MODEL PROFILES: ANAIS MALI

Born on 22^nd January 1991, French model Anais Mali signed with agency Wilhelmina in 2009.

Mali took to the runway that September, modelling for Betsey Johnson, Vivienne Westwood and Sophie Theallet. Adding Catherine Malandrino and Rachel Roy to her credits the following February, Anais was dubbed a face to watch by both www.style.it and www.models.com. A regular post-show feature, these announcements go a long way to upgrading a model’s status. In an industry crowded with talent, any publicity is good publicity.

Filling 2010 with a campaign for Levi’s and a stint modelling for J Crew’s catalogue, Anais took to the runway in September. This time, her booking sheet showed that Mali was proving a hit across the Atlantic, with Anais appearing in shows for Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang, Derek Lam, Cynthia Rowley and Carolina Herrera.

Anais’ early (and ongoing) success in America can be quickly attributed to her look. Possessing the same kind of appeal as Joan Smalls, Anais has elegance that appeals to the old-school designers such as Carolina Herrera, but with enough character to handle high-fashion editorial. These strengths typify what the U.S fashion market looks for: enough beauty to make the clothes covetable, but with enough edge to give the collection some bite. The very best American designers dominate the field because they have learned to create that perfect balance between marketability and creative vision.

In a pivotal move, Anais left Wilhelmina and signed with Ford Models in late 2010. In December, she featured in an editorial for Interview magazine, working with Melodie Monrose. Each model a mirror image of each other, both furiously channel the glamour and energy of Twenties’ fashion icon, Josephine Baker.

The beginning of Mali’s long-standing association with American Vogue began in February 2011, with an appearance in the February issue. Featuring as part of their season preview, ‘Gangs of New York’, Anais was photographed by Mario Testino. Teams of models were paired up to showcase the major collections of the season. Anais got Rodarte, working with Ajak Deng, Jourdan Dunn and Joan Smalls.

Her recent spate of editorial successes meant that Anais could add Rag & Bone, Thakoon, Chloe, Dior, Stella McCartney and Tom Ford to her runway CV. As success often breeds success, Anais found herself in high demand in March, appearing in three major publications: V, American Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. The US Vogue shoot, ‘Rebel Rebel’ saw Anais model Gucci’s show-stopping bronze jumpsuit, plus a high-energy shoot with Arlenis Sosa, photographed by Norman Jean Roy.

Anais then took to the campaign trail again, this time getting signed by American fashion behemoth, GAP. Photographed by Craig McDean, ‘The Modern Design’ takes us away from the preconception of GAP just being a one-stop location for casual basics. Tailored, neutral pieces are pushed to the forefront in this campaign, sold as the essentials you would end up reaching for again and again. GAP has already become a go-to destination for jeans, with designer-worthy cuts being offered at high-street prices. Not resting on its former glories, GAP continues to revise its image and what it can offer to an increasingly sophisticated consumer base. Some of its experiments have worked better than others, but the store’s commitment to endure and progress should ensure its long-term survival.

Anais returned to American Vogue for the Spring, appearing in a bridal-themed editorial in their April issue. ‘Across the Aisle’, photographed by legend Arthur Elgort, is a fun, studio-based spread. Her first solo shoot with the magazine came in August 2011, with ‘Mixed Media’. Shot by Raymond Meier, Anais models the season’s best accessories. Textures and colours clash exuberantly, and Anais wears these difficult prints and colours effortlessly.

In September, Anais built up her runway experience with bookings from Matthew Williamson, D&G, Bottega Veneta, Ralph Lauren, Peter Som, Nina Ricci, Diane Von Furstenberg and regular client, Jason Wu. Sparking the interest of British and Italian designers, Anais was already becoming an international name, beguiling the brightest design talent.

Proving her ability to switch things up, Anais got hired for an editorial for Love magazine. Photographed by Solve Sundsbo, ‘Strangelove’ is a series of darkly provocative portraits including Sui He, Jessica Hart, Lindsey Wixson, Hannah Noble and Charlotte Free.

