they may not be angels quite yet, but they're our favorite new faces of the season
Marc Jacobs caused a mini-stir when he booked "real girls" and new faces for his Fall show, but the big story on the catwalks was the ascendancy of models who've lately spent more time in wings than high-fashion threads. Doutzen Kroes, Miranda Kerr, and Alessandra Ambrosio surprised onlookers at Prada, while Bar Refaeli and Adriana Lima added some curvy star power to Louis Vuitton. That said, it was something of a tough season for the newbies. Among the fresh faces who made the strongest impact: a pair of Argentineans, two girls from China, and, in what has to be a runway first, a set of twins from New Jersey.—Romney Leader
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1. ann kenny and kirby kenny (dna)
No, you weren't experiencing fashion month-induced hallucinations. That was brunette Ann Kenny at Prada and her fair-haired twin, Kirby, at Miu Miu. The New Jersey lacrosse-star sisters had such a successful debut season, we, like Marc Jacobs—who cast both girls in his show—couldn't pick just one.
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2. carla gebhart (dna)
Casting director Russell Marsh's early seal of approval—she was in most of his London shows—led to bookings at Gucci, Chloé, and Chanel for this 16-year-old Argentinean. Her sophisticated but raw look has sparked interest from some top photographers, but we hear that she's keen to finish her studies back in Córdoba.
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3. caroline brasch nielsen (elite)
This dreamy Dane is thanking her lucky stars she was sitting in a Copenhagen café the day an Elite scout came around. Nielsen only walked in Paris, but after booking every show that matters—including Dries Van Noten, Balenciaga, and Louis Vuitton—she's in an enviable position for the upcoming campaign season.
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4. fei fei sun (muse)
Sun shares her name with a famous Chinese actress, but this up-and-comer has set her sights on the runway, not the red carpet. Karl Lagerfeld hand-selected her to walk in Chanel's December pre-fall show in Shanghai, setting off a whirlwind Fall season that wrapped up with a coveted spot at Miu Miu.
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5. joan smalls (img)
Proof it isn't always about the big debut: Smalls spent several years as a catalog model before being repackaged by her agency and subsequently catching the eye of virtually every major casting director this season. Her appearance at veteran-heavy shows like Michael Kors and Hermès suggests this stunning beauty has staying power.
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6. lais ribeiro (women)
With her lean, all-legs physique, Ribeiro was born to walk the runway. In her first season, she nabbed spots at Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana, and Versace, but that's not her only accomplishment. The Brazilian newcomer is also a new mom.
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7. melissa tammerijn (nymm)
This Dutch teen is one of the most promising Calvin Klein Collection exclusives in a while—outshining supers like Stella Tennant and Kirsty Hume is no small feat. A note to bookings editors looking to cut costs: Tammerijn moonlights as a hair and makeup artist.
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8. ming xi (elite)
Riccardo Tisci can do great things for a girl. In this Shanghai native's case, an appearance at the Givenchy designer's January haute couture presentation led to bookings at no less than 17 shows in London before she took to the runway for Jil Sander, Christian Dior, and, yes, another go-round at Givenchy.
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9. tati cotliar (next)
Opening a Marc Jacobs show can put a young model on the fast track to success, as this Selma Blair look-alike quickly learned. Cotliar—who was studying film direction when she was discovered on the streets of Buenos Aires—parlayed that coveted New York exit into a stellar season that included Prada, Marni, and Valentino.
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10. valerija kelava (next)
After a solid Spring debut that netted her a spot in Phoebe Philo's first campaign for Celine, this 20-year-old native of Slovenia worked her brooding stare and killer cheekbones everywhere from Alexander Wang to Yves Saint Laurent.
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