Beginning her modeling career at 18, Alek stood out for being dark-skinned, having African features and a shaved hairstyle. Many look up to Wek for showing a different kind of beauty that does not conform to Caucasian standards. In 1997, Wek appeared on the November cover of ELLE making her the first African model to appear on the publication. Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o has called Wek one of her inspirations growing up.