Returning to more traditional fare in September, Anais signed on for an editorial with V. ‘You Can’t Possess Radiance, You can only Admire It’ features Anais in chic, Fifth Avenue-style fashion including Celine, Ralph Lauren and Valentino. Anais (and V) give the classics a fresh edge.

Clocking up even more editorial hours at the end of the year, Mali appeared in American fashion magazine W and French Vogue. In W’s ‘Poster Girls’, Anais was hired to model a bold, fearless mix of clashing prints and accessories. Anais’ beauty shines through the editorial. The clothes and accessories are the focus, but Mali remains a calming, steadying force, a point where the eye can rest in what is a very busy set of photographs.

Mail’s career got a major boost in November when she was selected to appear in the 2011 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Joining fellow VS newbie Karlie Kloss, the two catwalk regulars brought a touch of high-fashion glamour to the proceedings. Anais’ inclusion was squarely down to having a type of beauty that is able to appeal to the mainstream. Despite being a Vogue favourite, Mali looked comfortable on the VS runway, but working a very different kind of audience. With the lingerie brand eager to feature more diverse types of beauty, Mali embraced this opportunity with obvious enthusiasm and it would be surprising if she doesn’t reprise her appearance this November.

In January 2012, Anais made her editorial debut for the year with V magazine. In what is far more usual territory for V, ‘The Queen of Hip Hop’ is a fun, energetic editorial photographed by Sebastian Faena.

Channelling Nicki Minaj in a day-glo wig, Anais brings the necessary attitude to make this editorial work. So good at ‘faking it’, this spread becomes uncanny in its authenticity. V excels at bringing a high-fashion twist to existing cultural codes. Even if not a fan of the music, everyone can visualise the clothes, the make-up and body language adopted by superstars of that world. Anais brilliantly mimics the queens of hip-hop but never letting us forget that the clothes come first.

February saw Anais scoop another major campaign, this time with J Crew. The iconic label has had a major injection of cool since the revelation that is has become one of Michelle Obama’s fashion go-to’s. The booking must have represented a special moment for Mali, who had one of her earliest signings with the American brand.

The following month saw Mali become hot property, with appearances in W, W Korea and Madame Figaro. The spread for the American magazine, ‘Feminine Mystique’, saw Anais team up with Jourdan Dunn and new girl, Jasmine Tookes. The three models are identically groomed and model ethnic prints with a strong theme of sophistication running through. Going beyond its clichéd treatment in previous years, tribal here is worked so it becomes something new, contemporary and eminently wearable.

Anais’ biggest editorial splash was with Korean W. Featuring on the cover as well as the leading spread; Anais shares cover honours with Hyoni Kang and Julia Nobis. ‘Birthday Girls’ – their mega-model editorial – also includes Hanne Gaby Odiele, Crystal Renn and Maryna Linchuk. With all the models wearing pieces from the highly popular Louis Vuitton collection, the sugary-sweetness of the designs are off-set by an understated sensuality. This is all relatively new territory for a magazine that is not yet 10 years old. After its publisher, Conde Nast, launched men’s style magazine GQ in South Korea in 2001, its success paved the way for other magazines to follow. Now South Korea has its own version of W, it has been keen to develop its own sense of style, and the March issue featuring Anais has created significant interest across the world. It may be new, but W Korea is already making its editorial presence felt.

With her biggest campaign signing to date, Anais can currently be seen in H&M’s global ‘Fresh Start’ adverts. Anais joins other heavy-hitters such as Natasha Poly, Sasha Pivovarova and Isabeli Fontana. Featuring models from Russia, France, Brazil and Sweden, this campaign represents what brands like H&M have known for years: international beauty sells. Appealing to the most people possible makes sense as fashion is rapidly becoming a global language with new pockets of wealth being discovered.

