Alek Wek was "humbled" by Lupita Nyong'o's moving tribute to her.
The Sudanese-born supermodel was thrilled to finally be able to meet the '12 Years a Slave' actress, who has been vocal about her love for Alek in the past, even paying tribute to her during a speech at Essence's Black Women in Hollywood awards in February.
She told E! News: "I was very humbled. We are all very different, but as women we have to celebrate one another's beauty.
"I told [Lupita], 'You are so inspiring'. I said, 'Thank you so much for always saying those beautiful words about me!' "
Alek explained she shares a mutual respect for Hollywood newcomer Lupita - who said Alek's skin colour boosted her own confidence as a teenager - and admires her determination to succeed.
She said: "Lupita made it not because of her skin colour, but because of her wonderful words of saying you should never let anyone stop you.
"No one can define you better than yourself. We all fall, but it's how you pick yourself up and dust yourself off."
The Oscar-winning actress previously praised high-profile star Alek for helping her realise she was beautiful too since she was the first black model whose looks did not conform to Caucasian aesthetics.
Lupita said: "A celebrated model, she was dark as night, she was on all of the runways and in every magazine and everyone was talking about how beautiful she was.
"Even Oprah [Winfrey] called her beautiful and that made it a fact ... When I saw Alek I inadvertently saw a reflection of myself that I could not deny.
"Now, I had a spring in my step because I felt more seen, more appreciated by the far away gatekeepers of beauty."