Black Female Models have been a hot trend since the dawn of the new era, which have instilled colorful personalities in the beauty and fashion industry. It’s all thanks to lifestyle publications like Ébène magazine launched in 1945 with the aim of bridging the gap between fashion’s racial divides. Two years after the passage of the Civil Rights Acts, Donyale Luna became the first black model to appear on the cover of the British edition of Vogue, in May 1966.
Decades later, the industry is booming with black models looking incredibly beautiful, from the early 1960s to the present. That’s why innovative models like Luna, Pat Cleveland, Grace Jones and Iman are legends on the scene. a designer’s muse to a magazine cover and elite catwalks.
The list of incredibly beautiful looking black female models includes African American models and models from the Caribbean as well as African descendants.
10 Black Female Models With Incredibly Beautiful Looks
10. Joann Smalls
Place of birth: Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Ethnicity: Puerto Rican
Joan Smalls-Rodriguez is one of the black female role models we cannot afford to omit from this list, as she has won and brought her fair share in the rigorously competitive industry.
Besides her 8th place on the Forbes World’s Highest-Paid Models list of 2013, with an estimated net worth of $3.5 million, Smalls became the number 1 model in the world in 2012 and is currently one of the most prominent faces in the fashion industry. She has also been a Victoria’s Secret Model since 2010 and participated in their shows in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
The first Latina model to represent EstéeLauder cosmetics in 2011, Smalls has diversified her potential beyond modeling. She has featured in music videos for big stars like Beyoncé, as well as movies; she also appears as a guest judge on TV shows like the ninth season of RuPaul’s Drag Racing reality competition. She is currently a designer for the lingerie and swimwear line.
9. Chanel Iman
Place of birth: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Ethnicity: Korean/African American
Chanel Iman Robinson Shepard is a model and a Victoria’s Secret Angel. Her beauty and curvy prowess made her one of Vogue Paris’ Top 30 Models of the 2000s. Iman’s modeling career started at the age of 12 until she became a Supermodel. Iman has scoured the pages of magazines and paraded for several major fashion brands such as Gucci, Burberry, Tom Ford, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Oscar de la Renta, Dior, Hugo Boss, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, etc.
Iman is also a businesswoman who owns a clothing boutique called The Red Bag in Culver City, California. She is the wife of American football star Sterling Shepard and his mother. daughter, Cali Clay Shepard.
8. Anais Mali
Place of birth: Toulon, France
Nationality: French
Ethnicity: Polish/Chadian
Anais Mokngar Mali is one of the black models making waves in the fashion industry, appearing on the front pages of magazines and walking the catwalks.
There’s no doubt that her beauty is perfectly accentuated and she’s absolutely not afraid to show off the curves on camera.
7. Jourdan Dunn
Born: August 3, 1990
Place of birth: Greenford, UK
Nationality: British
Ethnicity: Jamaican/Grenadian/Syrian
Jourdan Dunn debuted as a runway model at 16 in 2007 and quickly rose to prominence. Judging by her beauty, you’ll agree that she’s qualified to be on our list of black female models with stunningly beautiful looks.
Dunn’s hard work in the industry has earned her several accolades, including four British Fashion Awards (2008, 2012 and 2015); Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year (2013); Glamorous Women of the Year (2015, 2017); Elle Style Award (2016); Placed first on the Top 50 Models list for seven consecutive years. She appeared in music videos for XO and Yoncé alongside fellow models, Chanel Iman and Joan Smalls.
6. Gracie Carvalho
Born: July 23, 1990
Place of birth: Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Nationality: Brazilian
Ethnicity: Multiracial
Gracie Carvalho started her modeling career in 2007 at the age of 18 in Sao Paulo. In 2010, she went from apocalypse at local competitions to working with Victoria’s Secret.
During June Fashion Week in Rio, Carvalho was the most in-demand model, walking 35 of the 39 shows. She has appeared on the cover of L’Officiel and editorials in Elle and Vogue and so far has walked for several designers such as Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Karl Lagerfeld, Vivienne Westwood and Vera Wang.
She has signed with modeling agencies including Pourquoi pas model in Milan; WAY Model Management ; Agence Marilyn in Paris and New York; Select Model Management. DNA model management.
