Top Newcomers F/W 2020

Posted by models.com | March 6th, 2020

Every corner of the globe has stake in this year’s cabine of models who brought the Fall/Winter 2020 collections to life. As is custom, each season Models.com reviews the four-city runway circuit to analyze which faces made an impact walking for the clients that matter. Separated into two groups, models who debuted walking big-tickets shows (newcomers) and existing talent who demonstrated their best-ever (breakout). The official Models.com list of models is aided by the top creatives from the industry who weighed in on those they thought had the it-factor that translates to, one day, being majorly ranked. Follow along with the latest from our Top Newcomers here and from our Top Breakouts here.

The Top Newcomers list is broken down in 2 sections:
Industry Selects
Models.com’s Selects

Industry Selects

This season we asked six of the industry’s most influential voices for their selection of standout newcomers.

Models.com Selects
Click on a thumbnail to learn more about each model’s incredible season.
1st Season

Allana Santos Brito

Where there is smoke there is fire. What else is a Moncler closing spot and a Prada exclusive for Allana’s first time around if not a sure signal? Plus, this Brazilian’s struts for J.W. Anderson, Versace, Valentino, Alexander McQueen, and others mean she is about to burn it up.


Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images

Alyda Grace

You never need a reason to mix in a redhead, and for the F/W 2020 runways, casting directors could rely on Miss Alyda. Her debut season had her opening Tod’s and walking for the likes of Saint Laurent, Maison Margiela, Chloé, and Miu Miu where she upped the shows’ crimson caché.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Charlotte Walker

For her first season, Charlotte proved she is more than just ultra cute. Queued in line with more veteran models at R13, Vera Wang, Rodarte, Moschino, Moncler, and Miu Miu, those formidable struts showed she packs a high fashion punch, too.


Photo by Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows

Effie Steinberg

If you’re going to drive a nail straight, as they say––a Proenza semi-exclusive, a Chloe semi-exclusive, an opening walk for Loewe, plus walks for Valentino and Louis Vuitton––is one way to hit the top newcomer nail on the head.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Elisa Mitrofan

Elisa, an Oxford English grad, had one well-articulated, inaugural season closing Loewe, while walking J.W. Anderson, Marni, Saint Laurent, Valentino, Miu Miu and more. Just brilliant!


Photo by Peter White/Getty Images

Grace Clover

Ballet dancer Grace Clover is the London(-ish) lady with a debut season as prestigious, precise and no-nonsense as the Queen’s Speech. Her totally en pointe show list started with a J.W. Anderson exclusive and went on to include Dior, Saint Laurent, Loewe and Valentino.


Photo by Estrop/Getty Images

Isabel Monsees

The power of the Prada exclusive debut lives on! Isabel was one of the Chosen Ones this season, and from there the 20-year-old German was golden. Her wholesome Amy Lemons-esque beauty was spotted at only five more shows, but each one of them was top notch.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Justi Ageitos

This is the girl who opened the Victoria Beckham show. The beauty from Buenos Aires who was a Prada exclusive in Milan. And then a Loewe semi-exclusive in Paris! You would have noticed her at the J.W. Anderson and Valentino shows as well. Yes, Justi is the new girl with just a handful of bookings but a whole lot of buzz.


Photo by Estrop/Getty Images

Laiza de Moura

A Saint Laurent semi-exclusive kickstarted Laiza’s international catwalk career, and that was all it took for Paris to fall for this Brazilian and her curly hi-top. It’s unusual for a top newcomer to make enough of an impact in just one city, but major Laiza moments were had on the top tier runways of Dries Van Noten, Rochas, Miu Miu, Loewe and Sacai.


Photo by Estrop/Getty Images

Laura Reyes

Dominican delight Laura has been a model for less than six months but just had a show season that would make even a veteran model proud. From her debut as a Prada exclusive to pristine run of shows in Paris, Laura is off to a lofty start.


Photo by Estrop/Getty Images

Madeleine Fischer

Quiet as kept, German power house Madeleine tip toed onto the scene at Chanel’s Pre-Fall 2020 excursion before breaking through this full season with a Prada exclusive spot. OK now we’re interested! Only top level after that with Givenchy, Saint Laurent, Giambattista Valli, Lacoste and yes Chanel to tie things up nicely.


Photo by Estrop/Getty Images

Malaika Holmen

Before she ever debuted, a coveted Vogue Italia editorial shot by Hugo Comte was already on newcomer Malaika Holmén’s roster and what a way to kick things off. She turned towards the runway debuting in London with Molly Goddard, Erdem, and Christopher Kane and quickly becoming a favorite of editrix Katie Grand at Matty Bovan, TommyNow, and Miu Miu. An exclusive spot at buzz-worthy Bottega Veneta secured her spot on the radar.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Maryel Uchida

Some new faces you can’t help but notice especially when they lock in the top shows that matter. With her strong brows and those bangs, Brazilian new face Maryel Uchida fell smoothly into this lane working with clients like JW Anderson, Prada (Exclusive), Dior, Chloe, Off-White, Loewe, Altuzarra and Louis Vuitton.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Mia Brown

After signing to her major agency at the top of the year and exclusively debuting at Proenza Schouler, American wonder Mia Brown kept the 10 shows she walked top tier, adding JW Anderson, Fendi, Missoni, Hermes, Valentino and more to the list.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Precious Kevin

Plucked from Lagos at the top of the year, Nigerian new face Precious was certainly cherished by casting directors this season as everyone from Valentino to Prada to Nina Ricci and Saint Laurent wanted a piece of what she was serving.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Viktoria Lulko

This season was a clear victory for Viktoria who not only opened Valentino but came out first for Maison Margiela, too. Tack on an enviable Prada exclusive and it’s clear this blonde rookie is strutting in the right direction.