Having diversity on campaigns, covers and editorials is essential if a particular market is not to feel marginalised. A face that can appeal to many countries is especially in demand, and Anais is one of the lucky few that can work with European, American and Asian markets and convince at every turn. The face of the money-making model is changing, and with her adaptable beauty, Anais is right at the forefront of this new fashion phenomenon.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: JOAN SMALLS

Born in Puerto Rico in 1988, Joan Smalls began her career by signing with Elite Model Management in 2007.

Her career started off modestly, but soon developed, scoring a campaign for Liz Claiborne and catalogue work for U.S department store Nordstrom.
Many models struggle with the gap between being approachable but still high-fashion, but Joan’s early experiences of modelling provided her with the skills that would prove to be an excellent grounding for future campaigns.

Between 2007 and 2008, Smalls racked up catwalk credits with L’Wren Scott, Diane Von Furstenberg, Sass & Bide and Benjamin Cho. But her decision to leave Elite and sign with IMG in 2009 was a pivotal moment in Joan’s career. IMG Models, forming part of the huge global company IMG, is an agency that manages names such as Daria Werbowy and Gemma Ward, whilst housing newer talent such as Emily Di Donato and Barbara Palvin. What IMG is famous for, and it’s a strategy now used by many agencies, is applying the lessons it learnt from music and sports management and applying them to the world of fashion. It’s a smart way of extending the shelf-life of a model’s career, taking them from runway to celebrity.

Joan’s breakthrough came in January 2010. She was asked to walk in the Givenchy Couture show as an exclusive. The world of haute couture has often been criticised for being one-dimensional when it came to featuring models from different ethnic backgrounds. But Givenchy’s decision to hire Smalls as an exclusive was a signal, loud and clear, that times weren’t changing – they had already changed.

The ripple effect from the Givenchy show trickled down into Joan’s ready-to-wear bookings. Signing up to walk in 45 shows, Smalls appeared for designers such as Alexander Wang, Burberry, Jason Wu, Marc Jacobs, Prada, Stella McCartney and Valentino.

Joan’s moment as fashion’s latest ‘it girl’ continued when she appeared in her first editorial for Italian Vogue. Working alongside models such as Lara Stone, Amber Valletta and Angela Lindvall, the editorial, ‘Shrink to Fit’, was a quirky take on cropped tailoring and high hemlines. Joan’s performance in the shoot was astonishing; calm, confident and assured.

In June, Joan was featured in American Vogue as a rising star. Selected by Vogue’s Andre Leon Talley, Smalls’ reputation as the next big thing was now established, with the nod from American Vogue being enough to catapult Smalls into campaign territory. In summer 2010, it was announced that Joan would be one of the new faces of Gucci.

It was a massively important signing. Gucci eclipses even Prada as the most famous label in fashion. Its reputation is the same the world over, a byword for luxury and glamour. To hire a non-Caucasian model to be one of the campaign headliners indicates just how far fashion has come in terms of embracing all kinds of beauty.

Silencing any doubters, when the campaign was unveiled, it was clear that Joan’s presence wasn’t a cynical attempt to appeal to the widest demographic possible. Gucci is the type of brand that doesn’t have to pander to anyone in order to get its goods off the shelves – the Gucci name sells itself. Working sophistication and sex appeal in equal measure, it was clear that Joan got the job because she embodied the Gucci brand from head to toe.

Following that Gucci ad, Joan could now add Dior and Jean Paul Gaultier to her couture CV, walking for both labels in July. Also appearing in back-to-back editorials for French and American Vogue, Joan took Fashion Week by storm when she opened shows for YSL and Jason Wu and closed the show for Dior. Appearing in a total of 41 shows, Joan was visibly moving up the ranks.

As much as Joan charmed the international runway crowd, she positively enamoured American Vogue. Her barn-storming performance at the world’s best runway shows, got her not just one editorial in their September issue, but four. Traditionally the best-selling issue of the year, Joan’s inclusion was not about special treatment, but equal treatment. It was a genuine coup.