5. Jasmine takes
Born: February 1, 1991
Place of birth: Huntington Beach, California, USA.
Nationality: American
Ethnicity: African, Central American and British
Jasmine Tookes enjoyed sports like volleyball, softball and gymnastics while growing up in Huntington Beach, California, before becoming a model when she was around 15 years old. Daughter of a fashion designer, she was spotted during the appointment at her mother’s house.
Tookes debuted at number 17 on Forbes’ list of World’s Highest-Paid Models of 2016 with an estimated earnings of $4 million. She also became a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2016 and was chosen to wear the brand’s $3 million Fantasy Bra fashion show, making her the third black model to wear the bra. . She has appeared in several ad campaigns, editorials and runway shows.
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4. Emanuela de Paula
Born: April 25, 1989
Place of birth: Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Pernambuco, Brazil
Nationality: Brazilian
Ethnicity: African, Dutch and Native American
Emanuela de Paula was ranked among the highest paid model of 2009 by Forbes, with an earning capacity of $2.5 million. She is one of the black female role models whose beauty is extremely captivating and continues to drive the industry. She started at the age of nine and by the age of fifteen de Paul was already signing with modeling agencies and makeup campaigns.
The Brazilian started walking around at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and appeared in 2008, 2010 and 2011.
3. Selita Ebanks
Born: February 17, 1983
Place of birth: George Town, Cayman Islands
Nationality: British, Caymanian
Ethnicity: Jamaican/Caymanian
Selita Ebanks pursued a modeling career after she was scouted by an Elite Model Management agent at the age of 17 in New Jersey. She first modeled Victoria’s Secrets Ipex bra line before signing it as an angel.
Ebanks was ranked twelfth on the list of the highest-paid model of 2008 with an estimated earning of $2.7 million. In 2007, she wore the $4.5 million Holiday Fantasy bra set in Victoria’s Secret “Christmas Dreams and Fantasies 2007” catalog. The bra is made of diamonds, emeralds, rubies and yellow sapphires.
The model has since covered the cover of magazines such as Maxime, Russian FHM and British GQ and appeared in editorials for V, Italian and German Elle and Sports Illustrated ‘s 2007 Swimsuit Issue.
Apart from modeling, Selita has featured in music videos including that of Kanye West; television shows and has her own line of swimwear, accessories and shoes which she called Sass. Ebanks was engaged to Mariah Carey’s ex-husband Nick Cannon
2. Gelila Bekele
Born: September 4, 1986
Place of birth: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Nationality: Ethiopian, American
Ethnicity: Ethiopian
Gelila Bekele is among the black female models who rose through the ladder of success through modeling for top global brands such as Levi’s, Tory Burch, L’Oreal, Pantene, H&M, Michael Kors, etc.
Beyond modeling, Bekele has an interest in filmmaking and bragged about the film Mai: Life Is Not Sweetheart. She is the author of a book and the mother of a son named Aman Tyler Perry, whom she had with her partner Tyler Perry, the famous producer, actor, director and songwriter.
The Ethiopian beauty is engaged in several humanitarian projects that help people in developing countries and is considered a role model for indigenous Ethiopians.
1. Liya Kebede
Born: March 1, 1978
Place of birth: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Nationality: Ethiopian
Ethnicity:
The Ethiopian-born supermodel has been named one of the world’s five most influential women changing the world, according to Forbes, for her work in maternal health. Liya Kebede is one of the black models whose captivating beauty rocks the fashion industry. She was ranked eleventh on the list of the top 15 models in the world in 2007 with an earning strength of $2.5 million.
Before her launch into fame, Liya Kebede was studying in her home country when a director discovered her and introduced her to a French modeling agent. From that point on, Kebede enjoyed tremendous success with great achievements in the industry.
She landed her big break when American fashion designer, Tom Ford, signed her to an exclusive contract for his Gucci Fall/Winter 2000 show.
Two years later, an entire issue of Paris Vogue was dedicated to him. She also became the only Ethiopian to hold the position of Estée Lauder Cosmetics representative in its 57-year existence, in a deal worth $3 million.
The mother-of-two isn’t just a top model, she’s also a businesswoman with her own clothing line; WHO ambassador and philanthropist through her Liya Kebede Foundation.