30 Most Famous Top Models Of All Time

30 Most Famous Top Models Of All Time

Originally published by Philipp A on June 2023 and Updated by Beatrice J on May 2024

Modeling has been a topic of discussion for millennia since it reflects the shifting cultural values, diversity, and aesthetic standards in society. Inclusion has become more prevalent in the modeling profession over time, shattering conventional beauty standards and embracing variety in terms of ethnicity, body type, and gender identity. Models are now significant cultural forces, influencing society conventions and influencing fashion trends.

Aspiring people look forward to them as role models and are motivated to value their individuality. Additionally, modeling has given significant societal concerns like body positivity, sustainability, and representation a forum for discussion and resolution. Modeling remains a dynamic industry that both reflects and affects the beliefs and goals of each generation as society changes.

The list provided includes 30 highly influential and renowned models who have made significant contributions to the fashion industry. Their careers have spanned different eras, and they have worked with some of the most esteemed brands and designers. Let’s take a closer look at each model’s impact.

1. Twiggy

Twiggy (cropped).jpg Geo993, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

English model, actress, and singer Dame Lesley Lawson was born on 19 September 1949. She is popularly known by the moniker Twiggy. She was a well-known young model in London’s swinging 1960s and a British cultural icon.

Twiggy gained notoriety at first for her petite frame and the androgynous look that was said to be a result of her large eyes, long eyelashes, and short hair. She was chosen as British Woman of the Year and dubbed “The Face of 1966” by the Daily Express. She had appeared on the pages of Vogue and The Tatler by 1967 after modelling in France, Japan, and the US. Her renown has reached every continent.

2. Kate Moss

Kate Moss. jpg. Renan Katayama, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

British model Katherine Ann Moss was born on January 16, 1974. Moss, who debuted around the end of the “supermodel era,” became well-known at the start of the 1990s as a result of the heroin chic fashion movement. She became a fashion star thanks to her work with Calvin Klein. She is well-known for her size-zero modelling role and waifish physique.

In addition to working on musical endeavours and participating as a fashion editor for British Vogue, Moss owns her own clothing line. She ranked second on the Forbes list of highest-paid models in 2012, earning an estimated $9.2 million in a single year. She has won awards for modelling, including the 2013 British Fashion Awards, which recognized her 25-year service to the fashion industry. In 2007, Time named her one of the world’s 100 most important people.

3. Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell Cannes 2018.jpg Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

English model Naomi Elaine Campbell was born on May 22, 1997. When she started her career at age 15, she quickly became one of the most recognizable and in-demand models of the previous forty years. The fashion industry and the international press designated six models from her generation as supermodels, including Campbell.

Campbell has pursued various endeavours in addition to her modelling career, including an R&B studio album and several acting roles in movies and television, including the modelling-competition reality show The Face and its worldwide spinoffs. Campbell also participates in charitable work for a variety of issues.

4. Cindy Crawford

Cindy Crawford 1995.jpg Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cynthia Ann Crawford, an American model, actress, and television personality, was born on February 20, 1966. She was one of the most well-known supermodels in the 1980s and 1990s and was frequently seen on magazine covers, runways, and in advertising for clothing. She later branched out into acting and commercial endeavours.

In the opening sequence of Michael J. Fox’s movie The Secret of My Success 1987, Crawford made an appearance. Three years later, she appeared on the cover of the January 1990 issue of British Vogue alongside famous models Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, and Naomi Campbell. Later that year, Crawford and the other four models made an appearance in the music video for George Michael’s popular song “Freedom ’90”.

5. Gisele Bündchen

Gisele Bündchen. jpg Tiago Chediak, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Brazilian model Gisele Caroline Bündchen was born on July 20, 1980. She has been among the highest-paid models in the world since 2001. In 2007, Bündchen was the 16th richest person in the entertainment sector. In 2012, she topped Forbes’ list of the highest-paid models. She was ranked 89th on Forbes’ list of the most powerful women in the world in 2014.

In 1999, Bündchen was recognized by Vogue for putting a stop to the heroin chic modelling trend. From 1999 to 2006, Bündchen served as a Victoria’s Secret Angel. The horse walk, a stomping motion made by a model lifting her knees high and kicking her feet to stride, is ascribed to her for inventing and popularizing it. Bündchen was said to as the last remaining supermodel by Claudia Schiffer in 2007. She has appeared on more than 1, 200 magazine covers.

6. Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks 2012 Shankbone 5.JPG David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tyra Lynne Banks, popularly known as BanX, is an American television personality, model, producer, writer, and actor who was born on December 4, 1973. She was the first African-American woman to be featured on the covers of GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, each of which she did three times. She was born in Inglewood, California, and started her modelling career at 15. From 1997 through 2005, she served as a Victoria’s Secret Angel. Banks were among the highest-paid models in the world in the early 2000s.

In 1993, Banks had her television acting debut in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In 1995, she made her feature film debut in the drama Higher Learning. She had significant film appearances in 2000, including Eve in the Disney Channel series Life-Size and Zoe in the blockbuster Coyote Ugly. Banks appeared in minor appearances in the horror movie Halloween: Resurrection (2002), the romantic sports drama Love & Basketball (2000), and the television series Gossip Girl (2009) and Glee (2013).

7. Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum 2016.jpg Fashion Passport TV, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Model, TV host, producer, and entrepreneur Heidi Klum is a German and American. She was the first German model to be selected as a Victoria’s Secret Angel and appeared on the cover of the 1998 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

After having a successful modelling career, Klum went on to host and judge the reality competitions Germany’s Next Topmodel and Project Runway. For these roles, she was nominated for an Emmy in 2008 and was awarded the prize in 2013 for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program.

Klum has received six Emmy Award nominations. She has acted in a number of advertisements for McDonald’s, Volkswagen, and other brands as a spokesmodel for Dannon and H&M. On the occasion of Barbie’s 50th birthday in 2009, Klum was named the doll’s official ambassador.

8. Claudia Schiffer

Claudia Schiffer Cannes.jpg Claudia Schiffer Cannes.jpg

Claudia Maria Schiffer, a German model and actress working in the UK, was born on August 25, 1970. She became one of the most successful models in the world throughout the 1990s, earning supermodel status. She was compared to Brigitte Bardot at the beginning of her career.

She holds the title of the model with the most magazine covers, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, having featured on more than 1000 magazine covers. Her net worth was estimated by Forbes to be around $55 million in 2002.

9. Christy Turlington

Ed_Burns_and_Christy_Turlington_Shankbone_by_David_Shankbone.jpg: David Shankbonederivative work: RanZag, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Christy Nicole Turlington Burns, an American model and humanitarian, was born on January 2, 1969. She also represents Maybelline and was the 1989 and 2014 representative for Calvin Klein’s Eternity campaign. In 2013, Turlington was selected as one of Glamour’s Women of the Year, and in 2014, she was listed among the world’s most influential people on the Time 100 list.

Turlington first gained notoriety as a supermodel in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The former creative director of American Vogue, Grace Coddington, has referred to Turlington as “the most beautiful woman in the world.”

10. Linda Evangelista

LindaEvangelista.jpg jusez from Hong Kong, China, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Linda Evangelista, a Canadian fashion model, was born on May 10, 1965. She has appeared on more than 700 magazine covers and is acknowledged as one of the most accomplished and influential models ever. Evangelista is well known for having served as Steven Meisel’s lengthy “muse” and for having said, “We don’t wake up for less than $10,000 a day.”

When Evangelista relocated from her native Canada to New York City and joined Elite Model Management in 1984, her modelling career officially got underway. In 1988, Evangelista had her hair chopped short at the advice of photographer Peter Lindbergh. The “The Linda” haircut not only inspired numerous imitators around the world.

11. Iman

Iman 1996.jpg Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid is a Somali-American model and actress known by her stage as Iman. She was born Zara Mohamed Abdulmajid on July 25, 1955. She is known for her charity endeavours in addition to being a model for designers Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Thierry Mugler, Gianni Versace, and Donna Karan. David Bowie, a rock musician, and she were wed from 1992 until his passing in 2016.

Iman founded her own cosmetics company in 1994 after nearly 20 years as a model, specializing in hard-to-find hues for ladies. She was directly involved with the finished product and served as the company’s public face because of her years of experience creating her own formulations for make-up artists to apply to her.

