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Liya Kebede

    New York

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    Liya Kebede View off-the-runway photos
    Nationality
    Ethiopian
    Birth Date
    January 3, 1980
    Lives Now
    New York, NY
    Status
    Cover girl, Established, Good girl
    Known for
    Charity work, Legs, Smile
    Agencies
    IMG, d'management
    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
    Children
    Raee (Born 8/05), Suhul (Born 01)
    Married
    Kassy Kebede (Since 00)
    Model Turned
    Activist (WHO Goodwill Ambassador, 2005), Actress (The Good Shepherd, 2006), Designer (Lemlem line of kid‘s clothing, 2007)

    Off the Runway Photos

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    On the Runway Photos

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    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
    MAY 2009
    Featured on the cover of Vogue, photographed by Steven Meisel
    AUG 2009
    Vogue features Kebede and her charity work
    SEP 2009
    Appears in three editorials for Vogue
    24 SEP, 2009
    Stars in Desert Flower, as a Somalian supermodel who underwent circumcision Video»
    JAN 2010
    Appears in Italian Vogue editorial, photographed by Steven Meisel
    2010
    Mario Sorrenti photographs Kebede for Kenzo, alongside Eniko Mihalik
    MAR 2010
    Appears in editorials for Italian Vogue, Vogue, W, and V
    APR 2010
    Appears in Vogue editorial, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
    APR 2010
    Featured in Time magazine's 100 most influential people
    MAY 2010
    Appears in editorials for Vogue and Numéro
    2010
    Amy Troost photographs Kebede for the summer issue of i-D
    JUL 2010
    Appears in Vogue editorial, photographed by Mario Testino
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