Fashion models have always been an integral part of celebrating fashion for generations. They have been the kingpin of fashion trends. But it took decades of dedication for the models to achieve the title with respect and admiration. Thanks to the supermodels of the 80s and 90s, we see models as role models rather than just runway angels. As a result, the title ‘top fashion models’ earned more significance than it used to several decades back because of their hard work.

But that era is over now, and the term supermodel is hotly debated. As in the age of social media, the fashion model’s role is blurring with that of “influencers”. However, for the top fashion models in the industry, there’s no doubt that they influence both the industry and the people outside it.

Their roles have changed from being a runway model to becoming fashion’s representation of an era. They collaborate with designers, promote businesses, and influence the global audience. These top models have become influential individuals whose voice matters as much as their beauty. And these several aspects of their career have made them leaders and even multi-millionaires.

Finally, after considering all these factors, we at Shilpa Ahuja have collected all data on the top 50 fashion models in the industry. We then analyzed their work profile and ranked them according to their accomplishments in the fields of:

• Major runway shows
• Modeling experience
• Magazine covers
• Brand campaigns
• Brand associations
• Awards and recognitions
• Online popularity and followers
• Appearances in music videos or movies

… and many more. With all this data, we are thrilled to publish the rankings of the 50 top fashion models in the world.

15 Most Successful Fashion Models in the World

1. Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner is as popular as a supermodel as she has been a TV personality for years on the famous reality show, Keeping up with Kardashians. She landed her first runway casting for Marc Jacobs in 2014. And since then, she has collaborated with big names such as Estée Lauder, Calvin Klein, Valentino, and many more as a muse and ambassador.

Kendall has been on the covers of both national and international magazines including Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. Since 2018, she has consistently been on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid supermodels. She has bagged iconic awards for modeling by models.com, Glamour, and Daily Front Row. Kendall is also the most followed model in social media platforms and has over 100 million followers on Instagram alone.

Also read: Kendall Jenner Street Style

2. Gigi Hadid

The It-girl in fashion, Gigi broke the record in 2018 for appearing in 35+ international Vogue covers. She is one of the top fashion models and influencers for the current generation. In addition to runway appearances, Gigi has also been part of chartbuster music videos and commercial ads.

Gigi modeled for Baby Guess at the age of 2. But it was in 2014 that her career kick-started on the runway for NYFW. Some of her biggest projects were high-profile ad campaigns, run-after brand associations, as well as starring in the Pirelli calendar. Furthermore, in 2016 Gigi won the ‘International Model of the Year’ by British Fashion Council, and ‘Model of the Year’ by models.com.

Also read: Gigi Hadid’s ‘Black Face’ Vogue Cover Reminds Me Why I Love My Job

3. Bella Hadid

Bella Hadid is known to be one of the most coveted fashion models in the world. Business of Fashion called her a “sphinx-like beauty”. Bella has become the face of many big brands since her debut. Some of them are Dior Beauty, TAG Heuer, Burberry, and tech giant Samsung. Later on, in 2017 she broke the record for most Vogue September covers in one year.

Bella Hadid has created a strong social media presence through her 33 million followers on Instagram. Her runway presence took up a notch when she walked along with the modeling pioneer’s Caroline Murphy and Karen Elson for Versace. In 2018, Bella was featured in Forbes as one of the highest-paid models in the world (ranked 9th). She has also been awarded ‘Model of the Year’ in 2016 by models.com and GQ.

4. Cara Delevingne

“The Charlie Chaplin of the fashion industry,” as rightly said by Karl Lagerfeld, Cara Delevingne is one of the top fashion models in the fashion industry. Cara had her debut in Burberry Autumn/Winter 2011 show. Since then, Cara became the most recognizable billboard girl for numerous fashion brands. She has opened and closed every sought after runways hand-in-hand with industry titans like Karl Lagerfeld, Christopher Bailey, and Olivier Rousteing.

Apart from adorning several international magazine covers, Cara has walked in prestigious shows for designers and brands. Her 44 million Instagram family loves her for her hippie-dippie personality and true-to-her-nature attitude, which distinguishes her from other top models. She has currently earned the status of a Hollywood star with ground-breaking movie roles in Suicide Squad, Anna Karenina, and Her Smell.

Also read: Best Summer Looks of Cara Delevingne Ever | Street Style and Evening Wear

5. Chrissy Teigen

Multi-talented people’s star, Chrissy Teigen is a distinguished model, TV personality, renowned chef, and a successful entrepreneur. The Twitter star and Instagram favorite, Chrissy is mostly known for being a 2 time Sports Illustrated cover model as well as for her best-selling cooking books, Cravings. She has also covered the front pages of iconic magazines like Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, etc.

Post debut, Chrissy became an obvious choice for a bunch of brand campaigns. Some of them include Gillette Venus, Nike, and Olay. Besides modeling, she began hosting TV shows and made movie appearances. This garnered her millions of fans and followers over the world. Chrissy has made a niche for herself in the culinary space. She launched her cookware product line in association with Target in 2018.

6. Natalia Vodianova

Russian philanthropist, entrepreneur, and most-in-demand model in the fashion industry, Natalia Vodianova has thrived as one of the top fashion models over the years. She has worked with Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, L’Oréal, and many other iconic brands. In 2004, she starred in American Vogue for the first time as the ‘Model of the Moment’. Similarly, she graced 10+ British Vogue covers and consequently became a popular face on front pages. Moreover, Natalia has bagged countless awards for both her work in fashion and charities.