By 2010, Iman Cosmetics had a $25 million annual revenue. It is one of the best-selling foundation brands on the Walgreens website and focuses on $14.99 foundations in four formulations and 14 hues.

12. Jean Shrimpton

Jean Shrimpton (1965) 2.jpg Nationaal Archief, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Model and actress Jean Rosemary Shrimpton was born in England on November 7, 1942. She was a symbol of swinging London and is regarded as one of the first supermodels in history. Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Glamour, Elle, Ladies Home Journal, Newsweek, and Time were just a few of the magazines in which she was featured.

Shrimpton was ranked among the top 26 models of all time by Harper’s Bazaar in 2009. Time ranked Shrimpton among the top 100 fashion icons of all time in 2012. She co-starred with Paul Jones in the 1967 movie Privilege.

Read On Top 10 Facts About Jean Shrimpton

13. Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss (47541292642) (cropped).jpg Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Karlie Elizabeth Kloss is an American fashion model who was born on August 3, 1992. She was named one of the “Top 30 Models of the 2000s” by Vogue Paris when she was just 17 years old. From 2013 to 2015, Klos worked as a Victoria’s Secret Angel; she left the company to attend New York University. Models.com has stated that Kloss “represents the gold standard of modelling—a girl with the look, the poise, and the drive to take things to the next level” and she is listed on their “New Supers” and “Money Girl” lists. She had been featured on 40 different worldwide Vogue covers by 2019.

In addition to modelling, Kloss has a passion for technology and developed the “Kode with Klossy” camp to inspire young girls to pursue careers in STEM sectors. The reality competition television series Project Runway hired Kloss as its host in 2019. Throughout her career, she has had contracts with a number of prestigious modelling agencies, including Elite Model Management, Next Management, IMG Models, and The Society Management.

14. Natalia Vodianova

Natalia Vodianova Paris Fashion Week Spring Summer 2019.jpg: Myles Kalus Anak Jihemderivative work: Dikson, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Natalia Mikhailovna Vodianova, also known by her stage name Supernova and born on February 28, 1982, is a Russian model, actress, and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations.

She was ranked third on Forbes’ list of the top-earning models in 2012 and is thought to have made $8.6 million in a single year. Vodianova was listed as one of the New Supers in the fashion business by models.com in 2015.

Harper’s Bazaar’s 2010 Inspiration of the Year award went to Vodianova. She received Glamour’s The Voice for Children award and was named Woman of the Year in 2014.

Vodianova has five children. She also serves on the board of directors for Special Olympics International. She was designated a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNFPA’s Department of Sexual and reproductive health in 2021.

Read OnTop 20 Russian Actresses

15. Elle Macpherson

Elle Macpherson. jpg Manfred Werner – Tsui, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Eleanor Nancy Macpherson, an Australian model, businesswoman, television personality, and actor, was born on March 29, 1964. She gained the moniker “The Body” in 1989 thanks to her record-breaking five covers for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue beginning in the 1980s.

She is the creator, lead model, and creative force behind a number of businesses, including the skincare line The Body and the lingerie label Elle Macpherson Intimates. From 2010 until 2013, she served as Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model’s host and executive producer. She served as the show’s host for the first season and is now an executive producer of Fashion Star on NBC.

As an actor, Macpherson played key roles in The Edge (1997) and South Kensington (2001) in addition to minor appearances in Sirens (1994), The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996), and Batman and Robin (1997) as Julie Madison. She hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live and had a recurring role on Friends.

Read On Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Elle Macpherson

16. Doutzen Kroes

Doutzen Kroes Cannes 2013.jpg Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Doutzen Kroes, a Dutch fashion model, was born on January 23, 1985. She started her modelling career in the Netherlands in 2003, and her agency soon brought her to New York where Victoria’s Secret cast her. She served as a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 2008 to 2014, making her, after Karen Mulder, the second Dutch angel for the brand.

Since 2006, she has served as a brand spokesperson for L’Oréal Paris. Since 2008, Kroes has been among the highest-paid models, earning an estimated $5 million annually. She was ranked second among the highest-paid models by Forbes in 2014, earning an estimated $8 million in a single year.

