Models

The 11 Standout Models of Spring-Summer 2023

Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Coat Costume Fashion and Toshiko Akiyoshi

This season’s runways seemed to be brimming with Cinderella stories: A woman who was scouted on the street in Missouri as a young teenager made her runway debut for Proenza Schouler, a teenager cemented their remarkable transition from viral comedian on TikTok to bona fide high-fashion model, and a non-binary model strut for a slew of prestigious houses.

Some of the most exciting names were models who made their debuts a year or two ago. The move signals a commitment from designers to fostering exciting new talent. Below, a guide to eleven models who added memorable sparks to the season’s collections.

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    Photo: Courtesy of Courreges
    1/11

    Sun Mizrahi

    Age: 24
    Agency: Inch Models Management
    Hometown: Tel Aviv, Israel
    Season Highlights: Dior, Hermès, Botega Venetta, Fendi
    Instagram: @sunmizrahii

    Sun Mizrahi is the daughter of the Israeli former professional football player Alon Mizrahi, but she’s making a name for herself. She only started modeling a year ago and already has an impressively stacked résumé. She has fronted a campaign for Blue Marine and walked for Y Project, Lemaire, Fendi, and Botega Venetta. Her true breakthrough moment came when she opened Jacquemus’s Le Papier show, which took place in South France in June. Not too long after, she appeared in the ad campaign for the French designer’s buzzed about collaboration with sportswear giant Nike. This season she appeared in a whopping 23 shows—six of them being Dior, Hermès, Bottega Venetta, Fendi, Michael Kors, and Tommy Hilfiger.

  • Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com
    2/11

    Ava Christian

    Age: 18
    Agency: Mother Models
    Hometown: Wentzville, Missouri
    Season Highlights: Miu Miu, Fendi, Proenza Schouler
    Instagram: @avaa.christian

    This Midwest beauty was scouted four years ago—by the St. Louis–based agency Mother Models— but made her runway debut at Proenza Schouler this season. It was certainly worth the wait. The 18-year-old was the toast of fashion month, appearing in prestigious shows such as Miu Miu, Loewe, Lanvin, Fendi, and Sacai. Christian brought naturalistic confidence and beauty to every catwalk she graced, offering up soft visions of beauty. And don’t call her winning streak beginner’s luck. This Missourian is fast-becoming Europe’s cream of the crop. She certainly has staying power.

  • Photo: Daniele Oberrauch / Gorunway.com
    3/11

    Annemary Aderibigbe

    Age: 22
    Agency: Milk Management
    Hometown: Amsterdam, Netherlands
    Season Highlights: Tom Ford, YSL, Versace
    Instagram: @annemaryaderibigbe

    With a shoot for Vogue Scandinavia under her belt, Dutch model Annemarry Aderibigbe kicked off a knockout season by walking for Brandon Maxwell. During the European collections, she donned ’90s-flavored cornrows at Sacai and Victoria Beckham, and crinkled, almost wet hair for Ludovic de Saint Sernin. The elegant beauty appeared in an impressive 17 shows this season. We’re guessing she’ll easily beat this new personal record next season.

  • Photo: Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com
    4/11

    Abény Nhial

    Age: 22
    Agency: Que Models
    Hometown: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
    Season Highlights: Dior, Burberry, Hermès
    Instagram: @abenynhial

    Abény Nhial is already part of fashion history. The 22-year-old model, who was born in Brisbane and has South Sudanese heritage, appeared on the seminal cover of February’s British Vogue. The all-African cover was a powerful celebration of diversity, inclusion, and representation, and came only a year after Nhial made her Europe debut at Alexander McQueen as part of London Fashion Week. Nhial has masterfully rode the wave pushing her forward, working for Marc Jacobs, Area, and Burberry. Able to effortlessly match the codes of each house she works for, she embodied Parisian It girl at Dior Couture and then colorful glam at Zimmermann.

  • Photo: Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com
    5/11

    Alin Szewczyk

    Age: 22
    Agency: Uncover Models
    Hometown: Warsaw, Poland
    Season Highlights: Prada, Loewe, Louis Vuitton

    Fashion often operates as an escapist fantasy where societal rules and codes can be broken. But there can sometimes be, annoyingly, an antiquated approach to gender. One bright spot towards progress came in the form of Alin Szewczyk. They were serendipitously scouted not too far from Uncover’s offices in Warsaw and signed in June 2022. Szewczyk made their debut by closing out Prada’s spring 2023 show. Their grand tour continued over in Paris for Louis Vuitton and Loewe. They are part of a growing, and much-needed, wave of non-binary models walking in top bill shows—subtly pushing for a greater and more full-throated embrace of gender non-conformity within fashion.