Lupita Nyong’o is adjusting well as an international spokesperson for beauty. Interviewed in the May issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK, the 32-year-old actress is confident, dazzling, and joyful. Speaking of changing beauty standards, Lupita says with her usual, earnest candor: ‘It’s 2015, man. We could all use some diversity. I don’t feel like the responsibility I feel comes from any place other than my gut.’

Nyong’o - who was raised in Kenya and attributes much of graceful elegance to the ceremonial nature of her culture - feels that her ‘unique position’ gives her a responsibility to speak out for what she describes as ‘her demographic’.

‘I wish that I took it more lightly sometimes because it costs a lot,” she says. “Which is why I can’t do those speeches every weekend, because it costs a lot to share from such a deep place, if you will. But I don’t know how to speak from any other place. Kenyans are very ceremonial. There is a formality that comes with gatherings and comes from our colonial conditioning… Oratory is something that’s really important to Kenyans, the way one speaks to the masses, it’s an art almost.’I feel a responsibility to speak about certain things because I wish someone had spoken about them for me,” she said.

I know I’m in a unique position where lots of people all over the world are seeing me and connecting with me, and perhaps because of my demographic and how limited representation is for my demographic, I do feel not a responsibility but an impetus to speak.

Personally, I am struggling with HuffPo beauty editor Dana Oliver’scomments about Lupita, who she personally praises.

Labeling Nyong’o as the “new face of beauty” is a harsh reminder that the fashion industry encourages a standard of beauty where black women such as Nyong’o are considered “exotic,” or worse, simply ignored. The reality is that Nyong’o is beautiful even if she wasn’t an ambassador for Lancôme or a red carpet darling. Black will always be beautiful.

Lupita Nyong’o has the grace, elegance and warmth of Audrey Hepburn. If that makes her ‘exotic’, so be it. She is articulate and hardly being buttoned up by Lancome’s PR team. I am lost in Oliver’s argument.

Lupita is lensed by Alexi Lubomirski, who has shot her on several occasions now.

Lupita Nyong’o Meets Her Beauty Icon, Alek Wek

Last November I posted this inspiring meetup between Lupita and Alex Wek.

Lupita Nyong’o By Alexi Lubomirski for Paris Match Magazine

Lupita made an equally dazzling impression in Paris Match Magazine last month in a Lancome Promotion.

The FashionSpot analyzed the recent Fall 2015 fashion shows and concluded that out of 9.538 model bookings in 373 shows, 80% of the models were white, a modest improvement from the 83% white models in the Spring 2014 shows. New York was the most diverse with ‘only’ 75.6% of the models being white.