Joan started off 2011 by renewing her contract with Gucci, also signing up to appear in campaigns for Roberto Cavalli and Stella McCartney. A month later, she appeared in two simultaneous Spring / Summer preview editorials for French and American Vogue.

In a surprising move, Joan also elected to appear in an all-black editorial for Italian Vogue. Dubbed ‘The Black Allure’, Smalls appeared with Chanel Iman, Sessilee Lopez, Arlenis Sosa and Aminata Niaria. The shoot referenced flapper glamour of the 1920’s, in particular, dancer and actress Josephine Baker. Of her time, Baker was extraordinary, and it is due to her efforts in getting diversity recognised that fashion more clearly represents the way we look now.

In March came the announcement that Joan was to join Liu Wen and Constance Jablonski in Estee Lauder’s new international beauty campaign. It was a brave move from Lauder because while they are widely known within the fashion industry, they are not the immediately recognisable faces normally associated with the brand, such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Elizabeth Hurley.

But hiring three relative unknowns put Estee Lauder in a strong position because without the baggage of celebrity, these models could quite literally be ‘everywoman’. There’s no bad film or questionable album release to hide – models tend to be the best hires for selling products because they come to a project as a blank canvas.

The signing of Smalls, along with Wen and Jablonski, created a great deal of excitement and rightly so – with this campaign, Estee Lauder effectively announced to the world that it is a global brand, inside and out.

Joan continues to be a prolific presence in 2011, with an A/W runway season totalling over 40 appearances, plus editorial work for American Vogue. Appearing in the April edition, Joan featured in ‘Bodies of Work’ with some pretty illustrious company. Raquel Zimmermann, Gisele Bundchen, Daria Werbowy, Lara Stone and Natalia Vodianova all signed on to take part.
The newest name among some seriously big hitters, Joan features in a simple body-con fashion shoot, channelling clean lines and athleticism mixed with a dose of glamour – just what American Vogue does best.

This type of shoot could also signal a change in Joan’s career, taking her from strictly runway to Victoria’s Secret and beyond. Having a marketable face is one thing, but a body that can transform from ultra-minimal tailoring to sexy body-con puts you in another league altogether. Being paired with Raquel Zimmermann, Lara Stone and Gisele Bundchen is no accident either. If American Vogue sees Joan as belonging to this group (and indeed she performs on a par with the more experienced names), then Smalls’ career could have a longevity far beyond the catwalk.

Of course, no model works alone – literally or metaphorically. A part of Joan’s success (and that of her peers) can be attributed to models like Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Yasmin Warsame and Alek Wek who made black models a legitimate choice for high fashion. From Yasmin’s delicate beauty to Alek’s all-conquering smile, the faces may not be as numerous as we would like, but that is visibly changing. Joan’s signing with Stella McCartney is the type of booking that her generation are coming to realise is theirs for the taking. Joan may look good in strong colours and exotic prints (an asset using to particularly striking effect in the Gucci campaign), but her range of bookings cover every aspect of global fashion.

The virtue of being an all-rounder is obvious, but what makes Smalls a particularly exciting prospect is that she hasn’t even realised her full potential yet. Her affiliation with labels like Gucci, Ralph Lauren and Roberto Cavalli is a sign of things to come. To go from virtual unknown to Gucci girl in less than three years is an indication of a model that can go the distance, in an industry where models’ careers are often short-lived.

But better still, what Joan has to offer (not just now but to future generations of models), is a career where nothing is off-limits. The idea of possibility is one that will ultimately transform the landscape of fashion, building an industry where beauty is made not only possible, but achievable, for every kind of woman.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: TANYA DZIAHILEVA

Born in Belarus in 1991, Tanya Dziahileva had an early start in modelling. Signed to an agency at the age of 14, her debut on the Spring / Summer 2006 catwalk saw her appear for Prada, Chloe, Chanel and Alexander McQueen.

