20 Most Famous Black Top Models Around The World

Photo by Nick Webb Wikimedia 

20 Most Famous Black Top Models Around The World

The fashion business has changed over time to become more diverse and inclusive. One of the biggest shifts has been the emergence of black top models who have defied stereotypes and questioned conventional notions of beauty. These models contributed a distinct aesthetic and point of view to the industry, and their impact helped pave the way for a subsequent generation of black models.

Here are the  20 Most Famous Black Top Models Around The World 

1. Naomi Campell

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In addition to modeling, actor, singer, and entrepreneur, Naomi Elaine Campbell is from England. Actually, Naomi had her public debut at the age of just 8 in the 1978 Bob Marley song and music video “Is This Love.” She began her modeling career at the age of 15, and within a short period of time, she rose to become one of the most well-known and in-demand names in the business.

The fashion industry and international media labeled six young models supermodels, and Campbell was one of them. In addition to modeling, Campbell has engaged in a range of extracurricular activities, including releasing an R&B studio album and appearing in numerous films and television shows, including the international spinoffs of the modeling competition reality series The Face. Campbell also participates in charitable work for a variety of issues.

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2. Tyson Beckford

Tyson Beckford, an American actor, and model, is most known for being a Ralph Lauren Polo model. In addition, he hosted the program for both of its seasons on the Bravo network. One of the most successful black male supermodels of all time, Beckford attained notoriety and lucrative contracts akin to the well-known female models of the 1990s.

As an actor, he has appeared in numerous films and TV shows in supporting roles. He has additionally participated in music videos for Toni Braxton, Ludacris, Mariah Carey, and The Notorious BIG.

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3. Tyra Banks

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Tyra Lynne Banks, commonly known as BanX, is a well-known name in the world of American television. She is also a producer, model, actress, and writer. Her modeling career began at the young age of 15; she was a native of California. The first African-American woman to do so, she had three appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and on the pages of GQ. She performed the role of a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 1997 to 2005. In the early 2000s, Banks was one of the most highly compensated models in the world.

Her own production company, Bankable Productions, which she also owns, is responsible for The Tyra Banks Show, America’s Next Top Model, and the 2008 film The Clique. Four African Americans and seven women, including Banks, have continuously appeared on Time magazine’s list of the world’s most influential people. She is also one of the seventeen models which MODELS.com named Legendary Supermodels.

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4. Broderick Hunter

The Californian city of Fontana is the place of birth of American actor and model Broderick Hunter Jr. After being approached to participate in a photo session at the age of 20, Hunter began his modeling career. Since then, he has made appearances in editorials for other publications, including Italian GQ, Cosmopolitan, Maxim, Essence, and Vogue France. XIOX, OnFitness, and Fantastics have all featured him on their covers. According to magazines like Business Insider, People, and Harper’s Bazaar, he is one of the “sexiest men on Instagram.” In addition, Hunter was chosen to represent the Ralph Lauren Company in a commercial for Icelandic Glacial in 2017.

He has a role in an episode of the HBO sitcom Insecure.

5. Iman

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Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid, popularly known by his stage name Iman, is a supermodel, actress, and businesswoman of Somali heritage. She is well renowned for her charitable work in addition to modeling for Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Thierry Mugler, Gianni Versace, and Donna Karan. Iman was married to rock musician David Bowie from 1992 until his death in 2016. She has planned fundraising activities for important causes like AIDS research, helping refugees, and other humanitarian projects.

6. Beverly Johnson

She is an American model, singer, businesswoman, and actress. Johnson established history by becoming the first black model to appear on the US Vogue cover in August 1974. She made history by becoming the first black woman to appear on the cover of Elle’s French edition in 1975. Johnson played a prominent role in the reality television series Beverly’s Complete House, which aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network in 2012. (OWN). The New York Times named Johnson as one of the most important fashion icons of the 20th century in 2008.

7. Adonis Bosso

photo by H-F-E-Co-Studio Unsplash 

Ivorian-Canadian model Adonis Bosso was born on July 10, 1990. In 2009, Bosso accompanied a boyfriend to a modeling agency, where he was discovered and signed right away. Bosso desired employment as a childcare provider for children with special needs.

Bosso has walked the runway for numerous other brands in addition to Dolce & Gabbana, including Belstaff, H&M, Armani Exchange, Gap Inc., Levi’s, Yeezy, Vivienne Westwood, Thom Browne, Banana Republic, and TOM FORD. A fashion industry executive named Nick Wooster assisted Bosso in becoming well-known.

Bosso currently has a models.com “Money Man” rating. He’s been ranked among their “Top 50 Men” before.

8. Leomie Anderson

A British campaigner, model, and fashion designer, Leomie Jasmin Francis Anderson. From 2015 and 2018, she participated in four consecutive Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows, and in 2019 she was selected as an Angel. The Forbes “30 Under 30” list for the 2020 year includes Anderson in the art & culture section.

