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• September 4, 2009
• Fashion Week

Our Top 10 New Models To Watch This Show Season!

By Xiyin Tang

Like all things in fashion, the modeling world is obsessed with finding the next new face…but really, who isn't? Seems hardly a season has gone by before we're inundated with another crop of thin, pretty girls—each one seemingly younger, and hungrier (take that as you will), than the next. And because even the Agys and Cocos of the world never know just when and how they'll be swept off their throne next, we've narrowed down our list of girls to watch to just 10 fresh new faces who have what it takes to make it big...well, at least for the next few months, anyway.

Lea Groesland



The first V Magazine model search produced runway sensation Amanda Laine. This third installment got a little help from designer-of-the-moment Alexander Wang, who crowned Lea Groesland as winner. Expect her V mag editorial to coincide with New York Fashion Week…and let the buzz begin.


Alla Kostromicheva



Like an edgier version of Aussie model-of-the-moment Catherine McNeil, Alla had a perfect last season, opening for McQueen and YSL in addition to strutting for such heavy-hitters as Balenciaga and Jil Sander. But really, we just loved her space-age turn in Christopher Kane's Cruise 2010 lookbook. So trippy!


R'el Dade



Ever since Texas-born R'el Dade debuted made her Valentino runway debut in July (as an exclusive, no less), we haven't been able to get the girl out of our heads. But really can you blame us? And with her bodacious Numero spread where she got mistaken everywhere for the seasoned Jourdan Dunn, R'el's already proven that she can work it with the best of them.

Eliza Cummins



Brit chicks are clearly having their model moment, and pixie-haired Eliza, who pals around with Daisy Lowe and Cole Mohr on her off time, is just the sort of tough-around-the-edges girl to shove Agy off her pedestal. After all, Miss Deyn herself did say she was planning on retiring.


Addison Gill



Last year's V Magazine model search winner has Lily Donaldson's eyes and Coco Rocha's cheekbones, and started off the season strong with bookings for Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, and Valentino, just to name a few. Wonder what big names she'll bag this time around?


Tao Okamoto



This Japanese beauty's unique bowl-cut inspired Phillip Lim to style all his fall '09 runway models after her (and here we thought Lissy Trullie was the inspiration), and we've got a feeling the Tao effect will be in even stronger force this time around.


Charlotte Hoyer



We fell in love with Hoyer when we saw her in a quirky little 10 Magazine spread with Karmen Pedaru, but it was her star moment as the Alexander Wang pre-fall lookbook model that first made us take note. Adorable.


Thana Kuhnen



Because no newbie list would be complete without a hot Brazilian, we're giving the honor to Thana, who really broke out at Couture with an opening slot for Dior, followed by a sexy turn for Galliano. We can't wait to see what she'll be up to this show season!


Lindsay Wixson



A new face at Marilyn and a Meisel baby (just booked Vogue Italia with him), Lindsay may seem a bit commercial for some tastes, but we don't care: We are entranced by those out-of-this-world lips. Have you ever seen anything like 'em?


Jeneil Williams



Having nabbed a killer, colorful editorial in the latest Teen Vogue, Jeneil's been quietly smoldering in the biz for three years now…but just recently landed in the infamous all-black issue of Italian Vogue. And after the world saw how good she made Alber's frocks look on the Lanvin fall runway, we have a feeling this season will be the year Jeneil's slow simmer becomes an all-out boil.

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