Tanya’s launch into high-fashion continued with editorial work for British Vogue in February 2006 and a campaign for Hugo Boss featuring Tanya with Agyness Deyn. Both models were a telling choice for the brand; Deyn had just broken into the industry herself, with her unique street style and peroxide hair already making waves.

Aged 15, Tanya scored her first major solo campaign when she became the face of YSL, photographed by Juergen Teller. Normally such a high-profile booking would daunt even an experienced model, but Tanya handled the pressure and expectation like a seasoned professional.

2007 saw even greater success, with Tanya booking a campaign for Lanvin, photographed by the legendary Steven Meisel. If Tanya felt nerves, she didn’t show them – and within months she had also secured a fragrance contract with Nina Ricci and became the face of the Michael Kors brand, replacing Carmen Kass.

The model-switch represented a key change in fashion’s tastes. Michael Kors, a label synonymous with American luxury chic, Tanya was not the most obvious choice, but her hiring was a sign that fashion was already beginning to shed the idea of a certain type of model for a certain type of campaign.

Tanya’s first runway season of 2007 saw her walking in shows for Alberta Ferretti, Calvin Klein, Chloe, Dior, Givenchy, Marni, Oscar de la Renta, Proenza Schouler, Vera Wang and Zac Posen. Her booking sheet was a smattering of newly-formed design houses, such as Proenza Schouler and Zac Posen, plus more established labels like Oscar de la Renta and Givenchy.

But her breakout season came in September when she was hired for 71 shows. She was also picked to open the Versace show, and closed four shows including Phillip Lim, Celine and Valentino. Incredible as these achievements were for a model that was only 16 years old, 2008 would ultimately be Tanya’s blockbuster year. She landed two major campaigns; one with Anja Rubik and Maryna Linchuk for DSquared, and the second with global brand Ralph Lauren.
Tanya’s growing status as one to watch was cemented further when she booked over 70 shows for February 2008. The same month, she got her first cover, with Russian Vogue. The seal of approval from Vogue took Tanya’s career to the next level, getting her bookings in the couture shows in July. Standing at 5’ 11”, Tanya was height-perfect for couture and made appearances for Armani Prive, Dior and Valentino.

Couture’s reputation for being notoriously tricky to model is well-founded, but Tanya’s body of runway experience meant her debut in Paris was earned fair and square. Far from being elitist, haute couture is probably the fairest sector of the industry when it comes to hiring: ability wins over hype every time. Couture modelling requires a level of skill beyond ready-to-wear, with models being asked to effectively play a character – whether that’s giving Armani’s space-age glamour gowns a touch of gravity, or embodying John Galliano’s haughty equestrian fantasy. Haute Couture is a hybrid of fashion meets theatre, and Tanya disproves the myth that having a memorable face means you can’t be adaptable.

In August, Tanya did her first major editorial with U.S Vogue, shot by Steven Meisel, followed by a slot in Japanese Vogue and a feature in Russian Vogue where Tanya was dubbed a ‘top model’. Russian Vogue has a particularly good track record of recognising model talent: their decision to devote an entire issue to Natasha Poly launched her career into the stratosphere.
Tanya’s runway season in September was further proof that if a top model needs to be versatile, she met that requirement in spades. Opening and closing shows for Elie Saab and Yohji Yamamoto, Tanya’s ability to morph from one aesthetic to another couldn’t be clearer: it’s hard to think of two designers more different than Saab and Yamamoto. Saab’s reputation as a perfector of red-carpet glamour and Yamamoto’s clean, post-modern vision make them direct opposites, but Tanya’s keenly-honed runway skills meant she booked appearances for both.

