person for young girls to look up to isn't easy. 

'I give kudos to people like Zendaya who are like: "Yes, I want to inspire young kids." And I’m like: "Girl, that’s a lot of work!"' she said. 'She is a role model.' 

Not for her: She said she's OK with inspiring girls but being a role model is a lot of work

Not for her: She said she's OK with inspiring girls but being a role model is a lot of work

Someone to look up to: She added that Zendaya (bottom right), whom she appeared with in Lemonade, is a real role model

Someone to look up to: She added that Zendaya (bottom right), whom she appeared with in Lemonade, is a real role model

Wanna be on top? Winnie got her start on America's Next Top Model and has gone on to work for Desigual and Diesel

Wanna be on top? Winnie got her start on America's Next Top Model and has gone on to work for Desigual and Diesel

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Winnie Harlow's modeling career is on the upswing from walking in NYFW to appearing in a video by Beyonce. And now she covers Wonderland Magazine.

The Canadian beauty wore a number of looks from top designers including Hood By Air and Prada but it was these Dior pumps that we couldn't take our eyes off.

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At home she's Chantelle: Her real name is Chantelle Brown-Young, and she said it's weird when her mom calls her Winnie sometimes

At home she's Chantelle: Her real name is Chantelle Brown-Young, and she said it's weird when her mom calls her Winnie sometimes

Winnie would know. The Toronto-born beauty worked alongside the former Disney star in Beyoncé's visual album for Lemonade — a gig she almost didn't take, because Queen Bey's crew was so secretive about the project.

When they first invited her to flight down to New Orleans for a shoot, they hardly gave her any details — and Winnie found it 'super sketchy'. It wasn't until one of Beyoncé's assistance clarified who Winnie would be working with that she got on board.

'Anything for Beyoncé,' she said.  

Winnie has also appeared in Drake and Rihanna's music video for Work and calls the rapper 'a really corny dude, in the coolest way possible'.

The queen: The Canadian-born beauty starred in the visual album for Beyoncé's Lemonade but says the invitation seemed super sketchy until she knew Bey was invovled

The queen: The Canadian-born beauty starred in the visual album for Beyoncé's Lemonade but says the invitation seemed super sketchy until she knew Bey was invovled

Mystery: She had been asked to fly to New Orleans but didn't know what the shoot was for

Mystery: She had been asked to fly to New Orleans but didn't know what the shoot was for

Follow wherever she goes: However, she said she'd do 'anything' for Beyoncé

Follow wherever she goes: However, she said she'd do 'anything' for Beyoncé

Famous friends: She's also appeared in a video with Rihanna and Drake, and says the rapper is 'corny' but in a good way

Famous friends: She's also appeared in a video with Rihanna and Drake, and says the rapper is 'corny' but in a good way

Lighting up: She's recently signed on for a Swarovski campaign (pictured at an event for the brand on Tuesday)
Lighting up: She's recently signed on for a Swarovski campaign (pictured at an event for the brand on Tuesday)

Lighting up: She's recently signed on for a Swarovski campaign (pictured at an event for the brand on Tuesday)

But despite the increasingly high-profile gigs, Winnie says she's still pretty normal — and when she's not working, she's still just Chantelle Brown-Young (her given name).

'The rest of the world just knows "Winnie", right? So, I guess Winnie has some fame. Chantelle’s just a hood chick who got a chance, who’s from the hood in Toronto and got a chance at a very sick career,' she said.

And she likes that division between Winnie at work and Chantelle at home — and gets annoyed if they get mixed up. 

'My mom will sometimes call me Winnie, it’s so annoying, I’m like, "Who are you talking to?"' she said.

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