(Image credit: Getty images)
By Marina Liao
published
We can throw out the names of the top female supermodels in our sleep, but who are the equivalents of Gisele Bündchen and Naomi Campbell in the men's modeling world? That would be the likes of Sean O'Pry and David Gandy, who once humbly dismissed hissupermodel title, saying, "I would sort of just rather be called at the top of the game."
Our list of top male models doesn't stop with those two, though. There are plenty of men out there, of all ages, that have achieved the highly coveted status as a top model. From their faces to chiseled abs on the runway, we just can't seem to look away. Get acquainted with the most famous male models to date, ahead.
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Alton Mason
The Nebraska-born model got his start as a dancer (he performed with Diddy at the 2015 BET Awards), then took on the fashion world. He’s walked for nearly every major designer, from Gucci to Michael Kors to Givenchy, and memorably performed flips at the Louis Vuitton menswear show (which Virgil Abloh then recreated in store window displays). Next up, Mason will take on film, playing Little Richard in the biopic Elvis, directed by Baz Luhrmann.
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Jordan Barrett
Discovered at age 14 in his native Australia, Barrett has been an It model for years. Barrett has walked the runway and starred in editorials for designers including BOSS, Versace, Balmain, Tommy Hilfiger, and countless others, and was named the Breakout Model of the Year by Models.com in 2015. In 2021, he married Fernando Casablancas, son of modeling agent John Casablancas.
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Tyson Beckford
Beckford shot to fame after being discovered by an editor of hip-hop magazineThe Sourceback in 1991. He went on to land a modeling gig with Ralph Lauren's Polo Sport fragrance campaign, thereby kicking offhis runway careerand he achieved the same level of fame as the'90s female supermodels. He has since diversified his portfolio to include acting and hosting, and maintains an active Instagram presence.
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Mark Vanderloo
Vanderloo is synonymous with the modeling industry in the ‘90s. The Dutch model reportedly walked up to 50 shows a week during his heyday, and was named Male Model of the Year at the 1995 VH1 Fashion and Music Awards. And yes, if you’re curious, the character Derek Zoolander’s name is loosely based on Vanderloo’s.
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Lucky Blue Smith
He was scouted at the age of 10 and signed to a modeling agency by 12 years old.The Cut, in 2015, notablydubbed him"the One Direction of male models." Lucky Blue Smith, who is now 21, has walked in runways for Chanel, Fendi, Jeremy Scott, and Tom Ford to name a few. He has also appeared in ad campaigns for Calvin Klein, Moncler, L'Oreal, and more. The model has millions of followers onInstagram alone and is also dad to three kids, including daughters Gravity Blue and Rumble Honey, and son Slim Easy.
(Image credit: Anna Webber/Getty Images for IMG)
Zach Miko
Miko made headlines when he signed with IMG Models in 2016, making him the agency’s—and the fashion industry’s—first real male plus-size star. He went on to work for labels like Gap, Dolce & Gabbana, and Belk. And in 2021, he launched his own swimwear and clothing line, Meekos, with sizes ranging up to 9XL.
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Brad and Hudson Kroenig
The model is best known for being Karl Lagerfeld's muse and maintaining a super-close relationship with the designer until his death.The New York Timesonce wrote, "As the most senior and prominent member of a group of male models often referred to as Karl's Boys, Brad not only works for Chanel and Fendi...but also accompanies [Lagerfeld] on yearly vacations to St. Tropez and work trips and to parties worldwide." The two have such a special bond that Lagerfeld was named godfather toKroenig's son Hudson, the little boy who often appeared next to Lagerfeld during his runway bows.
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Armando Cabral
The model was born in Guinea-Bissau, raised in Portugal, and is now based in New York. Cabral started modeling in 2001 and in 2006 was signed to IMG. He's walked in shows for Louis Vuitton, Dior Homme, Thierry Mugler, and has fronted campaigns for the likes of Balmain. Outside of the modeling world, Cabral launched his eponymous footwear brand, tellingForbes,"When I was modeling full-time I always said, 'If I ever have the opportunity, I would like to start my own brand.' I started developing the concept of my shoe brand in 2008." You can shop hisfashion line.
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David Gandy
The British model was scouted from a televised model-search competition and went on to work as the lead male model for brands like Dolce & Gabbana. Here, Gandy is pictured shirtless while walking down D&G's winter/fall 2010 runway. Aside from modeling, he has contributed as a writer to BritishVogueand BritishGQin addition to becoming a brand ambassador and investor inSavile Row Gin.
