Patricia Velásquez

Creativity goes beyond film, photographs, and canvas. It is also a catalyst for charity and philanthropy as well as for activism. Patricia Velasquez is an award-winning supermodel and actress with a long history. She is also a dedicated philanthropist. Author activist, author and a loving mother. Whatever the case, she takes huge leaps by drawing from her intuition and consciously paving her own pathway. "I think of my career as an escalator," she said. "I took every step. It was amazing to accomplish that, given that there's been a lot of longevity. I simply laid my head down and moved one step at a time. And then, it was over. The analogy is directly related to a formative experience. Her birthplace was Venezuela, but she was raised in France or Mexico. After two years, she made the decision to move to Venezuela. In South America, her parents worked in education and moved their family to a cramped apartment building with no water or elevators that worked. In order to supply water for the entire unit, Patricia often carried heavy buckets on fifteen steps. Between her studies in engineering and dance training, she did her best to assist the family in any way she could. Her promise to her family, which was the most important factor that helped her rise to the top in the fashion industry, got her being scouted for modeling in Milan. She recalled, "When they asked me if I wanted to go to Italy to model, I responded"If you could send thirty bucks a month back home to Venezuela the cost will be worthwhile, as that will cover the whole building's water costs'." Patricia's achievements marked an important moment in fashion as she attracted media attention to South America for the first time. She received a major break as "the first model Karl Lagerfeld ever photographed" and was then able to walk in shows, appear in editorial spreads, and front ads for Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Chloe, Cover Girl, and Victoria's Secret, to name a few. Her appearances in Oprah's Supermodel of the World contest and Ford Models’ "Supermodel of the World" contest were a hit all over the world. She was also featured on the covers of Marie Claire, Bazaar and Vogue.