The English model has walked in runway shows for Victoria’s Secret, Moschino, Marc Jacobs, and Tom Ford in addition to appearing in Pat McGrath and Fenty advertisements. Writings about fashion, politics, and other themes are published on Leomie Anderson’s blog and clothing business, Project the Purpose, by a variety of authors.

9. Terence Telle

photo by Borie Levy Wikimedia 

On October 15, 1991, Terence Telle, a French actor, and model was born.

In 2012, Terence Telle was noticed by the modeling agency Your Angel, and he subsequently made the decision to join their team by consenting to work with Jean-Yves Zamor. 2013 saw his departure for America. At the agencies Soul Artist Management NYC and Success Models France, he mostly works for a number of men’s fashion labels in New York. He is the face of many international advertising campaigns, mainly for the brands Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and H&M. In the advertising industry, he is highly active.

10. Mounia

With the designer label Givenchy, Mounia received her first substantial modeling opportunity. Mounia’s impeccable elegance and stunning complexion caught the attention of Yves Saint Laurent, who was hunting for his next muse. He saw beauty and camaraderie in her, and he put her at the pinnacle of his artistic aspirations. Saint Laurent was one of the first reputable designers to accept Black models. Mounia’s commitment to diversity was evident in every one of his creations, and the fashion world came together to applaud his genius. When she participated in the Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture show in 1978, she made history as the first Black model to walk the famous couture catwalk.

The well-known model donned Yves Saint Laurent’s masterpieces on more than 20 major magazine covers, and she did so all through the 1970s and 1980s while modeling his stunning works. Mounia paved the way for figures like Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, and other people of color to rule the industry as a Black model in a sporadically exclusive industry.

11. Joan Smalls

Model and actress Joan Smalls Rodriguez is from Puerto Rico. In 2011, she became Estée Lauder Cosmetics’ first Hispanic model. She debuted in 2013 at number eight with earnings of more than $3 million on Forbes magazine’s list of the “World’s Highest-Paid Models.” In January 2014, Smalls made an appearance on American Elle’s “Return of the Supermodel” cover. Smalls, who is currently a member of the New Supers and “Money Girls,” was awarded the best model in the world by Models.com in 2012.

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12. Halima Aden

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Halima Aden, an American fashion model, is originally from Somalia. She created history by becoming the first female competitor in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant to wear a hijab. She finished in the second round. After appearing in the pageant, Halima garnered widespread recognition and was signed to IMG Models. She was the first model to wear a burkini and a headscarf and to pose in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Aden has since performed runway presentations for a number of different fashion houses, including Alberta Ferretti and Maxmara. She also participated in Milan Fashion Week and London Modest Fashion Week in 2016. Aden was featured in images for American Eagle, British Glamour, and the CR Fashion Book cover.

In 2021, she was recognized as one of the BBC’s 100 Women.

13. Paloma Elsesser

Elsesser’s parents, a Swiss and a Chilean father and an African American mother, met while studying abroad in London, England. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, but moved to New York City, New York, in 2010 to enroll at The New School to study literature and psychology.

Elsesser was discovered by makeup artist Pat McGrath via Instagram. Proenza Schouler, Fenty Cosmetics, and Mercedes-Benz are just a few of the companies whose runway shows she has walked.

She has appeared in editorials for several fashion magazines, including Vogue Espaa, American Vogue, Teen Vogue, W, Wonderland Magazine, Glamour, and Elle.

In 2018, Elsesser shared the cover of the April issue of British Vogue with Radhika Nair, Fran Summers, Adut Akech, Faretta, Halima Aden, Yoon Young Bae, Vittoria Ceretti, and Selena Forrest.

Elsesser made her cinematic acting debut in the Safdie brothers’ 2019 feature Uncut Gems. She has appeared on the cover of Vogue’s January 2021 edition.

14. Maria Borges

October 28, 1992, was the birth of model Maria Borges in Angola. In 2010’s Elite Model Look competition in Angola, where she placed second, that’s when she first came to people’s attention.

To Forbes Africa Magazine, she was named the top model of 2013. Maria Borges, an African woman, became the first to do so in 2017, twenty years after Sudanese model Alek Wek did it in the American edition of ELLE in 1997.

In the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Borges took part from 2013 to 2017.

15. Winnie Harlow

photo by Georges Biard Wikimedia 

A well-known spokesperson for the skin condition vitiligo is Canadian fashion model Winnie Harlow. Harlow began her professional career in “America’s Next Top Model” in 2014. Following her removal from the industry, she started working there professionally and made appearances in magazines including Ebony, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan. The model took part in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show again in 2018.

The vitiligo that affects her complexion is another thing for which she is well known. She was honored in 2018 as one of the BBC 100 Women. Harlow then took part in Making the Cut, an Amazon Prime Video series, as a judge.

