They say that beauty is subjective but you wouldn’t think so looking at famous supermodels. They all tend to share the same features, slim figures, flawless skin, high cheekbones, tall stature, long legs, and so on. Although there is growing diversity in terms of race representation, these models tend to represent the same strict beauty standard. However, certain models defy the rules. These trendsetters don’t hide the “undesirable” traits that sets them apart; they embrace them and rock them.
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Winnie Harlow
Canadian Winnie Harlow has become one of the most famous and unique models. She’s graced the cover of Harper’s Bazaar, and appeared on America’s Next Top Model and in Beyoncé’s visual album Lemonade. She also completed a lifelong dream to walk the runway for Victoria’s Secret.
Harlow also advocates for all kinds of beauty in the fashion industry. “Why is there a stigma around being different when we’re all different?” she said in an interview with Vogue. “Representation is so important, and I want to [stand for] all women. Every single woman.”
Ashley Graham
Graham started her modeling career at age 12 and she became one of the most famous and affluent plus-sized models in the industry. She is particularly well known for being the first size 16 model to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. She was also the first plus-sized model to appear in Vogue in 2017. So it’s no surprise that she is a strong voice in the body positivity movement, where she encourages self-love no matter one’s size.
Daphne Selfe
With beauty standard that favors the young, Selfe proves that beauty has no age. The now 96-year-old returned to modeling in 2015 when she signed with OPSM. She hadn’t modeled since she was in her 20s, back in the 1950s.
She famously refused to undergo any cosmetic procedures. “…It is something that just has never occurred to me. I’ve never wanted to put poison in my face or body,” she said in an interview with Vogue.”I’m going to age like everyone naturally does so I might as well get on with it rather than try to prevent the inevitable. I’m too busy enjoying life and having my next adventure.”
Kate Grant
At age 19, Kate Grant became the first model with Down’s syndrome to walk the runway at Belfast Fashion Week. She also modeled for Benefit, walked twice at London Fashion Week, spoke with the UN, and got honored by the late queen according to BBC, among other accomplishments. She advocates for representation for people with special needs.
Marsha Elle
Elle redefines beauty standards as she struts the catwalk with a prosthetic leg. This gorgeous model was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency, a rare defect that causes malformation in the femur bone in the upper leg. While some people may feel ashamed of this sort of disability, Elle wears it proudly and advocates for bionic representation. She also works as a singer and songwriter.
Katie Piper
In 2008, Piper’s then-boyfriend orchestrated an acid attack on her, leading to severe burns, the loss of one ear, and blindness in one eye. Fortunately, her sight was restored, according to the BBC. Since then, she has become a body positivity activist and started a charity that supports people who suffer from scarring and burns. Though the beauty standard tends to criminalize scars, Piper’s make her stunning. She also works to campaign for better legislation to protect victims of acid attacks.
Shaun Ross
Shaun Ross has a rare genetic condition called oculocutaneous albinism, which affects the body’s pigmentation. This affects the color of the hair, skin, and eyes. The African-American struggled with his self-perception growing up but today he’s the first man with albinism to become an international male fashion model.
Jillian Mercado
Being wheelchair-bound, Mercado doesn’t strut down the runway but she owns every moment she’s on it. The FIT-educated and IMG model has muscular dystrophy, which is a hereditary condition that causes bone weakening and deterioration. She’s modeled for Target and Diesel among other brands, and she also works on photo shoots and writes for magazines.
“I never actually thought I would have a full-blown modeling career,” she wrote in Today. “It wasn’t until I saw an online open call Diesel was having that I bit the bullet and gave it a shot. The rest, as they say, is history.”
Lauren Wasser
Wasser lost both her legs due to complications from Toxic Shock Syndrome. The now-36-year-old model spreads awareness of the dangers of using tampons, as she was following the proper instructions when the infection nearly took her life. She now walks the catwalk on golden prosthetics.
When Refinery29 asked her opinion about inclusivity in the fashion industry, Wasser said, “Ten years ago, had this happened, I wouldn’t have been accepted. There’s no way. I think the timing is everything. Changes are coming. We’re not there yet, but I think it’s definitely moving in a direction that it’s never been in before…”
Andreja Pejić
Pejić is one of the most recognizable transgender models after coming out in 2013. Starting at age 17 as a genderfluid model, Pejić has since graced the covers of Harper’s Bazaar, Fashion, Elle, L’Officiel, GQ, and Marie Claire. The acclaimed model also works as an actor, best known for The Girl in the Spider’s Web (2018), Habit (2021) and The Other Me (2022).
Rain Dove
Rain Dove’s sharp features and androgynous appearance has cast her in both male and female shows. Although she sometimes feels like she’s used as token representation, Dove accepts it. “It’s my goal to make sure that it’s wildly successful that they have me in their show,” she says to Teen Vogue. Dove hopes her acclaim can help open doors for other non-gender-conforming people in the industry.
Halima Aden
The Somalian-American model became the first to wear a hijab on the New York City catwalks at Kanye West’s Fall 2017 Yeezy show. Having grown up in Kenya, Aden moved to the U.S. when she was 7 years old, according to Marie Claire. She is dedicated to advocating for Muslim representation when it comes to fashion and beauty standards. During the 2020 pandemic, she contributed to the creation of turbans and hijabs that are compatible with face masks.