Winnie Harlow — the wax figure — was unveiled at Madame Tussauds in Times Square Wednesday evening, with the actual Winnie Harlow present for the big moment when the curtains were drawn on her twin likeness.

“Oh my goodness. She looks just like me — the details, even my tattoo,” Harlow said as she gazed at her wax figure. Holding back tears, Harlow told the crowd which included several friends and guests with vitiligo, “This is not just a celebration of me or my wax work. This is a celebration of you and your differences, showcasing them to the world, and being proud.”

Harlow’s figure was revealed at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Manhattan in tandem with World Vitiligo Day, which raises awareness of the skin condition. As vitiligo naturally changes one’s complexion over time, the figure captures Harlow’s skin exactly as it appeared when she first met with the Madame Tussauds’ studio artists and sat for hours as they took 200 measurements and details of where her skin changes color, her height, hand size and other physical features. It’s an eight- to 12-month process to complete a wax figure.

The real Harlow and her wax figure were equally stunning in their skin-revealing outfits, with the wax Harlow dressed in the gold sequin dress Harlow wore at the 2023 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and red carpet. Completing the look were gold Louboutin heels and diamanté jewelry, including a gold iced chain and earrings. The real-life Winnie appeared in a short, pleated gold Zuhair Murad halter dress, with Rene Caovilla shoes and jewelry by Leon Diamond and Richie Rich.

Later, Harlow told WWD: “Today is really an emotional day for me because having a wax figure is such an iconic moment, but also because of my decision to launch my wax work on World Vitiligo Day. Seeing how many people of the vitiligo community came out to support this moment really moved me, because I always wanted that sense of community and that sense of being when I was growing up and I didn’t have that. And the fact that I have created that, not just for them, but for myself, is a dream come true.

“The funny thing is when I was growing up, I felt like I was the only person in the world with vitiligo,” Harlow said. “Maybe I saw one person when I was young, in passing, but with the platform I have and in the world of social media. I’m able to reach so many people who are just like me, who are different, whether that means having vitiligo, having freckles or having super curly hair, whatever it is that makes you different….I definitely think people are more aware of the vitiligo today, and that’s incredible, because awareness is the first step toward representation.”

Harlow, founder of the Cay Skin skin care and sunscreen line, is the first celebrity with vitiligo to have a wax figure in Madame Tussauds.

“We’re always representing celebrities and talent that we can honor their greatness in whatever platform that might be right, and Winnie Harlow is such a trailblazer in fashion, but she’s also made a huge difference in the vitiligo community,” said Eliza Rose, marketing manager for Madame Tussauds in New York. “Our brand is not just a place for people to come see their favorite celebrities and take pictures with them. It’s also a place for people to see them in an art form. We celebrate everyone’s unique beauty through art. Winnie has just this extra layer of uniqueness, because of her beautiful skin. And so for us creating that skin pattern in art has been really exciting.”

Harlow, joins other fashion figures at Madame Tussauds, among them Heidi Klum, Kendall Jenner, Adriana Lima, Anna Wintour and the Kardashians. Harlow will also receive a second figure at Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas, at a yet-to-be announced date. Madame Tussauds, which has 28 museums, was founded two and a half centuries ago by the wax sculptor, Marie Tussaud, and is operated by Merlin Entertainments.