The Top 10 Supermodels from London

The Top 10 Supermodels from London

London, and the UK in general, is a breeding ground for some of the world’s most successful entertainers. I’ve looked at the best of the English actors to have come out of this land, but what about the supermodels?

Considering this city is a fashion capital, it’s only natural that some of the biggest runway names call it home as well. Ten of the best:

1. Twiggy

Neasden, London

To the Brits, Twiggy remains a cultural icon. She was born in London in 1949, and emerged as a teenage modeling sensation during the 60s.

Known for her stick thin physique and exaggerated eyelashes, every runway and magazine from London to Paris to New York wanted to work with her.

Twiggy’s real name is Lesley Hornby, but today she would be addressed as Dame Lesley Lawson. She continues to influence the fashion world to this day, appearing most recently as a judge on America’s Next Top Model.

Twiggy – by Slawek Puklo – Wikimedia Commons

2. Cara Delevingne

Hammersmith, London

You’ve likely seen her on the big screen on occasion, but Cara Delevingne is one of the most important individuals to emerge from the London fashion scene within the last decade. She is also officially Britain’s highest paid model, making an average of £22,000 per day.

Delevingne started her life in Hammersmith, the artsy neighborhood just next to Kensington where theatre and performance reign supreme. Hammersmith is easy to get on foot to following a guided walking tour in Notting Hill.

Cara Delevingne – by Gage Skidmore – Wikimedia Commons

3. Jourdan Dunn

Ealing, UK

Jourdan Dunn’s rise to fame story remains resonant to the locals of London to this day. At the age of 15 she was simply shopping at Primark in London with her mother, when a modeling scout approached them.

Dunn and her mother lived in Ealing at the time, a large suburb out in greater London.

She has since managed an extremely successful career across both print and runaway modeling, and is one of the highest paid female models in the UK.

Jourdan Dunn – by Walterlan Papetti – Wikimedia Commons

4. Kate Moss

Croydon, South London

Before Cara Delevingne came along, Kate Moss was the UK’s highest paid model. This may no longer be her title, but she remains the goddess, deity and queen of the catwalk whose legacy will do doubt live on forever.

She was discovered in her hometown of Crodyon in South London at the tender age of 14 by Storm Management. She rose to fame in 90s, when punk and heroin chic fashion were at their peak.

Kate Moss – by Renan Katayama – Wikimedia Commons

5. Charlotte Moss

London

Following in her big sisters footsteps, Charlotte Moss (sometimes know as Lottie) is Kate’s baby sister. Half sister, by technicality; Kate Moss’ parents divorced when she was just 13 years old.

Charlotte is only nineteen years old. She is signed to the same agency that scouted her big sister all those years ago and is already featuring in campaigns for Calvin Klein and Chanel.

Lottie Moss – by Renan Katayama – Wikimedia Commons

6. Georgia May Jagger

Westminster, London

A guided walking tour through Westminster is one of the most popular outings in London Town because this is where one finds Buckingham Palace and other affluent surroundings. It was here that Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall birthed their youngest daughter, Georgia May Jagger.

Her unique, gap-toothed smile has made her one of the most recognizable faces in fashion around the world. She is signed to IMG Models who have offices in London, New York, Paris, Milan, Los Angeles and Sydney.

Wandering around London it is not uncommon to spot Georgie May on billboards, especially for makeup brands like Rimmel London.

Georgia May Jagger – by Eva Rinaldi – Wikimedia Commons

7. Naomi Campbell

London

Naomi Campbell was born in South London in 1970. Her birth father abandoned her mother prior to her arrival, and so it was just the two of them from the beginning.

By the late 80s it was evident that Campbell was going to be one of the most important models of all time. In 1988 she became the first black model ever featured on the cover of French Vogue. A year later she became the first black model ever featured on the cover of American Vogue’s September issue.

She is a British national treasure and so loved by the people. She continues to live in London to this day.

Naomi Campbell – by CHRISTOPHER MACSURAK – Wikimedia Commons

8. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Plymouth, UK

Another national treasures also signed to IMG Models is Miss Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

You might know her from her work with USA based brand Victoria’s Secret as well as extensive work with Burberry; she has even featured in a small role in a Transformers film.

Rosie was born in the small village of Plymouth, but from the age of 15 would head into London during school vacation times to gain experience in modeling and performance on the West End. It was only in 2004 that she made her catwalk debut alongside afore mentioned Naomi Campbell in New York City.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley – by Frank Eng – Wikimedia Commons

9. Elizabeth Hurley

Basingsoke, UK

In 1994, Hugh Grant took Liz Hurley as his date to the premier of Four Weddings and a Funeral.

She was noticed and scouted almost immediately, finding great success as the fact of Estée Lauder for quite some time. She also tried her hand at acting here and there; one can find her in the Austin Powers movie as well as in the Gossip Girl series.

Elizabeth Hurley – by Mingle Media TV – Wikimedia Commons

10. Lily Donaldson

Hammersmith, London

It seems like Hammersmith is the place to live if you want to birth world supermodels. Like Cara Delevingne, Lily Donaldson also called this arts district home.

At the age of 16 she was out shopping in Camden Market where she was first scouted. Camden is a great to visit for market shopping, pubs and cafes; and seemingly also if you want to potentially become a modeling sensation.

Lily Donaldson – by Ed Kavishe – Wikimedia Commons