Name: Looks aren't everything. Believe me, I'm a model.
Uploaded: 2013-01-16T16:05:54Z
Duration: 9 min 20 s
Description: Cameron Russell admits she won "a genetic lottery": she's tall, pretty and an underwear model. But don't judge her by her looks. In this fearless talk, she takes a wry look at the industry that had her looking highly seductive at barely 16 years old.

Cameron Russell: Looks aren't everything. Believe me, I'm a model.

Looks aren't everything. Believe me, I'm a model.

Cameron Russell admits she won "a genetic lottery": she's tall, pretty and an underwear model. But don't judge her by her looks. In this fearless talk, she takes a wry look at the industry that had her looking highly seductive at barely 16 years old.

Physical appearance wields enormous influence, yet it is both powerful and superficial. In one study, just 4 percent of runway models were non-white, revealing a legacy of exclusion baked into beauty standards. Behind glossy images lies a world built by teams of professionals, hiding the insecurity and lack of control many models feel. The advantages given to some for their looks come at real cost to others, especially in a society where image too often dictates destiny.