Karlie Kloss & Joan Smalls Named The New Faces Of Fashion

It seems that monthly American fashion mag W Magazine couldn’t decide who was the new face of fashion between everyone’s latest modelling favourites Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls.

Karlie Kloss & Joan Smalls cover 2 versions of this month's W Mag
Karlie Kloss & Joan Smalls cover 2 versions of this month's W Mag

It seems that monthly American fashion mag W Magazine can’t decide who year’s new face of fashion is, between everyone’s latest modelling favourites Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls.

Models Direct has just seen the July edition, which has come out with two alternative covers – one featuring Kloss, the other, Smalls – and both reading ‘The New Face Of Fashion’ alongside the girls’ cover shots.

So which of these models is the fairest of them all? Well, according to W Magazine the beautiful pair ‘together represent the new face of fashion’. We have to admit that we would not be able to pick between them either.

Joan Smalls – whose real name is Joan Rodriguez – is a Puerto Rican model who has appeared in campaigns for brands such as Chanel, Estee Lauder, Stella McCartney and many more. She featured in this year’s Pirelli calender, is seen regularly in Vogue and began modelling for Victoria’s Secret in 2010. In her cover Smalls wears simple make-up and a white ruffle-detail blouse.

The 23-year-old credits designer Riccardo Tisci with the true realisation of her ambition to become a model of calibre. She is quoted in the Daily Mail as saying: “He saw my potential and it changed people’s perspective.”

Chicago born Karlie Kloss was discovered at age 13 while appearing in a charity fashion show, and her first big break was a shoot with Bruce Weber for controversial brand Abercrombie. Since then she has appeared in advertisements for designers like Jean Paul Gaultier, Alexander Mcqueen, Victoria’s Secret and Donna Karan to name a few – and has taken to the catwalk for many others in London, New York, Paris and Milan.

Kloss appeared endearingly humble in her W Magazine interview, saying: “My sisters have always been these gorgeous glamazons and I’m, like, this tall skinny stick in the family. I still am the tall girl – even on the runways. Every time I see Karl Lagerfeld, he’s always, like “Karlie, have you stopped growing yet? Are you taller?”

“It used to be something that I really disliked about myself, being tall and lanky, but it turned out to be the greatest asset I have – how uniquely weird I am.”

Which model do you think will sell the most copies?