She was referred to as the “Helen of Troy of advertising” by Models.com and listed as one of the “New Supers” in the fashion business as of December 2015. She made history in 2013 when she became the first model to appear in four separate solo foreign September issues of Vogue in a single year

17. Adriana Lima

Adriana Lima 2019 by Glenn Francis.jpg Toglenn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A Brazilian model named Adriana Lima was born on June 12, 1981. From 1999 through 2018, she served as a Victoria’s Secret Angel. She was dubbed “the most valuable Victoria’s Secret Angel” in 2017 and was the longest-running model. She is also well-known for her Super Bowl and Kia Motors ads, as well as for her role as a Maybelline cosmetics spokesmodel since 2003.

Before signing with Elite Model Management in New York City, Lima won Ford’s “Supermodel of Brazil” competition when she was 15 and finished second in Ford’s “Supermodel of the World” competition the following year. Models.com presently lists Lima as one of the “New Supers”.Lima has held the title of the second-highest-paid model in the world since 2014. She was fourth on the Forbes list of the highest-paid models in 2012.

Read On Top 10 Interesting Facts about Adriana Lima

18. Alessandra Ambrosio

Alessandra Ambrosio.jpg Joey Pasion, M.D.Number1spygirl at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Brazilian model Alessandra Corine Ambrósio was born on April 11, 1981. She is well recognized for her work with Victoria’s Secret, where she served as the brand’s first PINK spokesmodel. She posed for designers like Christian Dior, Armani, Ralph Lauren, and Next in addition to serving as a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 2004 to 2017.

On Forbes’ list of the highest-paid models, Ambrosio came in at number five with an estimated yearly income of $6.6 million.[6] She is frequently named one of the sexiest women in the world by the mainstream media. She was selected as “Angel” in People magazine’s annual list of the “100 Most Beautiful People in the World” in May 2007. Ambrosio is regarded as one of the fashion world’s icons.

19. Miranda Kerr

Miranda Kerr (6880802517).jpg Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Model and entrepreneur Miranda May Kerr was born in Australia on April 20, 1983. In 2007, Kerr gained notoriety as a Victoria’s Secret Angel. In addition to representing the Australian department store company David Jones, Kerr was the first Australian Victoria’s Secret model. In addition to publishing a self-help book, Kerr has established her own line of organic skincare products under the name KORA Organics.

When she was 13 years old, Kerr started modelling for the fashion world after winning the 1997 Dolly magazine model search. Kerr has maintained a regular position in the Forbes list of highest-paid models since 2008. Kerr had her first child with English actor Orlando Bloom, with whom she had previously been married. She has been married to Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel since 2017 and they have two children together.

20. Gemma Ward

Gemma Ward.jpg Photo by Jesse Gross, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Australian actress and model Gemma Louise Ward. Ward, who was born in Perth, Western Australia, debuted at Australian Fashion Week at the age of 15, having already been noticed at the age of 14. She subsequently made history by becoming the youngest model to appear on the American Vogue cover and went on to do the same for Teen Vogue and Time. She would eventually be named one of the top 30 models of the 2000s by Vogue Paris. Ward is regarded as a supermodel by many.

The Black Balloon, an Australian movie from 2008, was Ward’s first significant acting role. Since then, she has also made appearances in The Strangers and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

21.Christie Brinkley

The 1980s saw Christie Brinkley‘s ascent to stardom be nothing short of spectacular. Numerous magazine covers featured her charming grin and golden hair, including a record-breaking three for Sports Illustrated’s highly sought-after swimsuit issue.

Christie was not only attractive, but she was also a shrewd businesswoman. She proved she was more than just a gorgeous face when she used her image to start a profitable skincare company.

Because of her charisma and attractiveness, Christie became well-known on television and a sought-after spokeswoman outside of the modelling industry. Christie’s continued popularity have allowed her to be influential in the fashion and modeling industry. 

22.Lauren Hutton

In the 1970s, Lauren Hutton defied accepted ideas of beauty. Her unmistakable cool and gap-toothed smile subverted the industry’s fixation on perfect features. Her ageless beauty constantly captures the attention of viewers.

She resisted the urge to adhere to strict beauty standards by embracing a more worn-in appearance. Because of her genuineness, she became well-known and a muse for photographers such as Helmut Newton. Lauren’s career went beyond the catwalk, as she was cast in films and became a true fashion star.