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Sean O'Pry
O'Pry was discovered in 2006 through his MySpace prom photos when he was 17 years old by Nolé Marin. He has appeared in numerous campaigns from Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren to Versace and Bottega Veneta, and opened shows for Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, and Salvatore Ferragamo. Aside from walking the runways, the model has appeared in music videos such as Madonna's "Girl Gone Wild" and Taylor Swift's "Blank Space," where he played her love interest.
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Hu Bing
Bing kicked off his modeling career in the '90s, winning the "Top Chinese Male Model" title in 1991 and, later, became the first Chinese male model to walk the international fashion runway. He's worked with fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, and Valentino before transitioning to acting where he starred in a series calledLove Talks. Fun fact: Hu Bing was a former member of the Chinese National Rowing Team.
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Jon Kortajarena
The model's mentor is none other than Tom Ford. "Before I started working with Tom, I was thinking about quitting modeling," said Kortajarena in a2018 interview. "He saw in me what nobody else saw before. He taught me about how the industry works, what people expect from a model, what masculinity means." Kortajarena has been photographed by the likes of Steven Meisel and high fashion creds include walking for Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, John Galliano, and Chanel.
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Mathias Lauridsen
Lauridsen is a Danish model who broke into the industry when he debuted at Marc by Marc Jacobs in New York and Miu Miu in Paris for the spring 2004 collections. Since then, his fashion résumé includes shooting with high-caliber photographers such as Steven Meisel, Karl Lagerfeld, and Patrick Demarchelier. In addition, Lauridsen has appeared in fashion campaigns for Prada, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, and Burberry.
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Marcus Schenkenberg
Schenkenberg is best known for modeling for Calvin Klein, where he shot mostly nude CK campaigns in the early '90s. This opened up a path for him to work with the likes of Giorgio Armani, Versace, and Donna Karan. He's also known for having dated A-listers like Mariah Carey, Pamela Anderson, and Nicky Rothschild.
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Luka Sabbat
Sabbat was discovered when he was 15 by ReQuest Model Management. He's modeled for everyone from Calvin Klein to Dolce & Gabbana, acted in shows likeGrown-ish,and is a street style star/social media influencer for theGen Z crowd. Sabbat is close friends with model Kendall Jenner and was even rumored to have had a fling withKourtney Kardashian.
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Noah Mills
Mills is both a model and actor. He started modeling in 2001 and made his runway debut for Gucci and Saint Laurent in 2004. Since then, he's appeared in everything, from a Dolce & Gabbana fragrance campaign to films such asSex and the City 2andThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
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Evandro Soldati
Named byForbesas one of the world's most "successful male models," Soldati got his start when his mom signed him up for a Ford contest in his native Brazil. His modeling creds include working for the likes of Louis Vuitton, Valentino, and Guess. He was the main male model for Giorgio Armani ads in 2007 and Armani Jeans ads in 2008. You can follow Soldati on his adventures via hisInstagram.
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Johannes Huebl
Huebl started his modeling career at the age of 17. He has been featured in campaigns for Hugo Boss and Ralph Lauren in addition to collaborating with photographers like Peter Lindbergh. Huebl's even gifted behind the cameras, having shot covers forElleSpain,Harper's BazaarMexico andGrazia Qatar. You can regularly spot the model rubbing elbows with fashion's elite at runway shows and talking a walk around NYC with his equally as fashionable wife, Olivia Palermo.
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Adam Senn
Born Edward Adam Senn, Senn has consistently served as a model for Dolce & Gabbana and has pursued acting at the same time. He's appeared in shows likeLaw & Order: Special Victims Unitand was known for playing Zero, a bisexual basketball player, on VH1'sHit the Floor. He is currently signed withTwo Management (Los Angeles) IMG (NYC), Select Model Management (London) and Why Not Model Management (Milan). The model also co-owns a restaurant, Bocca di Bacco, in NYC.
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Isaac Carew
A British model (he's appeared in campaigns and runway shows for Hermes, Moschino, Valentino, and more) and a chef (he runs the YouTube channel The Dirty Dishes and has written a book of the same name), Carew is a man of many talents. The Next Model also has a famous ex: none other than singer Dua Lipa.
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Oliver Cheshire
Cheshire was scouted by Select Model Management in 2003 and was referred to as the "next Leonardo DiCaprio." He made his debut in a Calvin Klein campaign at just 17 years old and went on to work with fashion houses such as Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, Missoni, and Vivienne Westwood. Here, he's pictured walking the D&G menswear runway on January 2017.
Marina Liao
Fashion Editor
Marina Liao is the former fashion news editor at MarieClaire.com, where she covered celebrity style (from Meghan Markle to Katie Holmes), fashion trends, and shopping advice, plus conducted original interviews with industry insiders. She's also had many opportunities to write content in other areas such as beauty, food, tech, and even home. Her previous fashion stints include POPSUGAR and Cosmopolitan.
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