September ’09 saw Tanya skip New York, London and Milan Fashion Weeks, concentrating solely on Paris with bookings for Alexander McQueen, Dior, Hussein Chalayan and Lanvin. But her experience of dealing with challenging catwalk was tested to its limit in March 2010 when she was asked to participate in a runway show, housing the final collection by Alexander McQueen, only a month after his sudden death. Part of a select group of seven models, the resulting show was subdued, but the work, stunning.

Tanya’s working relationship with the designer came full circle when she was asked to take part in an editorial for U.S Vogue. Called ‘Noble Farewell’, the layout showed Tanya and other models also featured in McQueen’s final runway show, wearing the collection and about to be packed away in crates, preserving McQueen’s work for all time.

It’s hard to fully gauge a designer’s worth during their lifetime, but the moving tribute paid by American Vogue was industry wide in its impact. Tanya’s final note of 2010 was another act of homage to McQueen. Fronting the September cover for Spanish Vogue, Tanya modelled one of Alexander’s now famous final looks. The heady baroque design was anchored by Tanya’s quiet and dignified gaze. No tricks required; this was modelling done so deftly that it looks like Tanya is doing nothing at all. A true sign of a top model is their ability to do more by doing less, and it’s a skill Tanya has mastered absolutely.

Her face has become one of the most recognised and recognisable in the industry, and even though her name is somewhat less familiar outside fashion circles, Tanya has become a supermodel by stealth. Her mix of quirky beauty and traditional supermodel traits sees Tanya competing – successfully – with newer models, even though her career is heading into its 6th year.

Tanya’s status as one of fashion’s most prized models has been hard-worn, with Tanya being catapulted into the spotlight when she was just 14. Acing an YSL campaign shoot at 15 years old is an extraordinary accomplishment. Her exhaustive body of work, featuring runway, editorials and campaigns with every major designer in the world, points to a model that thrives on hard work.

Tanya’s launch into the fashion world in 2005 came a decade after models Kristen McMenamy and Stella Tennant created a storm as faces that were ‘ugly / beautiful’. The mid-Nineties saw models appear whose look was unusual and challenging, a significant departure from the glamorous faces that populated the Eighties. Especially loved by European designers, such as Karl Lagerfeld and Jean Paul Gaultier, public opinion was strongly divided. Many didn’t get the appeal of such faces, others saw it as further proof that ‘high fashion’ had very little to do with ‘real life’. As vague as both these concepts are, the willingness of fashion to make beautiful clothes just that little bit ugly, transformed the industry. This was fashion taking the blinkers off and looking out on a wider definition of beauty. Poses became more angular, less defined: supermodels like Tyra Banks and Kate Moss began to appear in editorials where their bodies were slumped and their eyes cast away from the camera. The guiding principles were awkward rather than poised, quirky rather than sunny.

These new ideas on how to present high-fashion trickled down through the industry with modelling agencies finding themselves not automatically looking for ‘money girls’ – the kind who sell perfume by the barrel-load – but girls who could not only do, but embody, one word: editorial. But as editorial took hold, everyone wanted a piece of the new look. The quirky girls began getting hired not just for the high-fashion jobs, but for everything. It was nothing short of a revolution.

Tanya, along with Agyness Deyn and Coco Rocha, has become one of the first quirky girls to get the big-budget, big-name campaigns that were normally reserved for more conventional beauty. But Tanya isn’t considered a token choice: she has become one of the leading faces of a generation that accepts diversity as the norm. What’s considered on-trend alters constantly, but faces like Tanya’s have changed fashion’s mind about what beauty really is, and that idea refuses to budge.

Tanya’s portfolio boasts the expected avant-garde shoots and campaigns, but she is also a cover girl several times over. With seven Vogue covers to date, Tanya’s career is part of a much larger success story for modelling in general. With current hot-ticket Joan Smalls just announced as the new face of Estee Lauder for 2011, widening the terms of beauty has allowed models from every ethnic background to not only enter the industry, but to get their shot at those big-name bookings.

This revolution started on the runway, and this embrace of every kind of beauty came full circle during Jason Wu’s show last September. Featuring models from European, Asian and African-American backgrounds, it is incredible to think that ten years ago; this gathering would have been unthinkable, simply because it would have been impossible. Finally, their faces fit.

HELEN TOPE

MODEL PROFILES: CHANEL IMAN

Chanel Iman, born 30th November 1989, is fashion’s brightest trailblazer – turning barrier-breaking into an art form.

Named after her mother’s favourite designer, Chanel spent her childhood practising runway and studying fashion magazines. This early groundwork prepared Iman when she entered the 2006 Ford Supermodel of the Year contest. She came third, but signed to Ford Models immediately. In February that same year, she made her debut at New York Fashion Week, walking for Derek Lam, Anna Sui, Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler.

In September, she walked in the S/S 2007 shows, including Alexander McQueen, Derek Lam, Dolce & Gabbana, Nicole Miller and Stella McCartney. But her appearance in the Valentino show sparked Chanel fever when she worked her now-signature move.

At the end of the runway, just before she was about to turn, she caught the eye of the audience and winked. The fun gesture won the crowd over, and Chanel was featured in http://www.style.com/ as the stand-out of the season – the studying had prepared her, but the impulse to stand out is what made her a star.

Chanel made it her business to exceed expectations early on in her career, receiving the Trailblazer Award from the Sankofa Group in April 2007, and in May became part of modelling history when she joined other top models to take part in the seminal US Vogue cover. A collective of new talent, Chanel joined the likes of Coco Rocha, Lily Donaldson, Hilary Rhoda and Jessica Stam to form a powerful declaration to the fashion industry. These girls were the future of modelling, and every model on that cover by Steven Meisel, went on to become part of the fashion landscape.

In September, Chanel’s career sky-rocketed with appearances for Alexander Wang, Dior, DKNY, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta among others.

2007 ended in triumph on the runways, but a question mark hovered over Iman’s rising fame. Landing catwalk and editorial work is one thing, but could Chanel take it to the next level and land big-name campaigns? This would then put her on a level playing field with her peers, and 2008 saw Chanel rise to the challenge with not just one, but four campaigns. Chanel did campaign shoots for high-prestige brands like Ralph Lauren and DKNY, plus budget-friendly names like Gap and Lord & Taylor.

In February 2008, Chanel’s status as fashion’s latest crush was established when Chanel, Karlie Kloss and Ali Michael appeared on the cover of Teen Vogue, photographed by legend Patrick Demarchelier. A magazine as influential as its grown-up counterpart, Teen Vogue tipped all three models for greatness.

Chanel’s year snowballed: in February, she landed an editorial with Russian Vogue, plus a stellar season walking for designers as varied as Bill Blass and Donna Karan, Jason Wu and Zac Posen. Her CV was maturing well with a mixture of old-school labels, cutting-edge talent and established names. Paired with Chanel’s appearance in the Dior and Jean Paul Gaultier couture shows on July, she had all four corners of the fashion industry covered.

July proved to be a busy month, as Chanel not only appeared in American Vogue with Jourdan Dunn, but also scored two additional editorials in Italian Vogue. However, this was to be a pivotal point in Chanel’s career. Italian Vogue took the decision to put together an edition that would only feature black models.

It was a powerful statement, but it was not without controversy. Many in the industry and press questioned Italian Vogue’s motive for doing this issue. Was it to be taken on face value, as a celebration of ethnicity, giving full-focus to new talent, or was it about something else entirely?

By shining the spotlight on black models to the exclusion of other talent (including models of other ethnic backgrounds), was this a step forward, or a giant leap back? Did such pointed inclusion do more harm than good?

Whatever the motivation, what is clear is that the Italian Vogue edition sparked debate. But debate without action is useless, and what is encouraging is that nearly two years on, a new raft of models including Tao Okamoto, Lyndsey Scott, Liu Wen and Hind Sahli are not only working but flourishing in an industry accused of having a less-than-stellar record when it comes to diversity.

