It’s universally known that if you want to be a model, you’ve got to be tall. For a lot of us, 5’9″ is a pretty good height, but in the fashion industry, that’s on the shorter side for a model. That doesn’t mean, however, that girls who aren’t blessed with longer legs can’t still have successful careers. In fact, there are plenty of women who have proved that, although they might not stand as tall as most models, they can still make it–like these 17 top models, all of whom are under 5’9″:

1. Lily-Rose Depp

Lily-Rose Depp may only be 5’3″, but she looms large in Karl Lagerfeld’s mind. The Chanel muse has walked many a tweed-filled runway (Haute Couture Spring 2017, Pre-Fall 2017, Haute Couture Fall 2015) and starred in various beauty and eyewear campaigns for the brand. Depp has already graced a fair number of magazine covers, among them Jalouse, LOVE, V Magazine, Vogue Paris, British Vogue, ELLE France, ELLE Greece and Vanity Fair France. We suppose she has her equally petite, preternaturally beautiful mom to thank.

2. Lottie Moss

Much like her big sister Kate Moss, Lottie Moss has risen within the industry despite being (somewhat) vertically challenged. (Needless to say, the family affiliation didn’t hurt.) The 5’6″ British beauty has fronted campaigns for Topshop, Chanel, Bulgari and RED Valentino. She’s walked the runways of Sonia Rykiel, Topshop Unique and Chanel and graced a handful of covers, the most notable being Vogue Paris’ May 2016 edition, which she shared with fellow genetically #blessed millennial Lucky Blue Smith.

3. Hailey Bieber

Instagirl Hailey Bieber is one of the most visible models of our time thanks (in part) to the 5’7″ blonde’s close friendship with the Jenner and Hadid sisters – and being married to Justin Bieber. Nevertheless, the IMG signee — who’s walked for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Jeremy Scott, Prabal Gurung, Elie Saab, Tory Burch, Off-White, Zadig & Voltaire and Tommy Hilfiger — has more than earned her stripes. She has fronted campaigns for Guess, Karl Lagerfeld, Tommy Jeans, Calvin Klein, Versace, Miu Miu, UGG. In June 2022, the American beauty unveiled Rhode – a line of efficacious, intentional skincare essentials.

4. Sofia Richie Grainge

Sofia Richie Grainge (daughter of Lionel Richie) is successfully forged her own identity in the modeling industry and now considered a style icon. The 5’6″, beauty has fronted Complex, Wonderland, Town & Country, walked the runways of Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Yeezy and Philipp Plein and appeared in the pages of W, V Magazine, Vogue Japan and Seventeen, among others. 

5. Adwoa Aboah

Freckle-faced Ghanaian-British beauty Adwoa Aboah is a force to be reckoned with. The 5’8″ 24-year-old is a Vogue (and Vogue.com) favorite thanks to her fresh, rebellious personal style. Not that she needed the validation. Aboah has walked nearly every runway of note (Miu Miu, Chanel, Christian Dior, Fenty x Puma, Versace, Fendi, Moschino, Marc Jacobs, Kenzo) and starred in countless high-profile campaigns (Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Calvin Klein, Sephora). In 2017, Aboah jumped to the silver screen as Ghost in the Shell’s Lia.

6. Rose Bertram

Rose Bertram, a 5’7″ bombshell known for her curly mane and killer curves, is a favorite of Sports Illustrated, LOVE, H&M and Jeremy Scott. The IMG signee and Instagirl on the rise has also worked with beauty giant L’Oréal Paris and luxury lingerie retailer Agent Provocateur, among others.

7. Sara Sampaio

As far as Victoria’s Secret Angels go, 5’8″ Sara Sampaio is a bit on the “short” side. Still, Portugal’s most photogenic export is a mainstay on the international catwalks. In 2017, she’s strutted Balmain, Mugler, Elie Saab, Alberta Ferretti, Baja East, Marchesa, Tory Burch, Prabal Gurung and Tommy Hilfiger. Her list of recent campaign appearances is almost as long-winded — Moroccanoil, Victoria’s Secret, Blumarine, Hogan… Oh, and she’s already got Vogue, LOVE and Editorialist features under her belt.  

