Cover Story: 8 South Asian Supermodels Who Have Dominated The World’s Runways

What They Said

“Lots of girls try to imitate her walk, but it’s not easy because no one has the long legs or body … it became the new style of walking on the runway” — Karl Lagerfeld tells Fashion Television

“She wasn’t just the average runway model; she was the moment. Ghauri didn’t just wear clothes — she became them.”  — L’Officiel USA, 2025

What She Said

“People often ask if I’m Pakistani or Indian. I identify with both… My father’s family came from Ghōr, Afghanistan. I’m proud to be half South + Central Asian.” — Yasmeen Ghauri via Instagram, 2022

Born on March 23, 1971, in Montreal, Quebec, Yasmeen Ghauri grew up in a multicultural household — her German mother and Pakistani father, originally from Hyderabad, India, raised her in the Muslim faith. But her path would soon diverge from tradition and lead her to the world’s most glamorous catwalks.

At 17, Yasmeen was discovered by Edward Zaccaria, artistic director of Platine Coiffure, as she walked by his hair salon in Montreal. At the time, she was working at McDonald’s, where she’d just been named Employee of the Month. Despite her parents’ disapproval, she pursued modeling with fierce determination, debuting in Milan and Paris, and moving to New York City in 1990 (with Zaccaria’s help), where her exotic beauty and hypnotic walk captivated the fashion elite.

Her first major cover was for Elle Magazine in January 1991, and it wasn’t long before she was walking for the biggest names in fashion.

For the uninitiated Ghauri was part of an elite group of models in the 90s who defied gravity and expectations, “The Girls”, which included fellow Canadian Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell (who were called the “Trinity”), were also joined by Helena Christensen, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and Christy Turlington. Not only did Ghauri et al rule the runways of the major fashion capitals, they also became superstars in the zeitgeist of pop culture. They weren’t just models. They were SUPERMODELS providing the origin story for the term, which we see bandied about quite frivolously today. 

And then there was her walk.

To this day, aspiring models study her swagger. Tyra Banks called it the “walk of life.” Gianni Versace, who viewed her as his muse for Versace, described her hip swivels as “ball-bearing”. It wasn’t just a strut. It was a declaration. 

She became the face of Chanel, Hermès, Lanvin, Jil Sander, Anne Klein, and Valentino Couture, and was photographed by legends like Mario Testino, Gilles Bensimon, Steven Meisel and Patrick Demarchelier, who called her his “favorite subject”. She broke barriers for South Asian women in fashion, becoming the first South Asian model to land a luxury beauty contract, first South Asian to be a Victoria’s Secret Angel and the first South Asian to appear on the cover of Vogue. Proving that she truly was a barrier-breaker, she still had to do her makeup for most shows as well as for her first cover with Elle, due to challenges in finding the right colour for her skin. 

Major Moments

• Gianni Versace (1991–1993, including the iconic “Bondage” show)
• Became the face of Chanel, Anne Klein and Christian Dior (1991)
• Became the face of Valentino Couture and Versace (1992)
• Became face of Hermes and Lanvin (1993)
• Walked at Chanel Haute Couture, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana, Thierry Mugler, Christian Lacroix, Azzedine Alaïa and many more 
• First South Asian to be a Victoria’s Secret Angel and to walk at Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (1996)
• Elton John’s “Sacrifice” music video (1990)
• Her January 1991 Vogue Italia cover, shot by Meisel, was a career milestone, solidifying her as the first South Asian model to grace the cover of Vogue
• Vogue Germany (September 1990, May 1991, June 1992, June 1993, September 1993, June 1994)
• Vogue Italia (January 1991, photographed by Steven Meisel)
• Vogue Spain (May 1992) and Vogue US (April 1992) 
• Ghauri’s first major cover was for Elle photographed by Mario Testino in January 1991
• French Elle (July and December 1990)
• She was later photographed by Gilles Bensimon for Elle in 1993.