Chanel’s career itself flourished after the Italian Vogue went to press, landing the September cover of Korean Vogue. She was also chosen to open the S/S 2009 Rock & Republic show. Appearing for Alberta Ferretti, D&G, Giambattista Valli and Sonia Rykiel, Chanel was becoming a hit in Europe as well as America.

2009 brought several accolades, rapidly establishing Iman as a go-to girl for not only runway work, but covers and editorials. She landed the cover of Italian Flair in February, the premiere cover of the Dubai edition of Harper’s Bazaar and the cover of i-D in May.

In September, Chanel appeared as a guest judge on hit TV show ‘America’s Next Top Model’. A spot usually reserved for designers or photographers, Chanel’s years of brushing up on fashion paid off, making her intelligent and insightful appearance a hit with fans. This was not just a model with personality and opinions – but someone who knew Pucci from Prada.

Chanel also landed a second cover of i-D, shooting a pre-autumn cover with Arlenis Sosa, Jourdan Dunn and Sessilee Lopez. The cover’s launch shows how quickly things can change in the fashion world. In 2008, Chanel’s appearance for Italian Vogue’s all-black issue was challenged as ‘agenda-pushing’. Just one year later, Chanel, Arlenis, Jourdan and Sessilee were presented, quite rightly, as cover girls at the top of their game.

Chanel’s trail-blazing continued when she surprised many by signing a 3-year contract with Victoria’s Secret. Chanel, while perfect for high-fashion, was not an expected choice for the uber-sexy lingerie brand. Some questioned whether her athletic frame could carry off the VS signature look, but Chanel’s personality-packed performance on the runway put all doubt to rest. In one fell swoop, she proved not only her versatility, but her ability to do the unexpected. This element of surprise is what gets Chanel re-hired time after time.

2010 is set to be another busy year for Chanel, with a full couture and RTW season under her belt. Walking for designers like Aquascutum, Dior, Givenchy, Thakoon and Gucci, Chanel’s list of credits defies the expectation that a black model would struggle finding work. Chanel’s career is an important lesson for models coming into the industry: place limitations on yourself at your peril.

Have a look through a recent fashion magazine: the percentages of ethnic to white faces could be better, but the numbers are not as dire as people seem to think. The argument that fashion only allows one black model to be the ‘top girl’ at any one time is clearly no longer the case: Chanel, Jourdan, Sessilee and Arlenis are all getting coveted editorial and runway spots, with Joan Smalls and Rose Cordero rising through the ranks. While it is clear that fashion has a long way to go before equality can be stated as the norm, the notion of a closed-off industry is also somewhat wide of the mark.

While Chanel’s career is still on the rise, what’s encouraging is her awareness that she is flying the flag for future models, whatever their ethnicity. The message that fashion recognises excellence is an important one for the next generation. Fashion’s consumer-base is becoming more cosmopolitan, and as a result, our expectation of seeing diversity better represented on the runways and in magazines is starting to be met.

The fact that one of Chanel’s first covers was for Teen Vogue says it all. She wasn’t being treated as the token ethnic model: Chanel made the cover because she (along with Ali and Karlie) were fashion’s brightest new models. When it came to the cover, Teen Vogue wasn’t indulging in a box-ticking exercise: it simply wanted the best.

The recession has been a huge wake-up call for the industry, and has resulted in fashion rethinking its entire approach. Fashion, as a whole, is becoming more democratic. Runway shows are being broadcast live on the internet, so you can see the latest collections at the same time as Anna Wintour, and bloggers such as Bryanboy (http://www.bryanboy.com/) and Tavi (http://www.thestylerookie.com/) are being taken seriously as fashion commentators at large.

Modelling is also becoming part of this radical rethink, and this new directive is just the beginning. Still not convinced? Watch Chanel’s progress over the next five years: the future is already here.

HELEN TOPE