Naomi Campbell just added an honorary Ph.D. from the University for the Creative Arts in England to her list of groundbreaking life achievements. 

Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

The degree is the perfect fit for Campbell’s ongoing legacy in the fashion world. The supermodel attended the commencement ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Thursday, wearing a beige jumpsuit and black boots beneath her cap and gown. 

The 52-year-old supermodel gave fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the day’s festivities on Instagram. While brief, in the video Campbell shows off her cover-girl smile as she simply says, “Hi everyone!” while strutting in her cap and gown. 

A tweet from Perfect Magazine also revealed the recent graduate wiping tears of joy from her eyes as she spoke to the audience, Campbell recalled attending fashion house Balenciaga’s couture presentation in Paris just a day before, walking the runway alongside Nicole Kidman, Kim Kardashian, Dua Lipa and more while rocking a voluminous floor-length black coat.  

From runway strut to graduation walk, there is no understating the significance of Campbell’s accomplishments. The icon’s contributions have been deeply felt in the fashion industry and beyond, as she’s used her influence to not only further her own still-strong career, but support the ambitions of others, especially fellow Black models.

The trail Campbell has blazed in the fashion world began at age 15, when she quickly became one of the most sought-after modelsin an industry notorious for keeping Black women out. Despite becoming one of the most globally famous Black models, she nevertheless received a disproportionate amount of advertising compared to her white counterparts.

Drawing from her own experiences and adversities, Campbell was also vocal during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. During an interview with Reuters that year, she expressed hope that “change” was, at last, coming as brands made promises to better recognize and value Black lives. This included hiring more Black talent “as designers, stylists and make-up artists,” as well as in editorial and executive roles.

As an influential voice in couture fashion and now also a mother of a one-year-old daughter, Campbell continues to speak openly and earnestly in 2022 about the ways in which fashion needs to evolve and pave the way for new talent.

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