8. Emily Ratajkowski

You’ve definitely had an eyeful of 5’7″ Emily Ratajkowski — you’ll remember her from 2013’s controversial “Blurred Lines” music video and 2014’s movie adaptation of Gone Girl. But Ratajkowski’s a model first. Her formidable CV includes a turn on Miu Miu’s Fall 2016 runway, a spot in Marc Jacobs’ sprawling Spring 2016 ad campaign and stints on the covers of CR Fashion Book, GQ Spain and British Vogue. Oh, and she’s a firm fave of Donatella Versace.

9. Marisa Miller

Marisa Miller would be a babe no matter her height, which is 5’8″, to be exact. The American fashion model is known best for looking scrumptious in Sports Illustrated and for Victoria’s Secret.

10. Kate Moss

Kate Moss is an industry icon, which is amazing, considering shes’ only 5’7″. But her keen modeling abilities and dangerous, cool-girl vibe we all wish we had have turned her into one of the most successful faces in the world. 

11. Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne‘s height has been reported to be anywhere between 5’7″ and 5’8″. One thing’s for sure, she’s definitely not traditional runway height. Her agent once tried to get her cast in Louis Vuitton’s Fall 2012 show, but she was cut when Marc Jacobs asked, “Why is that dwarf in there?”

12. Devon Aoki

Devon Aoki is one of the shortest high fashion models out there, and has enjoyed a lot of success through her career. In the late 90s, she became the face of Versace and also posed for Chanel, Kenzo, Moschino, Fendi and many more. How tall is she? Just 5’5″.

13. Camille Rowe

Camille Rowe has landed campaigns with Chloé, Aldo, Dior Homme, H&M and more, as well as multiple covers of ELLE France. She’s also posed for Victoria’s Secret at only 5’7″. Not bad for a “short” girl, right?

14. Lila Moss

After posing alongside her model mother Kate Moss on Vogue Italia’s July 2016 edition, it was only a matter of time before Lila Moss reached superstardom. At 5’3″, Lila has secured campaigns for a whole multitude of fashion houses including Ermanno Scervino, Versace, Marc Jacobs and appeared on the magazine covers of British Vogue, Vogue Japan and Vanity Fair Italia to name a select few.

15. Liberty Ross

Liberty Ross‘ 5’6″ frame certainly was not a problem for Burberry, Emanuel Ungaro or Jimmy Choo–they all chose her to front their campaigns. 

16. Lydia Hearst

While it helps that your family is one of the most powerful in the publishing industry when you’re trying to start a modeling career, Lydia Hearst has had a lot of success–not because of her name. She’s landed campaigns for Juicy Couture, Pringle of Scotland, Swarovski and more. Not to mention the sizeable amount of print work she’s done for international versions of Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle and more. The 5’7″ Hearst has been so successful, that she was chosen to be a mentor for season 2 of Naomi Campbell’s modeling reality competition, The Face.

17. Laetitia Casta

Laetitia Casta has had a tremendously successful career in spite of her 5’6″ height. The credits are as far as the eye can see: A contract with L’Oréal Paris, a stint as a Victoria’s Secret Angel, covers of Vogue, ELLE, i-D as well as jobs modeling for Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy, Roberto Cavalli, Vivienne Westwood and countless others.

[ Next: 20 Sexiest Swimsuit Models of All Time ]

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There’s no denying that Latina models are having their moment in the spotlight right now — and we wholeheartedly welcome it. From the return of Raquel Zimmermann who is scoring campaigns left, right and center to Mica Arganaraz being embraced by just about every fashion editor in the industry, ultimately landing Vogue covers around the world and scoring a healthy number of advertising campaigns for Spring 2016. We’ve rounded up five gorgeous Latina women who are taking the fashion industry by storm.

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It’s hard to believe, but many of the stunning women gracing covers today — think Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell — actually became iconic DECADES ago. And we’re not just talking one or two. In fact, while modeling is considered a fleeting career, most of the iconic models from the year you were born had careers that lasted well past their teenage years and early 20s. A select few even used their modeling fame as a stepping stone to build lifestyle empires (think Tyra Banks and Heidi Klum).

Who’s next? Our money is on Taylor Hill, Sara Sampaio, Martha Hunt and Romee Strijd. In the meantime, here’s a blast from the past with our look at the iconic models from the year you were born.

