Black women have changed what a fashion model looks like, often breaking barriers decades apart. From Beverly Johnson’s 1974 Vogue cover to today’s runway stars, these women opened doors for those who followed.
Here are 12 Black female models who shaped fashion, from pioneers to the faces leading it now.
1. Naomi Sims
Naomi Sims is often called the first Black supermodel.
SaveShe covered Ladies’ Home Journal in 1968 and Life in 1969, then built a successful wig business in the 1970s. She died in 2009.
2. Beverly Johnson
Buffalo-born Beverly Johnson made history in 1974.
SaveShe became the first Black model on the cover of American Vogue in August 1974, and later the first Black woman alone on the cover of Elle. She has spoken out about diversity in fashion for decades.
3. Grace Jones
Jamaican-born Grace Jones is a model, singer and actress whose androgynous style still influences fashion.
SaveShe modeled in Paris for Yves Saint Laurent and Kenzo, released landmark albums like Nightclubbing and played May Day in the Bond film A View to a Kill (1985).
4. Naomi Campbell
London-born Naomi Campbell is one of the original 1990s supermodels.
SaveShe appeared in Bob Marley’s “Is This Love” video as a child, and in 1988 she became the first Black model on the cover of French Vogue. In 2024 London’s V&A museum held the exhibition “Naomi: In Fashion.”
5. Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks started modeling at 15 and became one of the most famous models of the 1990s.
SaveShe was the first Black woman on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, the first African American woman on the cover of GQ and the creator of America’s Next Top Model.
6. Joan Smalls
Puerto Rican model Joan Smalls became a top model in the 2010s.
SaveIn 2011 she became the first Latina face of Estée Lauder. She has walked the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show many times and supports refugee charities.
7. Maria Borges
Angolan model Maria Borges, from Luanda, made a quiet but powerful statement in 2015.
SaveShe became the first model to walk the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show with her natural hair, and in 2017 she was the first African woman on the cover of American Elle.
8. Leomie Anderson
London model Leomie Anderson is a model, entrepreneur and TV host.
SaveShe became a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2019, the first Black British Angel, founded the activewear brand LAPP The Brand and hosts the BBC’s Glow Up.
9. Halima Aden
Halima Aden, born in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, broke new ground for modest fashion.
SaveIn 2017 she became the first hijab-wearing model signed to a major agency, IMG, and covered British Vogue. In 2019 she was the first model to wear a hijab and burkini in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. She stepped away from runway modeling in 2020.
10. Paloma Elsesser
Paloma Elsesser is one of the most in-demand models working today.
SaveShe covered US Vogue in January 2021 and was named Model of the Year at the 2023 Fashion Awards, the first plus-size model to win. See more famous plus-size models.
11. Adut Akech
South Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech is one of the defining runway faces of her generation.
SaveShe was named Model of the Year at the 2019 British Fashion Awards and has covered British Vogue several times.
12. Anok Yai
American model Anok Yai, born in Cairo to Sudanese parents, became famous after a viral photo.
SaveIn 2018 she became only the second Black model, after Naomi Campbell, to open a Prada show, and she was named the British Fashion Council’s Model of the Year in 2025.
FAQs
Who was the first Black model on the cover of Vogue?
Beverly Johnson was the first Black model on the cover of American Vogue, in August 1974. In Britain, Donyale Luna covered British Vogue in 1966.
Who is the most famous Black supermodel?
Naomi Campbell is the most famous, as one of the original 1990s supermodels.
Final Thoughts
These women changed fashion’s idea of beauty, one cover and runway at a time. Meet more trailblazers in our list of Black male models.