7. Ashley Graham

Ashley Graham isn’t just one of the top fashion models in the world. She is also an advocate for body image insecurities. She was the first plus-size model to star in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition in 2016. Since then, she has collaborated with brands like Addition Elle and Swimsuits for All, promoting plus size swimsuits and clothes on runways. She has been featured in countless fashion and non-fashion magazine covers as an influencer and curvy model.

8. Emily Ratajkowski

Popularly known for her appearances in music videos with hit music artists, Emily Ratajkowski became an instant sensation for her looks and body. She is also popular for her daring photoshoots in CR Fashion Book, Sports Illustrated, and other fashion magazines. She has had innumerable brand associations in the fashion industry. Furthermore, she also has her own swimwear brand Inamorata and has also been featured in Forbes ’30 Under 30′ lists.

9. Hailey Baldwin Bieber

Hailey Baldwin Bieber has popularly done ample commercial shoots and campaigns. With Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Levi’s denim, and more. In addition to gracing every popular fashion red carpets, events, and runways, she also topped the ‘World’s Sexiest Women’ list by Maxim in 2017. Hailey has been featured in several music videos both pre and post-wedding. In 2018, she collaborated as the creative voice and style creator for Adidas and was also in the news for marrying Justin Bieber.

10. Adriana Lima

This Victoria’s Secret model has received the title of “the greatest Angel of all time” by Victoria Secret. She has been the face of numerous international brands both inside and outside the fashion realm. Some of her famous brand associations are with BMW, Puma, Chopard, KIA motors, etc. She has not only been featured in the Forbes ‘Top 100 Celebrities’ list but also for top-earning supermodels in the world since 2013.

11. Gisele Bündchen

For decades, Gisele Bündchen has remained to be the most recognizable face in both fashion and Hollywood. She has been featured in Forbes countless times as a top-earning model, power woman, as well as in the ‘Celebrity 100’ list. In 2000, Gisele signed a record-breaking contract with Victoria’s Secret for $25 million. This earned her the status of being one of the world’s top fashion models. So far, she has graced more than 150 Vogue covers worldwide. She was also the fourth woman in the world to become the cover girl in Rolling Stone as the ‘world’s most beautiful girl’.

12. Karlie Kloss

American heart-throb, Karlie Kloss is a bona fide supermodel, influential entrepreneur, active feminist, and social media influencer. She has walked in hundreds of shows such as Victoria’s Secret, Marc Jacobs, Dolce & Gabbana, etc. Consequently, she has also been associated with big fashion brands and campaigns like Estée Lauder, Dior, Barneys, and many more. Karlie has also founded a tech company, Kode with Klossy, for which she was featured in Forbes as a revolutionizing innovator in coding.

13. Irina Shayk

Irina Shayk turned the heat on in 2011 as the first Russian model in a Sports Illustrated cover. For years, she has earned a reputation as the sexiest lingerie model in the industry. She has had recurrences in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and GQ as the cover model since her debut. Despite being a successful lingerie model, she actively supports her home country through charity work and non-profit associations.

14. Miranda Kerr

Former Victoria’s Secret Angel, Miranda Kerr established herself as one of the top fashion models in the world over the years. She was not only the first Australian model to have become a Victoria’s Secret Angel, but also for adorning the Fantasy Bra in 2011 worth $2.5 million.

Miranda was chosen to be the global ambassador for Prada, H&M, Swarovski, and endless more. In 2009, Miranda launched her skincare brand, Kora Organics, and recently also made headlines for marrying Snapchat founder, Evan Spiegel. She continues to be highlighted in Forbes every year as an entrepreneur and a successful model.

15. Candice Swanepoel

South African model, Candice Swanepoel is mostly known for being Victoria’s Secret Angel. In 2013, she had the honor of wearing a fantasy bra for Victoria’s Secret fashion show. In 2018, she founded an ethically sourced swimwear brand, Tropical of C for promoting eco-lifestyle. Forbes continues to feature her in their ‘Highest-paid Model’ list several times since 2012.

Rankings for next 35 Top Fashion Models

There already are countless famous fashion models who are household names across the globe. So our list doesn’t end here. Because we have 35 more successful and popular models on our list. These tier II models are famous for their runway appearances, cover shoots, fashion campaigns, and much more.

On mobile, view hidden columns in the above table by swiping left.

Here are the rankings for the next 35 top fashion models in the world:

16. Kate Upton
17. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
18. Kaia Gerber
19. Alessandra Ambrosio
20. Joan Smalls
21. Taylor Hill
22. Sara Sampaio
23. Adwoa Aboah
24. Liu Wen
25. Sean O’Pry
26. Sasha Luss
27. Stella Maxwell
28. Jon Kortajarena
29. Fei Fei Sun
30. Vittoria Ceretti
31. Jasmine Tookes
32. Martha Hunt
33. Elsa Hosk
34. Mariacarla Boscono
35. Lexi Boling
36. Lucky Blue Smith
37. Lais Ribeiro
38. Willow Hand
39. Halima Aden
40. Hoyeon Jung
41. Pauline Hoarau
42. He Cong
43. Maartje Verhoef
44. Roos Abels
45. Selena Forrest
46. Blesnya Minher
47. Harleth Kuusik
48. Jing Wen
49. Grace Hartzel
50. Sofia Mechetner

Behind the pretty faces, these models work their best every day to earn the status of becoming top fashion models. It takes a dedicated life to become a successful model. Today, the top fashion models have as significant a role as global leaders in any other field. They are some of the most influential personalities on social media platforms.

We are sure all of you must have a favorite among these. So drop in the comments below and let us know who your favorite model is. You can also tweet us @shilpa1ahujawith your thoughts.

Read next:

– 90s Supermodels: All You Need to Know About the Original Supermodels
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