[ Next: 20 Sexiest Swimsuit Models of All Time ]

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Images: Imaxtree

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It’s that time of year again when we take stock of the models who hit the runways at New York Fashion Week to see who stands head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to show tallies. While we’re still hard at work compiling our much-anticipated diversity report for the Big Apple presentations, it is worthwhile to note that out of the top 10 catwalkers this season, four models were women of color. Perfectly portraying Heidi Klum’s now infamous Project Runway saying, “One day you’re in. The next day you’re out,” only three models made a return trip to our coveted list from Fall 2016. To see who racked up the most mileage in New York for Spring 2017, just let your fingers do the walking and scroll through the slideshow above.

Images: Imaxtree

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All of Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Cara Delevingne’s $125K to $300K sponsored Instagram posts have, unsurprisingly, paid off. Today, Forbes released its list of the world’s highest-paid models and while Gisele Bündchen managed to retain her top spot even in catwalk retirement, earning $30.5 million, Kendall Jenner, who occupied the number 16 spot just last year, made a dramatic leap to third place. The Vogue cover girl banked $10 million — that’s a 150 percent increase from last year’s paltry $4 million. Meanwhile, Kenny’s style twin Gigi made her Forbes debut in fifth place, earning a cool $9 million.

The reality star turned model could likely pull a Gisele and bring home the figurative bacon without walking in a single runway show (besides Victoria’s Secret) thanks to her huge social following. She’s used her 64.4 million Instagram followers — more than any other model on the list — to land million dollar contracts with brands like Estée Lauder and Calvin Klein. (And Kendall’s barely on Keeping Up With the Kardashians anymore, so you know it’s not E! that’s signing her checks.)

“Our business has changed,” Chris Gay, President of The Society Management, which represents Jenner, told Forbes. ”These models [have] become more and more influential because they are the conduits of media–not only somebody who can be the face of the campaign but a powerful means to distribute it.”

Instagram followers equate to higher paychecks for models; Image: Forbes

The influx of Insta-cash and breakout models like Lily Aldridge, Jasmine Tookes and 20-year-old Taylor Hill, all of whom have contracts with erstwhile swimwear retailer Victoria’s Secret, shook up this year’s list — nearly a third of the qualifiers are new. While veteran Forbes listmakers Martha Hunt and Josephine Skriver are noticeably absent from this year’s list, 30 percent of the women featured are Angels. No surprise, given the size of their lingerie deals.

While the boys vs. girls pay issue gets turned on its head in the modeling world — Forbes doesn’t even bother making a male model earnings list, since the guys rarely break $1.5 million — the trend of exclusion holds strong. Joan Smalls, Jasmine Tookes and Liu Wen were the only models of color to make the list, with nary an aged, transgender or plus-size model in sight. (Even our beloved Ashley Graham, with her America’s Next Top Model-lined pockets, couldn’t manage a seat at the baller’s table.) Even if the industry’s top earnings aren’t making their big bucks on the catwalks (cosmetics and fragrance deals account for most of their earnings), they still, for the most part, conform to the established runway ideal: white, straight-sized, cisgender. (For more on the fraught issue of runway diversity, you may consult our season-by-season breakdowns.) Two thumbs up for Kendall, Gigi and the rest, two thumbs way down for the systemic lack of inclusion that compromises the hustle of their equally talented peers.

See Forbes‘s full list of the top-earning models of 2016 below:

1. Gisele Bündchen ($30.5 million)
2. Adriana Lima ($10.5 million)
3. Karlie Kloss ($10 million)
4. Kendall Jenner ($10 million)
5. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley ($9 million)
6. Gigi Hadid ($9 million)
7. Cara Delevingne ($8.5 million)
8. Candice Swanepoel ($7 million)
9. Liu Wen ($7 million)
10. Miranda Kerr ($6 million)
11. Lara Stone ($5.5 million)
12. Natalia Vodianova ($5.5 million)
13. Kate Moss ($5 million)
14. Alessandra Ambrosio ($5 million)
15. Doutzen Kroes ($5 million)
16. Joan Smalls ($4.5 million)
17. Lily Aldridge ($4 million)
18. Taylor Hill ($4 million)
19. Barbara Palvin ($4 million)
20. Jasmine Tookes ($4 million)

[ via Forbes ]

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As the call for diversity in fashion grows ever louder, brands are tapping into our desire to see ourselves reflected in the women who rock their wares. Designers want their brands to feel honest and inclusive. They’re also cognizant of the fact that the greater our voyeuristic interest in what goes on in their models’ lives once the camera stops snapping, the more attention we’re likely to pay their paid achievements. Thus, the “real girl” model, aka nodel, is on the rise.

