Patricia Velásquez

Creativity is more than just film, pictures, or canvas. It can also be an inspiration for philanthropy, charity, and activism. Award-winning actress, a history-making supermodel and philanthropist who is a staunch supporter, conscientious activist author, mother of two. Patricia Velasquez applies an eternal inventive spirit to all she does. It could be acting in blockbuster movies like The Curse of La Llorona or launching the Wayuu Taya Foundation and participating on the UNESCO Board. She draws on her instincts and develops her own path with great success, making significant strides. "I think of my career as a lengthy staircase," she says. "I have taken every step. It was amazing to accomplish this because it was a lot of perseverance. I didn't stop moving, just kept my head down. The metaphor directly resembles an actual experience. After a short time she relocated to Venezuela. She was born in Venezuela and was raised in France and Mexico. Parents who worked as educators in South America, moved her family into a cramped home that was without water and elevators. Patricia carried 15 staircases up using heavy buckets in order to provide water to the unit. Between her engineering studies and dance training, she did her best to assist the family by any means she could. The commitment she made to her family was the crucial factor in her rise to the top of the fashion industry, saw her sought-after to model in Milan. She says, "When they asked me to go to Italy I told them, 'If can send thirty dollars a month back to Venezuela that's enough, because that will cover the entire building's water'." Patricia's success was a turning point for fashion when she brought the attention of the fashion industry to South America. Her biggest break came after becoming "the first model Karl Lagerfeld ever photographed" and was then able to walk in shows, star in editorial spreads, and front ads for Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Chloe, Cover Girl, and Victoria's Secret to name several. The world was abuzz with her presence, she was featured on Oprah as well as Ford Models' "Supermodel of the World" contest , as well. Elle also graced the covers of Vogue, Bazaar, Marie Claire and numerous other publications.