Model Spotlight: Jourdan Dunn

 

Not many women who make a living as models have spoken out on their quarrels with the modeling industry; bur Jourdan Dunn is an exceptional case.

Born in London in 1990 Jourdan was discovered while browsing a store in her hometown in 2006, and before the Londonite could adjust to teetering heels, she was featured in a multitude of runway shows, including Prada’s where she was the first black model to grace the Prada runway in over 10 years. The next year, Jourdan was featured on the cover of Italian Vogue and in the same month was featured in an editorial for American Vogue.

During the height of her modeling career, Jourdan gave birth to her first child, Riley (who suffers from Sickle-cell), in December of 2009, but not before she walked the spring Jean Paul Gaultier show in Paris, while notably pregnant.

Fashion Timeline:

2006

Discovered while shopping with a friend in Primark

Signs with Storm Management in London

2007

Signs with Women Management

Debuts at the fall Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, and Salvatore Ferragamo shows in New York and Milan

Appears in Allure editorial

Featured on British Vogue.com as a “new star”

Walks the spring Alexander McQueen and Hermès shows in Paris

2008

Closes the fall Duro Olowu show in London

Becomes the first black model to walk for Prada in over ten years

Appears in Dazed & Confused editorial

Style.com features Dunn as a top ten newcomer 

Escorts Peter Som to the Costume Institute Gala, wearing Bill Blass

Appears in editorials for i-D and French Vogue

British Vogue features Dunn and her “high street” style

Appears in Vogue, British and Italian Vogue

Walks the Givenchy and Jean Paul Gaultier couture shows in Paris

Dunn featured on the cover of POP

Closes the spring Rodarte, Ossie Clark, and Alexander McQueen shows in New York, London, and Paris

Opens Matthew Williamson’s last collection for Pucci in Milan

British Fashion Council nominates Dunn for Model of the Year, along with Agyness Deyn and Lily Donaldson

Wins Model of the Year by British Fashion Council 

Featured on the cover of French Elle

2009

Appears in Vogue editorial, photographed by David Sims

Walks the spring Chanel, Christian Dior, Givenchy, and Jean Paul Gaultier couture shows in Paris

Appears in two editorials for Vogue

Opens the fall Jason Wu, Oscar de la Renta, Vivienne Westwood, Issa, and Giambattista Valli shows in New York, London, and Paris

Closes the fall Oscar de la Renta, Barbie, Thakoon, Betty Jackson, Twenty8Twelve, and Issa shows in New York and London

Appears in editorials for Vogue, Japanese Vogue, British Vogue, Italian Vogue, Russian Vogue and Teen Vogue. 

Vogue announces Dunn’s pregnancy 

Walks the spring Jean Paul Gaultier show in Paris, while pregnant

Gives birth to son 

2010

Makes a runway appearance at the fall Aquascutum show in London

Appears in Vogue editorial twice

Closes the spring Lanvin show in Paris, alongside Melodie Monrose, Ajak, Ataui Deng, and Jeneil Williams

2011

Becomes the face of Burberry

Signs cosmetics contract with Yves Saint Laurent

Opens for the fall Burberry and Zac Posen shows in Milan and New York

Appears in an all-black spread for Italian Vogue, alongside Sessilee Lopez and Chanel Iman

Appears in editorials for V, Vogue, French Vogue and British Vogue 

Featured on the spring cover of i-D magazine

Appears in Numero editorial

Models for the Burberry fall ad campaign

Appears in Dazed & Confused editorial

Featured on the winter cover of i-D

2012

Appears in W editorial, photographed by Emma Summerton

Appears in editorials for Vogue and W

Jourdan is famous for speaking her mind when it comes to the omission of black models on the runway, during a cover story for I-D Magazine saying “There are loads of black models working and the idea that there’s only a few of us, or four of us, to let in as top models at any one time is just bullshit.”

She also took to her Twitter page backstage at a fashion show and tweeted “I swear some people need to learn how to do black hair/skin.”

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