Perfectly Flawed

Model and activist Winnie Harlow learnt long ago to ignore the haters and be comfortable in her own skin.

- Nici Dewet

SHE was mercilessly mocked for her condition and bullied for years in a world that shuns imperfection. But Winnie Harlow is proud of the skin that sets her apart – and to prove her days of hiding are long gone she recently posted a nearly nude selfie on Instagram.

She shared the sultry snap with her 2,6 million followers along with a message of self-love.

“The real difference isn’t my skin,” she wrote. “It’s the fact that I don’t find my beauty in the opinions of others. I’m beautiful because I know it. Celebrate your unique beauty today (&every day)!”

Her comments section exploded with people lavishing praise on the 23-year old, calling her “beautiful”, “amazingly unique” and “a special gem”.

“You have helped me embrace my vitiligo,” one fan wrote. “If I ever have any doubt I just look to you as an example of self-love.Thank you!”

The Canadian beauty–who defied the odd stobe come one of the biggest names in the modelling industry – has spoken openly about the mocking she endured growing up until she realised her opinion was all that really mattered.

“The only reason I didn’t like my skin was because I was told it wasn’t what’s right. Or I was told it wasn’t normal. But who’s to say that?

“Eventually I learned my opinion of myself matters so much more than anyone else’s and I wish I’d known it earlier. One day I just didn’t give a  f**k anymore.”

Her empowering stance has not gone unnoticed among her celebrity peers. Last year pop superstar Beyoncé handpicked Winnie to appear in her ground breaking visual album Lemonade alongside a host of other famous faces, including tennis star Serena Williams and actress Amandla Stenberg.