The Icons: Top 5 Models Who Defined the Runway
- Mimi Piqua
- Aug 19
- 6 min read
Supermodels are rare. Real supermodels? Even rarer. And in my eyes, only five women have earned the right to be called icons. These five women have a presence that can silence a runway and whose impact is felt far and wide in the fashion industry.
As a model myself I feel I have some credibility when it comes to name dropping & critiquing. I’ve been to countless fashion week castings for designers like Burberry, Simone Rocha, Zimmerman, and Alexander McQueen.
I’ll never forget the moment I was minutes away from being confirmed to walk Simone Rocha S/S 2024, when my agent phoned, six hours before the show, to say I hadn't been confirmed. The reason? Kelly Rutherford, the queen herself, Lily van der Woodsen, decided she wanted to walk and took my look. OUTRAGE! I was mortified at the time, but that’s the industry: gruelling, unpredictable, rejection-heavy.
Let’s take them one by one, a brief yet indulgent look at their careers and their best moments. You can make your own opinions on if they make it onto your top five.
5. Bella Hadid
Let’s start with the only new-generation face in my list,
Bella Hadid, because she’s the only one here still in the making of her legacy.
Bella is not yet a supermodel in my eyes. Don’t get me wrong, she’s super cool, but compared to the veterans in the other four spots? Not quite there yet.
She’s graced over 60 magazine covers (Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle), walked 400+ runways for houses like Chanel, Dior, and Versace, and starred in a staggering number of campaigns. I still remember the first time her walk, grace, and presence really stunned me - Virgil Abloh’s Off-White Fall 2021 show. In a simple blue mini dress, she owned the runway.
The face card? So strong I still get flashbacks.
She’s deeply connected to her fans and highly influential on social media, setting trends left, right, and centre with her cowgirl-chic-boho aesthetic. Being Gigi’s sister gave her a boost early on, but some would argue Bella’s impact has surpassed her sibling’s.
Fave Bella Moment: The Coperni spray dress. Live. On the runway. It was nothing short of breathtaking, the first of its kind. I watched the behind the scenes interview filmed beforehand. She was surprised it would be fabric, not paint. The entire nation was stunned at how the latex material sprayed, set, and became wearable in real time. Magic.
4. Yasmeen Ghauri
The queen herself. She is so underrated. I first discovered her while reading the Chanel catwalk book, in a black sequined mini dress cut to accentuate her waist. It stood out to me when I was about 14 and since has become one of my favourite runway looks.
She walked over 200 shows for names like Chanel, Versace, and Prada, owning the ’90s era. She may not be talked about like “The Big Six,” but I’d happily debate that she could have turned the Big Six into the Big Seven.
Lower stats? Sure. But quality over quantity, as every UK English teacher says.
Her early retirement from the spotlight also makes her shorter stint in the modelling world even more impactful because she made her mark and retired at 27. Goals. Even with her lower stats she still made time for over 40 covers for Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and more.
Fave Yasmeen Moment: John Galliano is one of my favourite designers of all time. His influence on the industry is exceptional and his design for Yasmeen as Cleopatra. ICONIC. John Galliano’s A/W 1997 show displayed Yasmeen as Queen Cleopatra. The fringe, the black bob, the golden gown. As a designer myself the craftsmanship is divine. Honourable mention to that Chanel black sequin dress - her stance, her body, and most impressively, her face. Her face is one of the best I've ever seen in the industry.
Whoever scouted her. Well done.
3. Naomi Campbell
800+ runways. Over 500 covers. Honestly, is there a designer she hasn’t walked for? Naomi, send me your contact details for when i have my own label xox. Got to give it to the girl, she is a supermodel. Her walk is dubbed joint best in the industry by none other than Anna Wintour. And i couldn't agree more.
The first black model on the cover of Vogue France - and the start of many after her. Her activism and charity work is admirable and I am in awe of how she uses her platform for so much positive change - particularly for the Black community in fashion.
Her inner circle is as iconic as her career, muse to Gianni Versace, dear friend to André Leon Talley - one of my favourite figures within the industry. The man knew everyone, was everything, and seemingly could handle everything too. If André loved you, you were the real deal.
Fave Naomi Moment: The infamous 1993 Vivienne Westwood fall at the CFDA Awards. Towering platforms, a tumble, and a recovery that became fashion history. She took it like a champ and it rewarded her. And of course, she’s part of the original Big Six - automatic top-five material.
2. Shalom Harlow
With a name like Shalom Harlow, she was always destined for fame. Her walk carries a weight in the industry, even Anna Wintour lists her and Naomi as the best walks to grace the fashion industry ever.
She’s walked over 150 runways, but every one was for the crème de la crème, walking year after year for designers such as McQueen, Versace, Chanel. Over 30 covers, including W, and an unmatched ability to pose with fluid, almost dancer-like grace. Which is very difficult to master.
Her face card again is mesmerising, as are all 5 of the girls. I mean they are models, come on. However Shalom’s face is definitely distinctly unique to me. She definitely won the genetic lottery.
Her walk needs its own paragraph for sure. She manages to walk as if she is fluid, almost with a dancer-like movement that definitely made her stand out on the runway. One of my favourite moments of hers is the walk she did at Todd Oldham’s SS95 show. When she walked in front of Amber Valletta during the show. Shalom, accidentally walked faster and jokingly told Amber to "keep up." They then turned in unison, creating the iconic moment many think of when thinking of Shalom!
Fave Shalom Moment: The McQueen robot arms in S/S 1999. Obviously!! I mean she was literally painted by a robot. She walked out in a plain white dress, the robotic arms sprayed her with paint. She said herself she, “walked, almost staggered, up to the audience and splayed myself in front of them with complete abandon and surrender.” Her ability to story tell and diversify herself with whichever designer she is working for is one of my favourite things about her.
1. Gisele Bündchen
Top spot. That’s not handed out lightly around here. So let’s uncover what makes Gisele my number one pick.
Over 350 runways walked for the biggest names - Gucci, Versace, Chanel, and of course Victoria’s Secret, where she reigned from 2000–2007. In one fashion week alone? She walked 37 shows. Almost unmatched.
Her signature ‘horse walk’, hips forward, shoulders back, fierce stomp, was so distinct that designers booked her purely for that movement. And to the models still trying to replicate it ... let it go.
She broke records, not just on the runway but as the world’s highest-earning model for 14 years straight. Forbes’ #1 from 2002 to 2016. Icon behaviour.
Discovered in a São Paulo mall at only 14. She speaks a staggering six languages (Portuguese, English, Spanish, Italian, French, and German). Credited with ending the 90s “heroin chic” era, ushering in strong, healthy beauty to the runway. Queen of inclusivity.
The list goes on and on, off the runway? She is a passionate environmental advocate, serving as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme since 2009. Extra brownie points from me.
Fave Gisele Moment: Too many to name. But her business smarts deserve their own applause, launching brands, writing a best-selling memoir, negotiating contracts on her own terms (including the legendary “no bare glutes” Victoria’s Secret clause). If I had to choose? The Polaroid dress - literally made of photos of herself. My dream. Oh, and her The Devil Wears Prada cameo. Is there anything she can’t do?
She has been labelled the “model of models” by fellow supermodels like Naomi Campbell who have publicly praised her work ethic and business smarts - a rarity in an overwhelmingly competitive industry.
She is the only übermodel to ever exist. And that alone earns her the crown.
These five aren’t just beautiful faces, they’re forces. They’ve turned runways into theatre, campaigns into cultural shifts, they’ve started and ended trends, and turned moments into history. Maybe your list is different. That’s the beauty of fashion - the debate is half the fun.
With love, mimi
xox
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