FACES OF THE FUTURE • THE TOP 10 FEMALES OF SS17

by Jeremy Danté

thriving on fresh talent each season, the fashion world is one of great work and great controversy. the use of girls, the tumult of the development process for some and the lack of diversity which is still at the forefront of represented beauty is what keeps us watching. in the movement of #blacklivesmatter, i felt it important to retreat to some of my old content, as i feel the hope of these messages of success are what we need. selected here are ten females who have already walked the runways of haute couture in both paris and milan. as the couture season initiates the new fashion season, the bookings each girl lands, and the agencies that represent them play a large role. in paris for couture, to shows in new york, back up to london, through milan and back to paris at the close- runway is a dominating aspect of modeling and can significantly impact or destroy a career. in the high end, image compartments of modeling, runway is king. from runway, you gain the visibility and are able to enter into editorial; which can lead you to advertising campaigns. this is the normal trajectory for what is deemed successful in creating a model. magazine covers, show packages, and presence in new digital components of luxury brands also play a role. but without runway, who are you? tough as it may be, this is the truth. each girl in this feature have been hand selected, and throughly reviewed ahead of publishing. while there are no real predictions one can make, only hopes, in fashion; these are my selections. and as the season gets underway, we will see which girls will advance to next season.

MAYOWA NICHOLAS winner of elite model look in her region, nigerian stunner, mayowa is represented by the society in new york, and elite globally. elite owns the society, and with the strength of such a partnership, mayowa has been able to dominate aspects of runway, and is one of the most promising faces on the fashion scene. for the FW16 campaign season, mayowa is seen for miu miu, yves saint laurent and dolce & gabbana. on the runway, last season she walked in over 20 shows, including both prada and dior. for this new season, for couture, she appeared in five shows. her lead into the new season is strong. her look is strong yet delicate, she’s a star on the rise for this versatility. put her on your radar.

NOEMIE ABIGAIL represented by DNA in new york, and viva in paris. on the couture catwalk, noemie has already been seen this season for valentino, fendi, elie saab and giambattista valli. noemie is in her second season debuting as a prada exclusive, last season. this exclusive also landed her the FW16 ad campaign, shot by steven meisel. with her already stellar track record and impressive relationship with prada, keep your eye out for her. she has also been seen on the runway for saçai, which links her to super stylist, karl templer. i’m sure her rounds at interview magazine will be seen in the coming months, where templer is also the creative director. noemie became the first black winner of elite model look france, in 2014, at 16.

KARLY LOYCE she’s the fresh faced black girl that you seen in those céline ads. represented by women model management in new york, london and paris; karly has quickly become almost synonymous with the cool vibes we associate wth celine. androgynous in ways, but versatile enough to channel an elegance, on the runway she’s a killer. for the couture season last month, she appeared for giambattista valli, elie saab, vauthier and yes, chanel. she’s been well received on the editorial front, appearing for american vogue, WSJ and vogue germany- her star will continue to rise with the coming season, internationally. karly represents a new class of cool girls that are taking over fashion, and dominating the industry.

SELENA FORREST debuted as an exclusive for proenza scholar, last season, selena forrest came out swinging her first season. represented by NEXT she’s been the face of proenza for two seasons now, and this season for couture, she appeared for both fendi and chanel. she landed the cover of i-D magazine, is cited as a the top new comers and is the campaign face for DKNY, plus she’s also seen as part of the nike x olivier roustieng collaboration campaign.  fresh faced as ever, selena gives off that effortless and at times tomboy vibe. captivating for her youthful look, you can see in her features that this will only grow into greater beauty in years to come. with her features, selena is super versatile for new era and classic beauty alike.

NAJIYAH IMANI new face represented by heroes NYC, najiyah imani is already making waves appearing for the prada resort collection and for the miu min look book. with stunning bone structure and elegant features, najiyah is possibly the freshest face in this collective of girls. i will definitely be keeping an eye out for her on the runway, and can’t wait to see how that will set her up for success on the campaign and editorial circuit. versatility is the name of the game in modeling and this girl has many dimensions. one of my favorite faces this season. love her early reception, which is creating all the right vibes for her as a new face.

DILONE existing within that subset of models that hinge on androgyny, the industry seeks the edge that dilone of DNA models possesses. she has that effortless cool with her laid back features, but also holds that transformative quality that draws her in many directions from commercial appeal to high end experimentation. from major brand advertising to editorial circuit visualsa native new yorker, she has already made appearances with marc jacobs, burberry, versace and fendi. with campaigns, she’s doing incredibly well, even at this early a stage- booking for coach, versace, balmain and opening ceremony. from tom boy to high end glam- I’m seeing stars for dilone. mother agent? omit management, also based in new york.

FARHIYA SHIRE marilyn agency in new york, farhiya is a gorgeous talent i spotted on the couture runways of jean-paul gaultier. while not a new face, per sé; having already been featured in international editions of glamour as well as a few B-level shows, i like her. her look is that kind that blends cute with sophistication, reliant on the team she is working with or the vision of casting directors. her book, from what i’ve seen doesn’t nearly do her justice. one of exceeding potential, i am hoping to see more of her on the runway. marilyn has been an industry force, having gone through rebranding, we’ll see how well they work for farhiya, this season and onward. versatility is key in the modeling game, and we’ll see how hard farhiya can push through.

MARIE FOFANA spotted on the runways of dior haute couture, for the fall 2016 season; maria has a bubbling presence with more of the edgier circuit of fashion and editorial. through much curiosity, i had been watching marie and seen she was represented by ford in paris, being discovered by crystal models also based in paris. from the looks of her instagram, i am seeing IMG- so she is one to add to your model tracker, she may be popping off soon and could be considered an underdog. with her already interesting track record in paris, she’s one to keep an eye on. the fashion season is filled with surprises, IMG could be hiding her for a global exclusive at one of the big fashion houses this season.

LONDONE MYERS (the lions) debuted as a YSL exclusive, londone myers is also the current face seen in the windows at american retailer, the gap. her relaxed image is the current grade of girl that the industry seems to be favoring. represented by the lions, this girl is dripping in potential. with her already outstanding track record with campaign bookings, and the commercial strength of the lions and their VS tie-ins, her features and all the powers that be are sure to play well in her favor, on the high-end and commercial tip. with mention of newer agency, MSA on her profile, the rapping from the lions could’ve been an agency body-snatch move. and in the game of fashion and modeling agencies, who doesn’t love a good body snatching? i certainly do.

CRYSTAL NOREIGA represented by elite in new york and premium in paris, i spotted crystal at gaultier couture. always a master of high style and casting appeal, gaultier had a few girls that were not used by others. with sure shots, and girls with star power potential alike, there are no true predictions for any girls, any season with any clients. such is the case for crystal noriega. she was a new face at DNA in 2011 at 18 years old, and then popped up at elite. with agency shifts, either the girl was not supported or clients were not responsive. i see the potential for her and will keep her on my radar for the bookings she lands this season, and monitor where else she pops up.