The bright colour pallet of the Elle France’s summer 2014 issue cover evokes the carefree vibrance of summer. What really makes the image pop though, is Lupita Nyong’s glowing smile. This radiant 31 year old Kenyan and Mexican beauty is taking the world by storm since her Oscar winning performance in 12 Years a Slave. Having won the award for best supporting actress, Nyong became simultaneously the first Kenyan actress to receive an Oscar and the first Mexican actress to receive that specific award.
She has graced many magazine covers since receiving her award, but probably one of the most impressive is American Vogue. She is the second African woman, and only the ninth black woman to grace their cover. Frankly, we would like to see more. Nyong stepped right off the July cover of American Vogue and right into the hearts of every fashionista in France. The wind-fans were blowing for Nyong’s Elle France Summer cover. The image is reminiscent of the iconic photograph of Marilyn Monroe holding down her skirt above a subway grate. This beautifully recreated image was shot by photographer Alexi Lubomirski.
For the cover, Lupita Nyong slipped into the gorgeous yellow Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown that was first presented in their Fall 2013 presentation. The canary yellow gown is beautifully offset by Nyong’s radiant dark skin and a fuchsia backdrop.
We will be seeing a lot more of this stunning woman in the days to come. As of April 2014, Nyong has been signed on as the latest face of makeup company Lancome, in addition to having received an endorsement deal with Miu Miu. This impressive starlet will also grace us with her presence on the big screen, as it has just been announced that Nyong will appear in the latest Star Wars: Episode VII. She is also set to work alongside Scarlett Johansson and Iris Elba as a voice character in The Jungle Book.
