Tyson Beckford – top male model of the 1990s and 2000s, actor and host of Bravo's Make Me a Supermodel. Beckford was the first African-American model to sign an exclusive contract with Ralph Lauren.[2] In 1995, he was chosen as "Man of the Year" by cable television music network Vh1 and named to People's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World list.[2]
Maria Borges – Angolan model who booked 17 shows during her first season since being discovered back in 2012. Borges has since walked for Dior and Givenchy, even referring to the fashion house's Creative Director Riccardo Tisci as her "godfather". In 2013, 2014, and 2015 she walked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Cindy Bruna – French model of Congolese and Italian descent, who has appeared on the runways of DVF, Ralph Lauren, and Donna Karan. Bruna is the third woman of color to ever appear in a Prada print campaign.
Naomi Campbell – British model of Jamaican descent who was the first to grace the covers of French Vogue Paris (August 1988 issue) and Time magazine (TIME Magazine Europe 9/18/91), and the second for the cover of British Vogue (December 1987 issue).
Chase Carter – Bahamian model of biracial heritage, she has been on the cover of Maxim.
Dorothea Church – African-American pioneering model. She was the first successful black fashion model in Paris.
Nadège du Bospertus – French model who was the muse of Gianni Versace and Giorgio Armani in the early '90s.
Khoudia Diop – Senegalese model who calls herself the "Melanin Goddess" because of her dark skin tone.[4]
Waris Dirie – Somalian model active in the late '80s and early '90s who is also an activist against female circumcision.She appeared in the Pirelli Calendar with a sixteen year old Naomi Campbell. She wrote a book "The Desert flower", adapted in a movie, her role played by Liya Kebede.
Paloma Elsesser – British-born African-American model, also of Chilean and Swiss descent. She has been on the cover of British Vogue and muse to Pat McGrath.
Tomiko Fraser – African-American fashion model and actress. Best known for being the face of Maybelline as well as her role in the movie, Head Over Heels.
Malaika Firth – Kenyan model from London. First black model to appear in a Prada campaign in 19 years.
Ubah Hassan - Somalian-Canadian model and business woman who started her long career with a Ralph Lauren campaign. Then she worked with the best designers/photographers. She is one of the stars in RHONY.
Marsha A. Hunt – African-American model, singer, novelist, and actress.
Whitney Houston - second African-American model to appear on the cover of Seventeen (November 1981) and first black singer to appear on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar (January 1996).
Beverly Johnson – first African-American to grace the covers of American Vogue (August 1974 issue) and French Elle (1975). However, Johnson is the second black model to grace the cover of a Vogue publication after Donyale Luna whose face was partially hidden on cover of British Vogue due to her race.[6]
Kidada Jones – African-American actress, model, and fashion designer. Appeared in Tommy Hilfiger advertisements, and dated Tupac Shakur at the time of his death.
Liya Kebede – Ethiopian-born model, maternal health advocate, clothing designer and actress. She has appeared on the cover of Vogue three times.
Jayne Kennedy – American television personality, actress, model, corporate spokeswoman, producer, writer, public speaker, philanthropist, beauty pageant titleholder and sports broadcaster. Kennedy won a 1982 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture award for her performance as Julie Winters in the 1981 film Body and Soul co-starring alongside her then–husband Leon Isaac Kennedy.
Kenya Kinski-Jones – American model and daughter of musician Quincy Jones and German model-actress Nastassja Kinski. She has modeled for Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney, Chanel, and appeared in Vogue.
Katiti Kironde – first African-American covergirl of a women's magazine in the Glamour August 1968 college issue.
Noémie Lenoir – French 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 and was a Victoria's Secret Angel.
Mayowa Nicholas – A model who won Nigeria's round of Elite Model Look back in 2014, but Fall 2016 was her breakout season. Appearing on the runway of Miu Miu alongside Adriana Lima; and walking the shows of Dior and Prada.[3]
Daisi Pollard – Crowned Miss Jamaica International in 2005.
Lais Ribeiro – Brazilian model. In 2009, she started modelling locally and shortly afterwards walked the major international catwalks for such designers as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, and Marc Jacobs. In 2015, she became a Victoria's Secret Angel.
Fatima Siad - The Somalian-American started her model career in American Next Top Model Cycle 10, she didn't win but she worked immediately in the industry. She landed a Ralph Lauren campaign, she worked with Etam in Paris, she made the Paris Haute Couture shows each years, catalogs, ads.
Kimora Lee Simmons – American fashion model, author, and former president and Creative Director for Phat Fashions. She is of African-American and Japanese heritage.
Naomi Sims – model of the late 1960s and 1970s. The first African-American model to appear on the cover of Ladies Home Journal and Life Magazine in the 1960s. She later went on to write beauty books and created her own line of cosmetics and wigs.
B. Smith – Pennsylvania native began her career with the Ebony Fashion Show and went on to grace the cover of Mademoiselle in July 1976. Currently a successful entrepreneur.
Toukie Smith – African-American actress and model. Sister of late fashion designer Willi Smith and former long-term partner of actor Robert De Niro.
Veronica Webb – first Black model who signed 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.