Editing Alek Wek (section)

===Beginnings===
After arriving in London at age 14, Alek's psoriasis immediately cleared. She enrolled in the [[London College of Fashion]] and studied Fashion Business and Technology.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Refugees |first=United Nations High Commissioner for |title=South Sudanese supermodel Alek Wek appointed UNHCR National Goodwill Ambassador |url=https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2013/6/51c010bf9/south-sudanese-supermodel-alek-wek-appointed-unhcr-national-goodwill-ambassador.html |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=UNHCR |language=en}}</ref>

Alek was discovered at an outdoor market in 1995 in [[Crystal Palace, London]]<ref name="bbcr4" /> by a Models 1 scout. She appeared in the music video for "[[GoldenEye (song)|GoldenEye]]" by [[Tina Turner]] that year, and shortly thereafter began fashion modeling. She was signed to [[Ford Models]] in 1996<ref name="baltimoresun1997"/> and also appeared in the "[[Got 'Til It's Gone]]" music video by [[Janet Jackson]] that year. She was named "Model of the Year" in 1997 by [[MTV]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nymag.com/fashion/models/awek/alekwek/|title=Alek Wek – Fashion Model – Profile|access-date=18 February 2020|archive-date=23 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423005013/https://nymag.com/fashion/models/awek/alekwek/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was the first African model to appear on the cover of ''[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]]'' that year.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://fashionbombdaily.com/2009/02/02/fun-black-fashion-fact-alek-wek-on-november-1997-elle-magazine/|title= Fun Black Fashion Fact: Alek Wek on November 1997 Elle Magazine|access-date= 3 August 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120531160700/http://fashionbombdaily.com/2009/02/02/fun-black-fashion-fact-alek-wek-on-november-1997-elle-magazine/|archive-date= 31 May 2012|url-status= dead}}</ref>