Naomi Campbell

Naomi Elaine Campbell is one of the most recognizable women on Earth — a supermodel who broke racial barriers in fashion with an elegance and ferocity that left no room for denial. She was one of the original "Big Six" supermodels of the late 1980s and '90s (alongside Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer, and Kate Moss) and the first Black model to appear on the covers of French Vogue, British Vogue, and Time magazine.

Born in Streatham, South London, in 1970, Campbell was scouted at 15 while window-shopping in Covent Garden. By 18, she was the most in-demand model in the world. But her path was never easy — she has spoken openly about the racism she faced in the fashion industry, being passed over for campaigns and magazine covers because of her race, even at the height of her fame.

Campbell didn't just break barriers — she demanded that the industry address its systemic racism. When she was told that "Black models don't sell covers," she called out designers and magazines by name. She has campaigned for diversity in fashion for over three decades, mentored younger Black models, and raised millions for charitable causes across Africa and around the world. She remains an active model and philanthropist in her fifties, proving that excellence has no expiration date.