17 Famous Black Models Who Rewrote the Rules of Fashion

It's hard to believe now, but for a long time the biggest magazine covers and runways in fashion were almost completely closed to Black models. The women on this list didn't just book jobs. They kicked doors open, one cover and one campaign at a time.

Some of them made history in the 1960s and 70s, when a single magazine cover could make headlines. Others ruled the supermodel era of the 90s, and a new generation is now opening Prada shows and landing Vogue covers like it's routine.

Here are 17 famous Black models who changed fashion, from the trailblazers to the stars running the runways today.

The Trailblazers

Donyale Luna

Donyale Luna was the first Black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue, back in March 1966. Tall, striking and completely unlike anyone else in fashion at the time, she worked with photographers like Richard Avedon and became a muse in the art and film world too.

Naomi Sims

Naomi Sims is often called the first Black supermodel. In 1968 she landed the cover of Ladies' Home Journal, and a year later she was on the cover of Life. She later built her own business empire with a line of wigs and beauty products for Black women.

Beverly Johnson

In August 1974, Beverly Johnson became the first Black model on the cover of American Vogue. That one cover changed the industry overnight, and she went on to appear on hundreds of magazine covers during her career.

Pat Cleveland

If you've ever seen footage of Pat Cleveland on a runway, you get it. She didn't walk, she danced. She was one of the stars of the famous 1973 Battle of Versailles fashion show, and designers from Halston to Yves Saint Laurent adored her.

Iman

Somali-born Iman was discovered in Nairobi and quickly became a favorite of Yves Saint Laurent, who reportedly called her his dream woman. In 1994 she launched IMAN Cosmetics, made specifically for women of color, years before inclusive beauty was a buzzword. She was also married to David Bowie until his death in 2016.

The Supermodel Era

Naomi Campbell

You can't talk about Black supermodels without Naomi. She was discovered as a teenager in London, became the first Black model on the cover of French Vogue in 1988, and was one of the original "Big Five" supermodels alongside Cindy, Linda, Christy and Claudia. Her runway walk is still the gold standard, and she's still booking shows decades later. If you love that era, our look back at 90s fashion trends shows just how much Naomi and her crew shaped the decade. She's also one of the original icons on our supermodels list.

Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks became the first Black woman to land a solo Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover in 1997 and was a longtime Victoria's Secret Angel. Then she created America's Next Top Model, which launched a whole new wave of models and gave us the word "smize."

Veronica Webb

In 1992, Veronica Webb signed with Revlon and became the first Black model to land a major cosmetics contract. She was a regular on the 90s runways for Azzedine Alaïa and Isaac Mizrahi, and she later moved into acting, writing and TV.

Alek Wek

Alek Wek fled the civil war in Sudan, in what is now South Sudan, as a child, and was scouted at an outdoor market in London. Her dark skin and short natural hair challenged every beauty standard of the late 90s, and in 1997 she became the first African model on the cover of Elle. She's opened doors for countless dark skin models who came after her.

Liya Kebede

Ethiopian model Liya Kebede became the first Black face of Estée Lauder in 2003. Away from the runway, she founded lemlem, a clothing brand that works with traditional weavers in Ethiopia, and has been a strong advocate for maternal health.

Today's Top Black Models

Joan Smalls

Puerto Rican model Joan Smalls became the first Latina face of Estée Lauder in 2011 and spent years near the top of the industry rankings. She's walked for basically every major house, from Givenchy to Chanel, and has been a vocal advocate for diversity behind the scenes.

Jourdan Dunn

British model Jourdan Dunn was discovered in a London Primark as a teenager. In 2008 she became the first Black model in more than a decade to walk for Prada, and in 2015 she landed a solo British Vogue cover, the first for a Black model in 12 years.

Adut Akech

Born in what is now South Sudan and raised in Australia, Adut Akech went from a local show in Melbourne to the Saint Laurent runway in Paris. She's since fronted campaigns for Valentino, starred alongside Naomi Campbell in Beyoncé's Black Is King, and covered British Vogue. Naomi has even called Adut one of "her girls."

Anok Yai

Anok Yai's story sounds made up, but it's true. A photo of her at a Howard University homecoming went viral in 2017, and within months she was signed. In 2018 she became the second Black model ever, after Naomi Campbell, to open a Prada show. She was named Model of the Year by models.com in 2023, and TIME put her on its 100 most influential people list in 2026.

Winnie Harlow

Canadian model Winnie Harlow first got noticed on America's Next Top Model, and she's been changing what a model looks like ever since. She has vitiligo, and instead of hiding it, she made it part of her signature. She's walked for Victoria's Secret and landed campaigns for brands like Desigual and Puma.

Precious Lee

Precious Lee made history in 2016 as the first Black curve model featured in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. Since then she's walked for Versace, Moschino and Fendi, and she's one of the most in-demand curve models in the world.

Duckie Thot

Australian model Duckie Thot, who has South Sudanese roots, first became known on Australia's Next Top Model. She later starred in Fenty Beauty campaigns and became a L'Oréal Paris ambassador, often talking openly about how few products once existed for dark skin.

Final Thoughts

From Donyale Luna's 1966 Vogue cover to Anok Yai opening Prada, these Black models didn't wait for the fashion world to make room for them. They made it themselves, and the industry is better for it.

Want to see the old guard and the new generation side by side? Naomi Campbell, Adut Akech, Anok Yai and Imaan Hammam all starred in the FENDACE Pre-Fall 2022 campaign from Fendi and Versace.