Meet the first-time models making history at Prada
This season's casting also saw a record number of trans and non-binary models made their fashion week debut
Prada consistently sets the standard way beyond its clothes. This extends to the brand's models, who become avatars of The New Cool with help from hair maestro Guido Palau and make-up royalty Pat McGrath, and who often launch their careers in the process. Past models who made their debut on the Prada runway include supermodels like Karolina Kurkova, Sasha Pivovarova, and Gemma Ward, along with current style idols like Lineisy Monteiro and Anok Yai. (Even Behati Prinsloo started her career with a Prada push in 2006.)
The brand took its newbie obsession even further when Simons joined the brand as co-creative director in 2020, and he and Mrs. Prada cast their entire debut spring 2021 show with runway first-timers. (The pendulum swung back in 2022, with legends like Liya Kebede and Erin O'Conn0r swishing past social media goddesses Kaia Gerber and Kendall Jenner, not to mention a stealth Jeff Goldblum appearance at the men's show this past January.) This brings us to now — September 2022, which gave us a Prada catwalk locked and loaded for the revolution. Here's a primer on Prada's most recent catwalk debuts, including multiple trans women and non-binary models. Learn their names and power stares now, and get ready to see lots more of them in your Instagram feed this season.
Katy Grammatikopoulou
You may recognise the doll-faced trans influencer Katy Grammatikopoulou, aka Katy Gramma, from her YouTube videos – including the viral Pantene series, "Hair has no gender". Here she is looking breathtaking on her very first catwalk, and a bit like Sharon Tate in Valley of the Dolls.
Aitiola Akilola
This Nigerian teen was scouted in Lagos last year. She made her runway debut less than a year later at one of the biggest fashion brands in the world.
Ji ShuYan
Can the bubble hem return to the height of its 2006 supremacy? It just might thanks to Ji ShuYan, the brand new model from Shanghai who made her first-ever runway appearance in Milan wearing this perfect cloud of a mini dress.
Taira
Taira makes their second Prada appearance after walking in Simons' and Mrs. Prada's show two years ago and fronting that collection's campaign. They're also a fashion columnist who writes frequently about the intersection between gender and beauty. Hailing from Hokkaido, they're frequently featured by our sister publication in Tokyo.
Samu Happonen
It turns out this writer and artist has been practicing to wear these Prada lashes for a while. The Finnish creative is also the soul inside Love, Rebecca, the self-described "young trans drag queen" from Scandinavia whose signature look is a black, feathered eye.
Bella Berghoef
An Amsterdam gallery hopper who frequently shares art essays on her Instagram, this Prada exclusive is also a trans pride activist.
Hunter Pifer
After signing to a modelling agency in Chicago, Pifer went viral on TikTok for speaking out about trans rights in today's very divided America. Now she's an official Prada face.
Laisha Figuereo
Besides being a Prada runway debut, this Dominican model is a recent graduate of Instituto Politécnico Loyola, an engineering school in San Cristobal that also has English and French language programs.
C. Boy Ewald
If you watch Swedish teen dramas, you likely already know about this rising Scandinavian TV star. If not, meet C. Boy Ewald, the young blonde ingenue currently appearing in Håber du kom godt hjem, which is Swedish for "Hope you got home safe".
Alin Szewczyk
A graduate of the University of Warsaw, Alin is a non-binary actor, artist, and welder. They were the closing model for Prada's spring 2023 show, making them officially one to watch.
Colin Jones
Is this the second coming of Lara Stone? This blonde American model was a showstopper at Prada — her first Milan show ever — which is a pretty big deal, considering she only graduated high school four months ago. She's also a vocal trans rights advocate and frequently posts about her own journey to help other children and their families.
Celeste Fitzpatrick
Celeste Fitzpatrick is a 20-year-old from Belfast who likes to keep things real online.
Melissa Hanselaar
She's studying fashion in Amsterdam, but this college student is also a track star with the Jacchalzen Run Pack, a Netherlands club team.
Noor Van Britsom
What do Gigi Hadid and this Belgian newbie have in common? Two things, actually. They both had Prada runway moments (Gigi in 2019, Noor this week) and they both played elite volleyball before becoming fashion folk — Gigi in California, and Noor with a club team in Grimbergen.
Lieke Woltjer
We were very impressed that Dutch teen Lieke can walk her first Prada runway while handling Pat McGrath's incredible lash sculptures, and make it look easy.
Sophia Lisboa
She's lived in Argentina and Brazil, but this model first stepped onto a catwalk 11,811 kilometres from home. It was Prada, so that seems like a very wise choice.
Watch Next
Inside Dior's star-studded New York show
Celine celebrates the Sixties with new collection
The Tove founders on timeless style
Paris Fashion Week: front row and parties
