11 Models That Prove There Are No Beauty Standards Anymore

Confidence is one of the most beautiful traits a person can have. And supermodels know this fact very well. Let’s take for example Armine Harutyunyan. Despite the fact that people debate her unconventional look, she believed in herself and she became the very first Armenian model to ever walk for Gucci. And today you most definitely don’t have to be a size 0 to be a beloved model — Katya Zharkova is proof of that, you can check her out below. What we are trying to say is don’t let other people’s opinions define who you are.

That is why Bright Side wants to share these 11 gorgeous models with you who broke the stereotype of beauty and became an inspiration to people all over the world. And we have a fun bonus for you at the end of this article. Just remember, we are all beautiful.

1. Ellia Sophia

Ellia Sophia, born as Ellia Sophia Coggins, definitely stands out because of her uncommon beauty. Her big wide eyes and small puffy lips remind you of the glam period of a long-gone Hollywood era, but she definitely knows how to emphasize her best qualities. Ellia is a well-established model with many editorial and runway appearances. She was one of the models for Gucci’s 2019 beauty campaign —where imperfections are celebrated, together with Dani Miller, Achok Majak, and Mae Lapres.

2. Jacalyn “Jacky” O’Shaughnessy

This silver-haired beauty shows that you don’t have to be 20 years old to make it in this industry. For Jacky O’Shaughnessy, age really is just a number and she’s rocked some of the most famous catwalks in the world. Besides modeling, Jacky is also an actor.

3. Bera Ivanishvili

Bera Ivanishvili, or simply Bera, is a Georgian singer and model. He is also breaking beauty standards, showing that he has embraced his albinism and he is proud of who he is. He is not the only albino in the family and Bera often does photoshoots together with his brother, Tsotne, who looks like a carbon copy of him.

4. Katya Zharkova

Katya Zharkova shows to all the women in the world that they too... can be a model. Katya is a Belarusian plus-size model and actress. She embraces her figure with a great confidence and she is a true promotor of the average body, breaking down the stereotype of models having to be a size 0.

5. Deborah Moreno

Deborah Moreno is a model from the Netherlands and her skin condition, vitiligo, did not prevent her from having a successful career in modeling. She is bold, beautiful, and confident, and she teaches other women to embrace their beauty, whatever it may be.

6. Melody Mikél

This American model shows the world that freckles are equally natural and beautiful. She has developed an amazing career and she is a true inspiration to everybody that shares her features.

7. Nathan Westling

Nathan Westling, formerly known and born as Natalie Westling, is a well-established American fashion model, that has walked in shows for big brands like Marc Jacobs, Prada, Christian Dior, Chanel, or Vera Wang. In 2019, he publicly came out as a transgender man and he is definitely an inspiring role model to everyone who is struggling with their identity.

8. Reshma Qureshi

Reshma Qureshi is a true inspiration for all the women that share her story. She walked the catwalk at New York Fashion Week in 2016 and her self-confidence is uplifting people all over the world. This Indian model is also a vlogger and an anti-acid activist, having a powerful voice and bringing awareness to cases like hers.

9. Marjan Jonkman

Marjan Jonkman is definitely a model that you do not see every day. Marjan is originally from the Netherlands and she was discovered on Instagram. Now she is on the list of the top 50 models in the whole world. She is considered atypical by many designers, managing to do wonders with feminine, masculine, or neutral clothes.

10. Armine Harutyunyan

Armine Harutyunyan is the very first Armenian model to appear in a Gucci fashion show. After this, she was also in the center of a body-shaming episode in Italy, where people were debating her unconventional appearance. Some would say that she does not fit into the regular “canon” of model beauty, but we admire Armine for being confident in her attractiveness and showing the world how beautiful she truly is.

11. Oyku Bastas

Oyku Bastas is another model with features you don’t see every day in a fashion magazine. That didn’t stop her from having a thriving career in the modeling world. She is also the first Turkish model to appear in a Gucci show.

BONUS: Shudu Gram

Dear Bright Side readers, please meet Shudu Gram. You may think she is just as real as she looks, but actually Shudu doesn’t exist. She is the world’s first digital supermodel. Although she is not a genuine person, her Instagram account has over 210k followers and she has done campaigns for famous brands like Balmain, Ferragamo, or Samsung. We definitely consider her a digital beauty.

Having a quick look at our list shows 2 common characteristics: they all believe in themselves and they embrace their “unusual” features. And we still think that the most beautiful trait is... confidence. What does beauty mean to you? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.