Clutch 2010 Model Roster

You’ve seen their faces on the runways of Paris or possibly noticed them in a center spread. If you haven’t, you will soon enough. These rising stars represent us; the multicultural woman, busting through the seams of a sometimes unchanging fashion industry.

Clutch takes a brief look at some of the women who are making fashion a bit lively – proving that diversity really is a beautiful thing.

1. Aminata Niaria – IMG

Nationality: Senegalese

Career Highlight: Strutted her stuff in the 2009 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

2. Gracie Carvalho – Marilyn Agency

Nationality: Brazilian

Career Highlight: Featured in two consecutive DKNY ad campaigns (F09 and SS10).

3. Jeneil Williams – New York Model Management

Nationality: Jamaican

Career Highlight: Vogue Italia’s “All Black” issue in 2008.

4. Joan Smalls – IMG

Nationality: Puerto Rican

Career Highlight: Equally successful in ad campaigns (six to date) as she is during fashion week.

5. Kinée Diouf – New York Model Management

Nationality: Senegalese

Career Highlight: Being the muse of Lanvin’s Creative Director, Alber Elbaz.

6. Lyndsey Scott – Click Agency

Nationality: American

Career Highlight: First black model used in the Calvin Klein Fall 2009 show – exclusively.

7. R’el Dade – Marilyn Agency

Nationality: American

Career Highlight: Exclusively booked for the 2009 Valentino Couture show.

8. Rose Cordero – Supreme Agency

Nationality: Dominican

Career Highlight: One of the cover girls for V magazine’s September 2009 issue.

9. Shu Pei – Next

Nationality: Chinese

Career Highlight: Walked in over 40 shows during the Spring/Summer 2010 collections.

10. Tao Okamoto – Supreme Agency

Nationality: Japanese

Career Highlight: Ralph Lauren Fall 2009 print campaign.

WILD CARD: Amber Rose– FORD Models

Nationality: Cape Verdean and Italian

Career Highlight: Spread in Elle’s October 2009 issue styled by Boyfriend Kanye West.