The fashion industry has a dismal reputation of glorifying overly-thin white women. Yes, in the ‘90s, Naomi Campbell and Alek Wek rose to supermodel status, but there were rarely more than a few women of color walking the runways then. Today, the fashion industry is brimming with a new generation of models who better reflect the diverse world we live in.
More women of color graced the 2019 catwalks than ever before (90 percent of the top NYFW models, in fact). While stats in 2020 disappointedly revealed a decline in inclusivity at NYFW in three categories—race, size, and gender—we're hopeful that this year's lack of representation is an anomaly. Fashion's recent outcry against injustice has given us hope that there will be continual transformation.
In an industry that sets the trends, embracing models from all backgrounds and gender identities is not just a casting choice; it's a responsibility in helping to mobilize change. Ahead, the breakout faces of the modeling world (women who are also artists, academics, and advocates), and how their individual experiences and contributions prove there's some progress (and lot's more work to do) in an industry that, for many people, sets the standard of beauty.
Halima Aden
Somalian-American model Halima Aden made history as the first hijab-wearing model to grace the New York City catwalks at Kanye West's Fall 2017 Yeezy show. Aden, who is now 22, was raised in Kenya before moving to the U.S. at age 7. She continues to advocate for Muslim women in beauty and fashion. In 2020, Aden helped create a capsule collection of hijabs and turbans that are compatible with face coverings to protect against COVID-19.
Paloma Elsesser
Paloma Elsesser has been modeling for the past four years, but it was only this season that the model booked any major runway shows. Elsesser made headlines as Fendi's first plus-size model, when she walked the fall/winter 2020 runway for the brand's "liberation-themed" runway collection. She also walked the fall/winter 2020 runways at Alexander McQueen and Lanvin's Paris collections.
Hyun Ji Shin
One of the top 50 models of the moment according to models.com, Hyun Ji Shin is the star of this summer's new Zara campaign. During the fall/winter 2020 presentations in February and March, she walked 28 shows including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, Saint Laurent, and Tory Burch (pictured).
Anok Yai
South Sudanese model Ayok Yai was discovered after her picture was snapped by a street style photographer in D.C. in 2017. At the time, she was studying biochemistry at Howard University. After signing with a New York agency, Yai became only the second Black model to open one of Prada's runway shows, following in the footsteps of Naomi Campbell.
Ugbad Abdi
Born in Somalia, Ugbad Abdi spent several years of her childhood in a Kenyan refugee camp. At the age of nine, Abdi and her family relocated to Des Moines, Iowa. It was there that she was scouted by Next Models via an Instagram post. At 19, Abdi has become one of the industry's top models, starring in campaigns for Michael Kors and Etro for fall/winter 2020.
Janaye Furman
Janaye Furman made history when she became the first Black woman to open Louis Vuitton's Paris runway show in the fall of 2017. The headline-making model was first discovered a year earlier, during a 2016 school performance at the American Musical Dramatic Academy in L.A., where she was enrolled. Since then, Furman has walked in nearly 100 shows, including Vuitton's fall/winter 2020 collection.
Mona Tougaard
Mona Tougaard, who hails from Aarhhus, Denmark, has landed some major campaigns in the past several seasons, including Burberry, Chanel, Chloé, Loewe, Max Mara, Prada, and Versace. At just 17, the Danish model—whose heritage is a mix of Somalian, Ethiopian, Danish, and Turkish—has already graced i-D Magazine's April 2020 cover and has most recently modeled in Chanel's pre-fall 2020 show.
Achenrin Madit
Top model Achenrin Madit notably walked more shows than any other model in the fall/winter 2020 season. Madit appeared on the runways of 39 different designers, including opening the shows at Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler. Born in Nebraska to South Sudanese parents, the 17-year-old star has gained much respect from fashion's prominent stylists and casting directors. She continues to blossom with campaigns for Marc Jacobs, Boss, Stella McCartney, and Proenza Schouler.
Shanelle Nyasiase
South Sudanese model Shanelle Nyasiase was born in Ethiopia and raised in Kenya, where she often worked local modeling jobs to support herself. She was discovered by New York's Women Management and made her debut on the fall 2017 runways, walking for Miu Miu, Tom Ford, and Alexander McQueen.
Adut Akech
Named 2019 model-of-the-year by the British Fashion Council, Adut Akech was born in South Sudan and raised in Australia, where her family sought refuge by way of Kenya. In her two-year career, she's walked the coveted runways of Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, and Prada. Her face graces the cover of Vogue Japan's June 2020 issue.
Adesuwa Aighewi
Adesuwa Aighewi was born in Minnesota, but raised predominantly in Nigeria by her Chinese-Thai mother and Nigerian father. A model, filmmaker, and advocate, Aighewi was not your ordinary teenager. She won an internship at NASA at age 22, but decided to pursue modeling instead. She's landed campaigns with Dior, AG, and Chanel, and has become a leading voice for industry-wide change, through her writing and social media presence.
Noah Carlos
Born and raised in Orange County, California, Noah Carlos identifies as a gender non-binary model. After garnering a cult following online, Carlos was offered a modeling contract with IMG. Carlos has strutted across quite a few fall catwalks, including Coach, Rick Owens, and Self Portrait, and is continually advocating for more non-binary casting on the runways.
Kukua Williams
Kukua Williams was scouted during a music festival in England in May 2018. She's since become a fixture on the runways at Stella McCartney, Coach, and Louis Vuitton. Williams is the founder of A Mixed World, a blog spotlighting her experiences with her own racial identity, coming from a mixed-heritage background.
Aliet Sarah
Aliet Sarah made her debut at JW Anderson's fall/winter '19 show and was one of the top models on the London runways that season. Born in South Sudan, Sarah and her two siblings endured the lost of their parents, and sought refuge from the war in Uganda. She would later moved to Canada to live with her aunt. After sustaining the hardships of war and the death of her parents, she often credits modeling for supplying her with hope for the future.
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