From Marc Jacobs‘ long-winded (but much-appreciated) testimonies on how each member of his clan earned a place in his heart and, in turn, his campaigns to the band of New York natives who strolled DKNY’s Fall 2015 catwalk to Pat McGrath’s horde of ethereal, fiercely independent muses, fashion has cemented the value of its players’ personas in recent years. Why? Because consumers are getting smarter and more discerning. We’re over Photoshop and all that’s artificial (for proof, just look at Aerie’s very #Real sales stats).

You can spot a nodel a mile away. Her sartorial choices are striking. Her personality leaps out from her eyes, words and Instagram page. We could all use more of these fierce, inspiring women in our everyday lives, but we’ll settle for having them among our social media set. Click through the slideshow above for 11 captivating “real girls” we — along with the rest of the fashion world — can’t stop watching.

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We love salivating over the occasional “diabetes in a cup” as much as the next gal, but scrolling down a page filled with oozing Nutella and glistening ribs doesn’t exactly make us want to make a beeline for the gym. In an effort to earn our #EEEEEATS, we’ve rounded up 15 of the most inspiring wellness accounts on Instagram. And we’re not talking the usual bleak mixes of ab shots, avocado toast and the occasional uninspired #OOTD. No, we’ve skipped the banal and put together a list of Instagrammers that take their fashion as seriously as they do their fitness. Here’s to new burpee variations alongside lustrous new pairs of leggings. Above, our favorite fashion/fitness Instagrams to follow today.

[ Next: 20 Fitness Instagram Accounts to Follow for Daily Motivation ]

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For every influential designer that takes a stand for inclusion on the runway, there’s another that dismisses the need for diversity altogether. The Fall 2016 season saw New York-based designer Zac Posen make a powerful declaration that “Black Models Matter” by hiring an inclusive cast to model his collection, itself a tribute to a woman of color (the first East African woman to be admitted to the English bar, Princess Elizabeth of Toro). But across the pond in Paris, one of the brightest stars in the industry, Demna Gvasalia, only hired one nonwhite model to walk the runway at Balenciaga. Given the many rave reviews the collection garnered, the racial makeup of his cast seemed like an afterthought.

Balenciaga Fall 2016; Image: Imaxtree

The lack of diversity at Balenciaga at a time of great influence wasn’t lost on casting director James Scully (Jason Wu, Carolina Herrera). He posted on Instagram: “So if you’re the designer the whole world is looking to right now, how great that your message is one of exclusion which is never in fashion. It must feel like a slap to all of the people of color who line up to buy your clothes that your message to them [is that] you don’t see them in your world.”

It’s a message that reverberates through Fashion Weeks across the globe, from Paris to Milan. Along with people of color, plus-size, transgender and aged models continue to be underrepresented. There is still significant work to be done to eradicate that message of exclusion.

The CFDA advocates for diversity on the runway by imploring designers to be more inclusive. The organization told theFashionSpot, “New York City is the most diverse city in the world and each season prior to casting, the CFDA communicates with the industry asking it to celebrate that diversity on the runway. The CFDA supports and recognizes the work of Bethann Hardison, having held an industry town hall on the topic with her last year. We see great support from our members and look at Zac Posen’s recent show as an example of a diverse runway.”

The group’s work is not in vain. As this year’s Diversity Report proves, change is coming ever so slowly with New York leading the charge. 

(click to view full infographic)

RACE

For the Fall 2016 season, we examined 312 shows and 8,727 model castings from New York, London, Paris and Milan. Less than 25 percent of the models cast were models of color. For all four cities combined, 75.25 percent of the models cast were white and 24.75 percent were models of color. This is a slight improvement from Spring 2016, which was 77.6 percent white and Fall 2015, which was 80 percent white.

New York was by far the most diverse city for the Fall 2016 season (31.9 percent models of color) followed distantly by Paris (21.9 percent models of color). Over the past four seasons, New York has consistently been the most diverse city with steady improvements in castings of models of color. This season’s percentage is up from 28.4 percent for Spring 2016, 24.4 percent for Fall 2015 and 20.9 percent for Spring 2015. 

Milan and Paris have seen slight improvements season over season since Spring 2015. London is the only city that was actually less diverse for the Fall 2016 season than prior seasons (Spring 2016 and Fall 2015).

