Black Fashion Models

• Tyra Banks - first African-American to grace the covers of GQ, Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue, and the Victoria's Secret catalog. Also the host of ANTM

•  Naomi Campbell - first Black (British) woman to grace the covers of French Vogue and Time.

• Dorothea Church - African American pioneering model. Was the first successful black fashion model in Paris. 

• Yaya DaCosta - African American actress and fashion model. Runner-up in Cycle 3 of America's Next Top Model. 

• Jourdan Dunn- British model known for walking major runways like Jean Paul Gaultier 

•  Selita Ebanks - Victoria's Secret Angel. Has also modeled for advertising giants Abercrombie & Fitch and Tommy Hilfiger. 

• Dani Evans - Winner of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 6. Has had campaigns for CoverGirl, Sephora, and Akademiks. 

•  Marsha A. Hunt - African American model, singer, novelist, and actress. 

• Chanel Iman - Korean/African-American who has modeled Dolce & Gabbana, Issey Miyake, Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Valentino, Bottega Veneta, Dsquared, Hermès, Moschino, Oscar de la Renta, Jean Paul Gaultier and Stella McCartney. The only Black woman to grace the cover of the May 2007 issue of American Vogue with nine other girls as the next generation of supermodels.

•  Beverly Johnson - first African-American to grace the covers of American Vogue and French Elle. 

•  Toccara Jones - African-American fashion model and occasional actress and television personality. Contestant on the third season of the UPN series America's Next Top Model. She is the first black plus-size model to grace the pages of Vogue Italia.

•  Kiara Kabukuru - American model of Ugandan descent best known for her long time campaign with CoverGirl Cosmetics. 

•  Janet Langhart - African American model, television journalist and author. 

•  Noemie Lenoir - French biracial model of Malagasy descent who has appeared in ads for L'Oréal, Gap, and other well-known companies. Has graced the covers of many fashion magazines worldwide.

•  Donyale Luna - American fashion model of the 1960s and early 1970s. The first black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue. 

•  Eva Marcille - The first African-American to win the reality show America's Next Top Model. 

•  Naima Mora - Winner of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 4. 

•  Ajuma Nasenyana - Kenyan model who has appeared in catalogue for Issey Miyake and walked the runway for Baby Phat, Ungaro,Vivienne Westwood and the 2006 show for Victoria's Secret. 

•  Katoucha Niane - Senegalese-French supermodel and outspoken activist against female circumcision. 

•  Oluchi Onweagba - featured in multiple ad campaigns, including Gianfranco Ferré, Victoria's Secret, Express, Banana Republic, and Ann Taylor. Onweagba's runway experience has been with John Galliano, Christian Dior, Chanel, and Giorgio Armani. 

•  Keisha Omilana - featured in multiple Pantene print and televisions ads. Keisha is the only black model that Pantene has used on 3 back to back print and television campaigns. Omilana is the world's most versatile black model whose work encompasses fashion modeling, parts modeling, television modeling and editorial. 

•  Beverly Peele - first African-American to grace the cover of Mademoiselle in 1989.

•  Eva Pigford - winner of Cycle three of America's Next Top Model 

•  Saleisha Stowers - winner of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 9 .

•  Toukie Smith - African American actress and model. Sister of late fashion designer Willi Smith and former long-term partner of actor Robert De Niro. 

•  Bre Scullark - 2nd runner up of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 5 

•  Arlenis Sosa - Dominican model who has grcaed the cover of Time Magazine, and has walked many runways, like Derek Lam and Diane von Furstenberg.

•  Mercedes Scelba-Shorte Runner up of America's Next Top Model in Cycle 2 

•  Veronica Webb - first Black model to sign with a major cosmetics company (Revlon). 

•  Alek Wek - Sudanese model who, aside from gracing magazine covers and being featured in ad campaigns, has walked the runway for high-profile fashion designers such as John Galliano, Donna Karan, and Calvin Klein. 

•  Roshumba Williams - African American model, actress, television host, and correspondent and reality show judge. First became internationally famous for her appearance in the prestigious Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. 

 http://www.blackfashionmodels.net

The other side of modelling...ouch!

Being a model is a really classy and lucrative career that most girls dream of doing when the grow up. It is all about glamour, travell, meeting important people around the world. Getting to wear designer clothes and mingle with the greats in fashion and the celebrity world. Modelling is all that and more. Seeing your face plastered on huge billboards and having everyone recognize and acknowledge you as you walk by, all those are the perks of being a model.
As much as there is perfection in most of these runway shows sometimes nature decides otherwise because most times you cannot control circumstances, you either fall and stay on the floor or you get up and bravely walk on as if that was part of your show. It sure is a tough job though the world outsied is unforgivng when a model makes a mistake.
Mostly its the evil twin in us that relishes when someone who is seen as perfect has a flaw even if the flaw is not their fault, or maybe it's just the realization that we can never be perfect...well unless you go under the knife which can end up disfiguring you more....anyhow that's a vent for another day.
Back to the topic at hand, modelling is tough and needs a person with a tough skin and ability to see the funny in almost all situations even the embarrassing ones, so kudos to those who can withstand the heat and still come out lady like and with some elegance.
Here are some instances of what to consider before deciding to dream about becoming a model.
Editor: fashion geek

Male Models rule the runway

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is an annual fashion show sponsored by Victoria's Secret, a brand of lingerie and sleepwear. Victoria's Secret uses the show to promote and market its goods in high-profile settings. The show features some of the world's leading fashion models such as current Victoria's Secret Angels Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Miranda Kerr, Doutzen Kroes, Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel, Chanel Iman, Erin Heatherton, Lily Aldridge, and Lindsay Ellingson.

American network television broadcasts the show during prime time. The first few shows in the 1990s were held in the days preceding Valentine's Day to promote the brand for this holiday. They were not aired on national television. In 1999 and 2000 the show was webcast. Beginning in 2001, the shows were moved ahead of the Christmas holiday season. Also in 2001, the show made its network television broadcast on ABC, though in all subsequent years, it has been broadcast on CBS.

The show has been held at a variety of locations in different cities including Miami, Los Angeles, and Cannes. The first four shows were held at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, but since it has become a televised event it has most often been held at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City.

The show is a lavish event with elaborate costumed lingerie, varying music by leading entertainers, and set design according to the different themes running within the show. The show attracts hundreds of celebrities and entertainers, with special performers and acts every year. Each year, twenty to forty of the world's top fashion models are selected to perform in the fashion show.

In a typical year, this includes about a half dozen women under contract to the company, known as Victoria's Secret Angels, who help publicize the event. The giant angel wings worn by the models, as well as other wings of various forms and sizes such as butterfly, peacock, or devil wings, have become emblematic of the Victoria's Secret brand.

 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia