A trip to the salon can provide a confidence boost, a much-needed shake-up and—in the rare case that you’re vying for ‘supermodel’ status—it can change the entire course of your career.
Just ask Karen Elson, who became a household name after swapping her blonde locks for her now-signature red; or Ruth Bell, who slotted into her new role as Dior muse after shaving her head into a buzz cut.
Below, we celebrate 10 different models whose careers skyrocketed after a simple haircut.
Kaia Gerber
During her younger years, Kaia Gerber was well-known for her likeness to her supermodel mother, Cindy Crawford. Following her 18th birthday in 2019, however, the runway regular snipped off her hair into a very short bob, seeming to send her popularity skyrocketing even further.
Fernanda Ly
Australian model (and former architecture student) Fernanda Ly had her big break at Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer ’15 show, and her instantly-recognisable pink hair helped her become one of the most in-demand models of following seasons. Though she’s now switched her hair to blonde (pictured, right), we’ll never forget the pink ‘do that helped make her famous.
Abbey Lee
Though the Australian model enjoyed success while her hair was a darker brunette hue in the early days of her career, it was the decision to go peroxide blonde that made Lee a household name. Nowadays her hair flits between different shades of blonde.
Bella Hadid
Okay, okay, she’s wearing a wig on the left. But it’s good to get perspective of what Bella would look like if she reverted back to her naturally blonde waves. She dyed them brunette at a young age, and the dye job helped her carve a separate path to blonde bombshell sister Gigi.
Karlie Kloss
In the words of Coco Chanel, “a woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life”. And when it comes to Karlie Kloss, no truer words have ever been spoken. In 2013, the 29-year-old launched a million look-a-likes when she chopped off her long, brown locks into a blonde lob. And as a result, she went from model-of-the-minute to a modelling all-star.
Edie Campbell
This British beauty basically rose to fame overnight after chopping her waist-length waves into a cool-girl shaggy bob. She has since modelled for the likes of Chanel, Burberry, Hermès and Saint Laurent.
Jessica Stam
Hands up if you didn’t know Jessica Stam was a redhead? In the early days of her career Stam stuck to her natural-born roots, but after dyeing her hair blonde she graduated to supermodel status, landing spots in Forbes ‘World’s Top Earning Supermodels’ list and walking for everyone from Christian Dior haute couture to the Victoria’s Secret fashion show.
Karen Elson
Quite the opposite to Jessica Stam, Karen Elson found fame when she swapped her natural blonde for her now-signature red. Legend has it Steven Meisel gave her an ultimatum when he shot her back in ’98: dye your hair black or red. The rest, as they say, is history.
Linda Evangelista
Supermodel Linda Evangelista’s haircut by Julien d’Y is now a relic of fashion history. Namely because the whole process was snapped by Peter Lindbergh, including the moment Linda started crying straight afterwards. It goes without saying that the chop paid off.
Ruth Bell
Ruth Bell and her identical twin sister May began their modelling careers with hip-skimming red locks. Perhaps wanting to differentiate herself from her sister, Ruth shaved her head into a buzzcut, and has since become one of the most in-demand models in the world, fronting campaigns for Dior and Burberry.
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