The World’s Most Unique and Unusual Models

Part of what makes our world so beautiful is the uniqueness of each individual. No one is quite the same, which makes each person interesting and beautiful in their own right. It seems the modeling industry agrees.

Duan Meiyue is a young model who achieved great notoriety when she walked in the Dior show at only 19 years old! The beautiful model from Singapore has been described as a mannequin.

Daria Svertilova is a model who has made a career for herself by accentuating the features that stand out. The Ukrainian model is most noticeable for her youthful appearance, big eyes, and ears which stick out. 

Becca Horn is an English model who decided to capitalize on the gap in her teeth. Rather than hide it or have it corrected, Becca turned the gpa in between her teeth into her most distinguishable feature in a modeling career.

Sinéad Burke does it all. The woman has completely thrown the old idea that models can only be extremely tall women out the window. She steps in front of the camera as a model but also does some incredibly influential work off-camera as well.

Jessica Hope is an American model and blogger who believes the job of a model is not simply to provide aesthetic pleasing. Rather, the fashion industry and the models that work in it should speak out on important topics and use influence for the good of the world!

Tin Gao is a model that is challenging long standing beauty standards and norms. The young woman is known for accentuating her unique features and models in an “otherworldly” style. She is one of a kind.

Andrea is a plus size model with a skin condition called vitiligo. Vitiligo is a condition which causes the skin to lose melanin in patches. This makes some parts of the skin lighter than others.

Adeline is another model who has become well known for the gap in her front teeth. What was once seen as an imperfection is now the exact feature that has helped her grace the cover of big brand magazines.

Winnie is another model with vitiligo that first made waves on the show America’s Next Top Model. She proudly sported the skin condition and has made a huge name for herself in the industry since she was on the show.

Sabina is a 5’11 model who cannot be mistaken for anyone but herself. Her freckle pattern and bright red curls are a few of the things that make Sabina really stand out. It’s also what has gained her notoriety in the modeling industry.

Kelly started modeling when she was only 16 years old and had the opportunity to model in a Prada campaign. She said her agents were very honest with her right off the bat. They told her, “You’re very different. We’re so supportive of that, but it’s not going to be the easiest thing for you. But, if you want it, you can have a long career based off of that [difference]”.

Brandee Brown is an African American model who encourages other women to embrace their natural hair by sporting her own. She explains the importance of representation of different hair textures and curl patterns.

Denise has made it her mission to support beauty of all shapes and sizes. She is very inspired by her own daughter and wants to make sure her generation grows up with more realistic standards of beauty.

Coral is a model from Great Britain that refuses to cover her freckles. The pattern on her face makes her stand out in a crowd. She likes to have her beautiful features on full display.

Nastya is an albino model who has made a splash in the fashion industry. She is well-known for her bright white eyelashes and light complexion. Albinism is a condition characterized by a lack of pigment in the skin.

Madeline Stuart is the first trailblazing supermodel with down syndrome. She realized her dream of modeling when she attended a fashion show with her mom when she was only 17 years old. 

Ilka is a German model who has made it her life’s goal to remind everyone of the beauty in differences and uniqueness. She’s dedicated her career to showing people that everyone is beautiful for their individuality. 

A lot of what we see in the mainstream media when it comes to modeling and fashion is warm tones. However, this model and stylist from London is bringing back chic with this icey look.

Uli was only 9 years old when she entered the world of modeling and started catching big brands’ attention for her fascinating features. The Ukrainian model has blue wide set eyes and unique features that helped her get signed to an agency fmr a very young age.

Anok Yai was studying to become a doctor when a modeling career basically landed in her lap. A random photographer snapped a photo of her at a festival and the image went viral on Instagram. 

Viktoria Modesta has come to be known as the bionic supermodel. This creative young woman is a music artist, performer, model, and director. She was born with an injured leg which she convinced a doctor to amputate in 2007. 

Ellia Sophia has unconventional facial features that stand out from many others in the modeling space. She’s landed many editorial gigs and has had the opportunity to walk in a Gucci runway show.

If you think this model is just too beautiful to be real, you’re right. Shudu Gram is the world’s first digital supermodel. The model was computer generated to look like a woman in her 20s from South Africa. 

Maeva Giani is a woman who has overcome many struggles to achieve the incredible career as a French American model that she has today. When she was only 20 years old she had a stroke. The medication she took afterwards gave her the unique pattern of blemishes you see across her cheeks and nose.

