The action never stopped on the runways during this season’s Spring 2020 collectsions: from celebrities reviving decades-old red carpet looks on the runways of Milan, to gatecrashers attempting to make waves in Paris, there was plenty to take in. Still, the month’s MVPs didn’t always make headlines. For this season’s modeling stars, the shows were another day at the office, and they worked tirelessly to bring designers’ dreams to life.
The newcomers who made an impact were a diverse group of beauties from around the globe; students, film buffs, and athletes among them. Without their contributions, the shows wouldn’t have been as entertaining—imagine a month with nothing but clothes on racks—and they’re primed to go stratospheric now that the season has wrapped. Below, meet Vogue’s top breakout models of the season.
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni / Gorunway.com1/15Ajok Madel
Spring 2020 Highlights: Alexander McQueen, Dries van Noten, Tom FordA South Sudanese beauty whose family now resides in Australia, Ajok Mandel only began modeling a year ago, but she’s managed to make an impression in a short time. At 19, she’s already made her mark in all four cities and was among the season’s top walkers.
Photo: Daniele Oberrauch / Gorunway.com2/15Ambar Cristal Zarzuela
Spring 2020 Highlights: Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Ralph LaurenLast year Ambar Cristal Zarzuela made a splash, getting handpicked by Ashley Brokaw for the opening spot at Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2019 collectsion. A key exclusive at the end of the season, it propelled her into the spotlight, and a year later she’s proved that she’s ready to make an impact. The 20-year-old beauty from Santo Domingo managed to book nearly every big show around and score her first international Vogue cover all in the same month.
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni / Gorunway.com3/15Anna Herrera
Spring 2020 Highlights: Tom Ford, Versace, Saint Laurent
The Brazilian star Anna Herrera entered the big leagues after opening Saint Laurent’s Fall 2019 show in shades and shoulder pads. With her high cheekbones, pixie cut, and intense stare, Herrera is a distinctive presence. She had strong showings on the spring runways of Tom Ford and Haider Ackerman, and she was a refreshing alternative to your typical bombshell Versace babe when she walked for the Italian luxury house in Milan.
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni / Gorunway.com4/15Ashley Radjarame
Spring 2020 Highlights: Prada, Lanvin, Louis VuittonYou don’t have to walk in every show to stand out; just ask 19-year-old French newcomer Ashley Radjarame. Scouted while studying in London, Radjarame quickly made her way onto key runways like Prada, Lanvin, and Louis Vuitton. Originally from Rueil-Malmaison, the model breathes new life into the idea of French girl chic with her poise and effortless beauty.
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com5/15Berit Heitmann
Spring 2020 Highlights: Prada, Chloé, Stella McCartney, and ChanelA German beauty in the vein of Julia Stegner and Toni Garrn, Berit Heitmann is a classic stunner. Originally from Bad Salzuflen, Heitmann was discovered two years ago after attending an open call in the city of Bielefeld. She waited until turning 18 to make her debut at Prada and quickly racked up one great show after another.
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni / Gorunway.com6/15Brooke Robinson
Spring 2020 Highlights: Miu Miu, Loewe, JW Anderson, Proenza SchoulerCasting directors fell in love with Brooke Robinson’s natural beauty and crown of curls. An all-American beauty from Portland, Oregon, the 19-year-old was a fixture on the runways of Europe; showing up in all the right places and bringing an ethereal sensibility to each designer look.
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com7/15Krini Hernandez
Spring 2020 Highlights: Miu Miu, Chanel, Prada, Proenza SchoulerA cineaste from Guadalajara, Mexico, Krini Hernandez can be found bingse watching Guillermo del Toro flicks when she isn’t walking some of the biggest shows in creation. Spring didn’t offer Hernandez much downtime, but she did manage to pull off a high-powered debut worthy of the big screen.
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni / Gorunway.com8/15Kyla Ramsey
Spring 2020 Highlights: Chanel, Versace, Prada, Marc JacobsLong before Kyla Ramsey made her way onto the runways of New York and Paris, she was modeling for her mother’s vintage store back home in Connecticut. Ramsey grew up immersed in fashion, but her nascent modeling career only took off after she snagged a worldwide exclusive with Louis Vuitton last season. That, plus the opening spot at Prada’s Resort 2020 extravaganza in Manhattan, gave her momentum that carried through all four fashion capitals during the Spring collectsions. A poetry lover who mentors at a children’s home, Ramsey eventually hopes to use her modeling success to give back to her community.
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com9/15Lys Lorente
Spring 2020 Highlights: Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Miu Miu, MarniA multi-instrumentalist with a passion for creating music, Lys Lorente fit right in with the cool girls at PFW. Coming off last year’s double exclusive with Prada and Louis Vuitton, she was primed for success, but no one could have predicted her four-city sweep of top-tier shows.
10/15Malika el Maslouhi
Spring 2020 Highlights: Chanel, Christian Dior, Richard Quinn, Ralph LaurenMoroccan-Italian beauty Malika el Maslouhi has beauty fit for a Fellini film, and this season, designers put it to good use. El Maslouhi brought a confident and dynamic presence to shows like Chanel and Hermés but proved versatility at camp collectsions like Jeremy Scott’s Moschino painterly affair.
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com11/15Mika Schneider
Spring 2020 Highlights: Prada, Paco Rabanne, Saint Laurent, LoeweMika Schneider is a global citizen with mass appeal. French and Japanese, Schneider is fluent in both languages and has traveled extensively. Scouted while visiting Tokyo, her walk for Miuccia and co. in Milan raised her profile leading to unstoppable momentum in Paris. With her delicate features and graceful presence, Schneider was unlike anyone else on the runway—a fact that should benefit her come campaign season.
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com12/15Miriam Sanchez
Spring 2020 Highlights: Louis Vuitton, Haider Ackermann, Bottega Veneta, Michael Kors
This time last year, Miriam Sanchez was just another college student in Madrid, Spain, until she received the surprise of a lifetime when she was picked to walk Louis Vuitton (only days after deciding to visit modeling agencies in Paris). Since then, Sanchez has appeared on billboards worldwide in the brand’s campaigns and racked up multiple prestige shows, all while pursing her degree in business administration.
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni / Gorunway.com13/15Ning Jinyi
Spring 2020 Highlights: Givenchy, Valentino, Prada, Helmut LangChinese newcomer Jinyi Ning has been quietly working for seasons, but Spring represented a breakthrough. One of the most in-demand faces of the season, she was able to become anything a designer could dream up, quickly transforming into one of Miuccia Prada’s neorealist muses, Claire Waight Keller’s chic dwellers, and even one of Olivier Rousteing’s sexy Balmain babes.
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com14/15Sacha Quenby
Spring 2020 Highlights: JW Anderson, Givenchy, Paco Rabanne, ChloéThe face! Londoner Sacha Quenby breezed through the European shows, racking up one essential booking after another, but her presence at shows like J.W. Anderson and Givenchy are just the beginning. The 19-year-old ticks all the boxes for success beyond the runway, and it’s only a matter of time before beauty brands take notice.
Photo: Carlo Scarpato / Gorunway.com15/15Yorgelis Marte
Spring 2020 Highlights: Saint Laurent, Gucci, Valentino, Miu MiuAfter a sensational debut at Saint Laurent during Fall 2019’s collectsion, rising Dominican star Yorgelis Marte has proved herself a runway essential. Nonstop bookings during couture and menswear gave Marte an edge, but she came into her own this season at shows like Gucci, Valentino, and Miu Miu.