(click to view full infographic)

The shows that led the way in terms of inclusion were mostly in New York. First place honors go to Kanye West, who sent 100 percent models of color down the runway for Yeezy Season 3. Zac Posen came in second place with an 87 percent diversity score, an increase from his 61.9 percent ranking in Fall 2015. At Chromat, 85 percent of models were nonwhite, up from 70 percent the prior season. Not far behind was Sophie Theallet, who cast 54 percent models of color, a slight decrease from the brand’s Spring 2016 ranking (60 percent), but a significant jump from its Fall 2015 score (5.3 percent). 

Despite the industry-wide call for diversity, some designers failed to hire any models of color. For the second season in a row, Junya Watanabe and Comme des Garçons had entirely whitewashed lineups. Balenciaga cast only 1 model of color out of 44 and Ann Demeulemeester hired 1 model of color out of 25, a dismal improvement from the Fall 2015 season when the brand hired no models of color. 

(click to view full infographic)

Two major shows, Saint Laurent and Yigal Azrouël, were only 5 percent diverse. Saint Laurent is a repeat offender. In Spring 2016, the Saint Laurent runway was less than 7 percent diverse and in Fall 2015, it was only 7.1 percent diverse.

Given these findings, it’s no surprise that among the top 10 models with the most bookings for the Fall 2016 season, 8 out of 10 were white. Only two models of color made this season’s in-demand list: Lineisy Montero and Sora Choi.

PLUS-SIZE

Sophie Theallet Fall 2016; Image: Imaxtree

Body diversity continued to lag far behind racial inclusion. At all the shows in New York, Paris, Milan and London, there were only six plus-size model appearances. That’s a significant regression from Spring 2016, which saw 14 plus-size model appearances.

At New York Fashion Week, Denise Bidot and Sabina Karlsson walked in Chromat and Candice Huffine and Marquita Pring made an appearance at Sophie Theallet. In Paris, Ashley Graham and Myla Dalbesio modeled for H&M Studio. 

Plus-size models were the least represented group for the Fall 2016 season. 

AGE

Yeezy Season 3; Image: Imaxtree

This season, 11 aged models walked the runway. Notably, veteran supermodel Veronica Webb walked for Yeezy Season 3 and Sophie Theallet in New York, while Pat Cleveland walked for H&M Studio and Redemption in Paris. This marked an increase in representation as there were only five aged model appearances in Spring 2016. 

TRANSGENDER

H&M Studio Fall 2016; Image: Imaxtree

For Fall 2016, eight transgender models were cast at Fashion Weeks in New York, Paris and London. That’s a slight increase from the Spring 2016 season, which saw five transgender model castings in total. Milan is the only city that did not cast any plus-size, transgender or aged models. 

A shift toward inclusion on the runway was seen most palpably at H&M Studio. Among the cast that walked at the Swedish fashion chain’s presentation, transgender, nonwhite, plus-size and aged models all felt at home on the runway. When asked about the theme of the collection, Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M creative advisor, said, “This collection is about the strength and beauty of women, and how we express that power through our style.” 

If only more designers viewed diversity as one of society’s greatest strengths, we could continue making progress in the fashion industry both on and off the runway. 

With additional reporting from Benedikte Bergevik.

Models of color were categorized as those who appear to be nonwhite or of mixed backgrounds. Models included in the Latin category are classified as nonwhite Latins who do not appear to be strongly Afro-Latin. Models included in the Other category are classified as nonwhite models of mixed or unidentified backgrounds.

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Now that the last model stepped off the runway at Paris Fashion Week, we’re looking back to see who dominated the catwalk this season. In our roundup of the top 10 models of Fashion Month, there are plenty of names you’ll recognize (like the Pavlova twins) along with a few others making the list for the very first time.

While the models listed are each uniquely beautiful, they’re not racially diverse. Eight out of ten of the season’s top models are white. Only one black model and one Asian model made the Fall 2016 list.

These sobering stats are in line with our diversity report, which found that people of color accounted for less than 25% of all the models walking at Fashion Weeks in New York, Paris, Milan and London.

As we celebrate the success of the ten busiest models of the season, we can’t help but advocate for better representation for all women moving forward. Stay tuned for our official diversity report launching this week. In the meantime, check out the most in-demand models of the season in the slideshow above.

[ Next: Top 10 Models of Spring 2016 Fashion Month ]

Images: Imaxtree

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