Issa Lish is a woman of Mexican and Japanese descent who was discovered at only 14 years old. Throughout her career she has walked in many high fashion runways all over the world.

You might recognize Devon Aoki from her iconic role in 2 Fast 2 Furious. But, before she hit the big screen as an actress she was a model breaking stereotypes. She was one of the shortest supermodels in the industry at only 5’5. 

Casey Legler is a French model who started on a completely different career path. She was a French olympic swimmer but left the sport when she began to be ostracized for her looks.

Erika Ervin had the shared experience many models have. They were once bullied and teased for their unique features and now they’ve made a career out of them. Erika was already 5’11 by the time she was 14 years old.

This stunning Puerto Rican model is well known for her thick dark eyebrows. She was often made fun of for her eyebrows when she was young but has grown to embrace them and capitalize. 

Born in the Bronx, Shaun Ross took the fashion and modeling industry by storm as the first African American albino male model. Ross was constantly bullied by his peers and called horrible names. He was discovered in 2008 on YouTube when he was only 16 years old.

Diandra Forrest made a significant step in her modeling career by becoming the first albino model to be featured in a major beauty campaign for Wet n Wild. Like Shaun Ross, Forrest inherited albinism which is a rare genetic condition that affects about one in 18,000 to 20,000 people.

Rick Genest (also known as “Zombie Boy”) is one of those fascinating artists who take things to the extreme. His body is a walking work of art that’s 90% filled with ghoulish tattoos. Diagnosed with brain cancer at 15, he got his first tattoo at 16.

Melanie Gaydos found prominent success as a model in New York City despite her ectodermal dysplasia. It’s a condition that makes her pores, teeth, nails, and small bones abnormally form. She also suffers from alopecia and is partially blind. Throughout her childhood she was treated as though her disease was contagious.

Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina but raised in Melbourne, Pejic was the first transgender woman to shake up the fashion world. Not only is she 6’1”, but she has an exotic look paired with an Australian accent. Her full lips, sharp bone structure, and high cheekbones are to die for, and this list proves that the fashion industry champions androgny.

Molly Bair’s look is so vastly unique that she could be considered “alien” or “insectile.” With such an unusual face, she clearly surpasses other well-known models. Furrowed brows, pursed lips, and a gawky demeanor makes her an edgy addition in the typically commercialized modeling world that we know today.

Out of all the models dubbed unusual on this list, Alex Minsky is probably the most normal in an attractive way. And, he only has one leg. Minksy is a retired Marine corporal who made his foray into the modeling world after being discovered by a fashion photographer at a gym.

Deshun Wang has redefined America and China’s misconceptions about the elderly. He’s referred to as “China’s Hottest Grandpa,” taking on some DJ gigs and strutting shirtless down runways. He truly proved that age is just a number.

While it’s common to hear about plus-sized female models, it’s not as common to hear about male ones. Zach Miko is the first ever plus-sized male model to capitalize on his brawny build. Interestingly enough, the esteemed and reputable modeling agency, IMG, launched a division called Brawn, and was dedicated specifically to plus-sized males.

As a model of Cypriot-Greek origin, Sophia Hadjipanteli has gained mass fame for her unibrow. She is certainly unique and, unlike many models in the industry, defies conventional beauty norms.

As a young model from Oaxaca, Mexico, Karen Vega has already appeared on the cover of Vogue Mexico. Her first step into the professional modeling world was with designer Pompi Garcia and photographer Enrique Leyva in a collective project. They wanted to see people who had more of an indigenous look.

Born in 1928 in U.K., Daphne Selfe has had one of the longest careers in the fashion industry’s history. She’s posted in front of cameras since the 1950s and has worked for Dolce and Gabbana, Olay, and Eyeko.

Lily McMenamy is another unusual and unique model that doesn’t boast the typical model features. She has large facial features and protruding ears. As the daughter of the famous American model Kristen McMenamy, Lily didn’t get into the industry because of her mother’s influence.

British-born Harnaam Kaur is an Indian model with a 6-inch long beard. Her name has been registered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the youngest woman in the world to have grown a full beard. The condition that causes this extreme hair growth is called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Born with a rare chromosomal disorder (also called “cat-eye syndrome”), Seattle-based Caitin Stickels goes against all odds. The condition causes facial deformities and defects such as a characteristic split pupil.