Naomi Campbell Unveiled Her Daughter For The First Time
There are few celebrities better at working the media than supermodel Naomi Campbell. She’s great at keeping journalists and photographers on their toes, all while controlling her own narrative — and in May 2021 she arguably made her biggest splash yet. In fact, when she made a surprise reveal on Instagram, the collective gasp could practically be heard around the world.
Becoming a mom at 50
Campbell shocked everyone when — at the age of 50 — she unveiled a baby daughter. This was her first child, and no one outside of a select few in her circle had any idea that the announcement was coming. Vogue editor Edward Enninful was one of many to congratulate her, saying, “Seeing the two of you together made my year. You will bring each other so much joy.”
How did the little blessing stay secret?
Marc Jacobs — the legendary designer — also gushed, “How absolutely incredible. How lucky she is and how lucky you are! What a wonderful mother you will be. Blessings all around.” After the initial excitement died down, though, people began to wonder just how Campbell had kept her little blessing — and the identity of the father — so secret.
A league of her own
Campbell’s long been an icon of modeling and a pioneer for people of color in the industry. For instance, in 1988 she was the first ever black model to be featured on the front of French Vogue, and in 1989 repeated the same trick in Vogue’s U.S. edition. As writer Selina Julien put it in 2018, “Campbell has always been in a league of her own.”
An advocate
Regarding the business she’s worked in for decades, Campbell told Vogue, “I’m never going to say I wasn’t picked because of the color of my skin, and I’d never go down that route, even if it was the case. It would just give me more strength and perseverance for me to go out there and get what I want.” In the process, she made sure to advocate for every other model of color.