23.Brooke Shields

The tale of Brooke Shields is one of incredible metamorphosis. A charmingly innocent child star, she made a seamless transition to modelling and rose to fame as a teenager.

She became a household name thanks to her contentious Calvin Klein Jeans campaign, which sparked discussions about sexuality and the exploitation of young models.

Unfazed, Brooke negotiated the challenges of celebrity and made use of her position to promote body positivity and women’s emancipation. She still performs, models, and writes, encouraging young ladies to embrace their uniqueness and defy social norms.

24.Carla Bruni

Carla Bruni‘s life is an intriguing mosaic of politics, music, and modelling entwined together. Carla was a well-known model before taking the world by storm as the First Lady of France, earning praise for her seductive appearance and sophisticated demeanor.

Her rise to prominence in the 1980s matched the fashion industry’s transition to a more refined and adult aesthetic. Top designers loved Carla because she had a timeless elegance and a compelling air of mystery.

Carla followed her love for music after leaving the modelling industry, putting out popular CDs that highlighted her soulful voice and songwriting abilities. She entered politics in 2008 after being married to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and she utilised her position to promote humanitarian causes.

25.Beverly Johnson

The tale of Beverly Johnson is one of bravery and tenacity. She broke through the racial stereotypes that pervaded the fashion business in 1974 when she became the first Black woman to appear on the cover of American Vogue.

Beverly had some challenges in her career despite her obvious brilliance and beauty. She persisted without giving up, going on to become an inspiration for upcoming generations of models of colour.

Her support of diversity is still strong today, encouraging the fashion industry to adopt a more accepting definition of beauty. Beverly is a trailblazer who helped create a fairer industry, thus her influence goes well beyond the catwalk.

26.Alek Wek

When Alek Wek first entered the modelling world in the 1990s, it signalled a radical change in the fashion business towards more diversity. The long-dominant Eurocentric standards were put to the test by her presence.

Alek had a captivating personality that enthralled spectators with her remarkable features and distinct charm. She changed the definition of beauty and demonstrated that it can exist in people of diverse ages, physiques, and ethnicities.

Alek’s popularity opened the door for a new generation of models that questioned conventional notions of beauty and portrayed the world at large.

27.Lara Stone

Lara Stone gained notoriety in the early 2000s by introducing a novel and daring style to the fashion industry. She distinguished herself from the traditional model mould with her distinctive sharp features and androgynous appearance.

Because of her adaptability, she became a favorite among famous designers, who valued her ability to realize their imaginative ideas. Lara owned the runway with an unmistakable presence, commanding attention with her ferocious movement and unflinching self-confidence.

28.Natasha Poly

Natasha Poly is the epitome of contemporary luxury style. Her penetrating gaze, high cheekbones, and statuesque form have adorned many runways and advertising campaigns for the most famous brands in the business.

Natasha has cemented her status as a favorite among designers and photographers with her distinctive ferocious walk and ability to command attention on the catwalk. Natasha’s career is proof of the fashion industry’s constant change and her steadfast ability to command attention

29.Jerry Hall

Jerry Hall ruled the modelling world in the 1970s and 80s, enthralling viewers with her voluptuous physique and trademark pout. She was the epitome of beauty, a great match for the disco-inspired clothing of the time thanks to her long legs and flowing blonde hair.

Jerry had an aura of mystery and a theatrical attitude that contributed to her public reputation despite her obvious attractiveness. Her prominent liaison with the legendary rocker Mick Jagger strengthened her position as a fashion star and tabloid mainstay. Jerry’s impact on pop culture was not limited to the runway; she also starred in movies and music videos.

30.Janice Dickinson

Many people claim that Janice Dickinson was the first supermodel in history. Her bold demeanour, unwavering resolve, and astute business skills paved the way for the model-as-celebrity phenomena that would rule the company for decades to come.

Janice didn’t hesitate to question the current quo and pushed for improved model compensation and working conditions. 

These models have made significant contributions to the fashion industry and have left a lasting impact on the world of modelling. Their careers have spanned various decades and they have worked with some of the most prestigious brands and designers in the industry.

Read On 15 Highest Paid Top Models In The World