Skip to main content
X
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 23: Naomi Campbell attends Chopard ART Evening at the Martinez on May 23, 2023 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Chopard)
Naomi Campbell Getty Images for Chopard

Naomi Campbell 

Naomi Campbell is one of the biggest supermodels of all time, and has walked runways for major designers and brands, including Versace, Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Yves Saint Laurent, Burberry, Tommy Hilfiger, Jean Paul Gaultier and Oscar de la Renta. 

She received the Fashion Icon Award from the CFDA in 2018, a beauty contract with Nars cosmetics and in 2023, became a face of the Victoria's Secret Icons collection.  

Campbell has been gracing runways and magazine covers ever since her modeling career started when she was 15 years old. Before that, she had intended on becoming a dancer, and trained in ballet.  

Campbell's mother, Valerie Morris, was a modern dancer, and at three years old, Campbell began attending the Barbara Speake Stage School. At eight, she appeared in the music video for Bob Marley's "Is This Love" and at 10, she was admitted to the Italia Conti Academy of Arts to study ballet.  

On her path to becoming a ballerina, Campbell was scouted by Beth Boldt of Synchro Model Agency, and shortly after that, appeared on the cover of British Elle.  

That cover catapulted Campbell's modeling career, and not long after that, she began walking the runways at Milan and Paris Fashion Week. By the late '80s she was so popular that she became part of what was known as "The Trinity" — the three most in-demand supermodels in the world. 

Campbell also broke racial barriers: In December 1987, she became the first Black model on a British Vogue cover since 1966; in 1989, Campbell made history again as the first Black model on the cover of the September issue of American Vogue; In 1997, Campbell became the first Black model to open a show for Prada.  

Campbell has taken on small acting roles in TV and film, including on "Miami Rhapsody," "Girl 6" and "New York Undercover." She even had a recurring role on the hit primetime series "Empire" for two seasons, where she played fashion designer Camilla Marks. 

She's also worked in reality television for modeling competition series "The Face," alongside Coco Rocha and Karolina Kurkova.  

Today, Campbell continues to model and has strutted the catwalk at London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks. She also appeared in the Apple TV+ documentary "The Super Models," chronicling the careers of Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Turlington and Evangelista.  

Campbell will be the subject of the Victoria and Albert Museum's solo summer exhibition in 2024. 

Naomi Campbell

Empire’s Bryshere ‘Yazz’ Gray on Naomi Campbell and Season Two’s Soundtrack

The 21-year-old actor, who plays the youngest Lyon son Hakeem on FOX's smash hit, chats with WWD ahead of the…

LACMA Art + Film Gala 2015: Leonardo DiCaprio, Salma Hayek, Reese Witherspoon

The Gucci-sponsored event honored Alejandro González Iñárritu and James Turrell.

Gigi Hadid and Naomi Campbell Party in Lucien Smith’s ‘Macabre Suite’

The fashion flock headed to the South Bronx for Lucien Smith's warehouse art party, Macabre Suite.

On ‘American Horror Story,’ a Model Guest Star: Naomi Campbell

Lou Eyrich, costumer designer for "American Horror Story," discusses dressing Naomi Campbell for her role as…

Fashion 4 Development’s First Ladies Luncheon is a Call to Action

Through its partnership with Sustainia, F4D will take part in the upcoming World Climate Summit by staging a…

London Fashion Week Closes With Parties on Downing and Dover Streets

Samantha Cameron, Victoria Beckham host two separate events at close of shows.

Duran Duran Plays Michael Kors’ Fashion Week Party

Naomi Campbell, Kate Upton, Alessandra Ambrosio and more wore their shiniest outfits for the occasion.

Douglas Elliman Gets Elevated

Douglas Elliman's Elevate magazine covers everything from Victoria Beckham to a triumvirate of young models.