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16. Emanuela De Paula

In April 25, 1989, marked her birth in Brazil. The face of UK retailer Next for the previous two seasons, she also appeared in the 2009 Pirelli Calendar. In the place of Pernille Holmboe, she has been named the new model for the Swedish clothing brand Gina Tricot.

She developed a modeling interest when she was nine years old and quickly landed a grocery advertisement. At the age of 15, De Paula started visiting modeling agencies. She first visited The Marilyn Agency, and they were able to convince her to sign. Her debut season in New York City began in 2005, leading to runway appearances for designers like Ralph Lauren, Bill Blass, and Zac Posen.

With Prescriptives and the MAC Barbie Collection, De Paula has already landed two cosmetics advertising at the age of 20. As a model, she took part in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2008, 2010, and 2011. According to Forbes, De Paula had a 2009 salary of $2.5 million, making her the ninth highest-paid supermodel. For São Paulo Fashion Week, one of the biggest fashion events in Brazil, she has taken part in runway presentations.

17. Malaika Firth

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On March 23, 1994, Malaika Firth, a British model, was born in Kenya. Firth rose to fame in 2013 after becoming the first black model to work on a Prada advertising campaign in more than 20 years.

At the age of 17, Firth started modeling, and she swiftly internationalized her business. She debuted on the Odilon runway during New York Fashion Week SS2012. Malaika rose to prominence in the fashion industry after taking part in the SS2014 Prada menswear show and making an appearance with Catherine McNeil, Cameron Russell, Christy Turlington, Rachel Williams, Freja Beha Erichsen, and Fei Fei Sun in the Steven Meisel-shot Prada-fall 2013 campaign. She was the first Black model to land a Prada campaign in 19 years as a result of her success.

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18. Sara Nuru

 She was born on August 19, 1989, Nuru is a German fashion model and entrepreneur. Nuru’s parents are immigrants from Amhara ethnicity to Ethiopia. She was raised by a Christian mother and a Muslim father, Hussein, and Mulu.

Having moved to Munich in 1999, Nuru did so with her family. In addition to knowing German, English, and Arabic fluently, she is trilingual, speaking Amharic, the language of Ethiopia, where her parents are from. Fourth-season Germany’s Next Top Model champion, she won the competition.

2009 marked the beginning of Nuru’s modeling career. During London Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, and Berlin Fashion Week, she took part in runway presentations for designers including Escada Lauren, Guido Maria Kretschmer, Gant, Cesar Galindo NY, Custo Barcelona, and Roberto Cavalli.

Since 2012, Nuru has represented Ethiopia in Menschen für Menschen, a charitable organization founded by Karlheinz Böhm. By virtue of her appointment as Special Ambassador for Sustainable Consumption and Production in 2018, Gerd Müller, the Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, received this title. She also works with ONE, a group that advocates for social change.

19. Jourdan Dunn

Photo by Walterlan Papetti Wikimedia

Jourdan Sherise Dunn was born on August 3rd, 1990 in Brent, London, and has ancestry in Jamaica, Syria, Lebanon, and Grenada.

She joined The Squad Management in London in 2006 after being spotted at a Primark store in Hammersmith. At the beginning of 2007, she started strutting down international runways. In February 2008, she made her first appearance as a black model on the Prada catwalk in more than ten years.

The news that Dunn has been selected to represent Maybelline New York was made public in April 2014. Since July 2014, models.com has deemed her an icon. Dunn is recognized as the generation’s supermodel.

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20. Alek Wek

Alek Wek was born on April 16, 1977, and is a South Sudanese-British model and fashion designer. In 1995, at the age of 18, she launched a career in fashion. For altering the way the fashion business sees beauty, she has won accolades.

In 1995, Alek was discovered by a Models 1 scout at a Crystal Palace outdoor market in London. She was in Tina Turner’s “GoldenEye” music video the same year. She began modeling soon after. In addition to becoming a Ford Model, she had a cameo in Janet Jackson’s “Got ‘Til It’s Gone” music video in 1996. MTV named her “Model of the Year” in 1997, and she was the first African model to grace the cover of Elle.

For a number of major fashion labels, Alek has posed. i-D, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Forbes Magazine Africa, South African, French, German, and American Elles are just a few of the publications that have featured her on their covers. In addition, she has had editorial appearances in both American and British Vogue. She made her acting debut as Sudanese princess Aquol in The Four Feathers in 2002. She was depicted by Herb Ritts in a body painting by Joanne Gair that served as the focal point of Gair’s debut retrospective for a 1999 calendar.

In 2013, the UNHCR named her a Goodwill Ambassador. She was honored as one of the BBC’s 100 Women in 2015. Alek Wek was featured on four special edition Brazilian Elle covers in May 2016

In conclusion, By tearing down barriers and challenging accepted ideas of beauty in the fashion industry, these top black models have changed the game. These models have utilized their platforms to promote diversity and inclusivity in the industry. They had a significant impact, and a subsequent generation of models has been affected by their distinctive perspectives and aesthetic choices.

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