Photo by Estrop/Getty Images

Breakout Season

Africa Penalver

Certainly not new to the scene since debuting in 2017, Africa had her best show season yet consistently walking for the top brands of the moment from New York on. Brandon Maxwell, Burberry, Ferragamo, Dior, Paco Rabanne, and Sacai come to mind.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Agi Akur

Since her debut at JW Anderson and stunning turns at Schiaparelli and Givenchy couture, Agi has been one to watch and certainly on the rise. She held no stops this breakout season starting off in London with Erdem, Simone Rocha, and Victoria Beckham before turning up in Milan with Marni, Max Mara and Jil Sander. Paris was fruitful with Saint Laurent, Nina Ricci, Ann Demeulemeester, Alexander McQueen and Miu Miu.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Amar Akway

Devastatingly striking Amar first made her rounds last Fall for the Spring 2020 season, but this go-around she soared. London she secured Christopher Kane and Erdem before locking things in with Marni, Ermanno Scervino, Dries Van Noten, Haider Ackerman, and Valentino.


Photo by Estrop/Getty Images

Anita Pozzo

With her power brows, Anita Pozzo has been a show favorite since her exclusive debut at Versace last season. Now, she comes for every major fashion capital walking Sies Marjan, Anna Sui, Preen, Alberta Ferretti, Etro and Mugler.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Ayobami Okekunle

Nigerian runway star started off in 2018 debuting at Saint Laurent but really made her mark for Fall 2020, setting things off in New York with Proenza Schouler and Rodarte then adding Victoria Beckham, Max Mara, Missoni, Altuzarra, Giambattista Valli and Valentino to the mix.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Bingbing Liu

Chinese stunner Bingbing Liu has been based in Shanghai and walking the top shows there, first popping up in 2018. Since then she has steadily risen but stood out from the crowd walking for David Koma and JW Anderson in London. Milan fanned the flame with No.21, Marni, Boss and Bottega Veneta before the blaze was too hot to handle at Dior, Chanel and Miu Miu.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Denise Ascuet

We saw Denise do her debut walk for Valentino back in S/S 19 and she’s perfected the art of the perfect season since then. She put it into practice giving catwalk performances for Proenza, J.W. Anderson, Jil Sander, Sportmax, Hermés, Valentino, and Louis Vuitton.


Photo by Estrop/Getty Images

Evgenia Dubinova

There’s something special about the beautiful, brooding Evgenia. That much was obvious after the Ukrainian model closed Hermés’ pre-fall 2018 show. Now, substantial struts in each city like Sies Marjan, Proenza, Rodarte, Burberry, Sportmax, Bottega Veneta, Dior, and Chanel mean that feeling is nothing but unanimous.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Ivana Trivic

This fantastically fringed Serbian sealed the deal on her most seminal season. Noteworthy notches on her F/W 2020 belt include walks for Sies Marjan, Coach, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Marni, Dior, and more.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Liu Huan

Liu Han is not new to the game, it’s just this last season the Chinese beauty has deservedly found her most high fashion footing yet. She made walking multiple hard-to-book shows like Sies Marjan, Rodarte, Jil Sander, Loewe, Balmain, and Chanel look so easy!


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Mammina Aker

This month, Mammina marched her most unbeatable season. Top-tier turns down the runways of Rodarte, Marc Jacobs, Rick Owens, Givenchy, Miu Miu, and a closing spot at Rochas mean marvelous things for the Malaysian-born model.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Maty Fall

Maty compensated bypassing New York by booking a bagful of blue-chip shows. Who wouldn’t consider walking Burberry, Prada, Fendi, Versace, Saint Laurent, Lanvin, and opening Missoni a breakout moment?


Photo by Estrop/Getty Images

Patrycja Piekarska

Patrycja walked a lean and mean Fall Winter. The only moves she made were major ones, taking controlled strolls for the likes of Fendi, Dior, Chanel and Miu Miu. Well-timed precision paid off for the Polish model.


Photo by Estrop/Getty Images

Polina Zavialova

Siberian tiger Polina charged into this season as confident and powerful as a shirtless Putin on horseback. Opening Elie Saab and walking for the likes of Givenchy, Dior, Burberry, Proenza Schouler and Sies Marjan, Polina has now established herself—in the great Russian tradition—as a sensational showgirl.


Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images

Qin Lei

Qin Lei leaves a unique impression. A car-obsessed former forklift driver, this Shanghainese cool girl’s runway career has been percolating since Spring/Summer 2019. This season Lei motored through top show after top show, with designers showing this tough girl some major love.


Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images

Ruiqi Jiang

After scoring the Prada S/S 20 campaign, Ruiqi is fresh off her greatest show season yet. From Jil Sander to Missoni, this creative kid—she dabbles in fashion design—is now learning from the masters. Ruiqi is definitely living the dream.


Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Shayna McNeill

After two seasons of Burberry devotion, sweet Shayna decided to branch out a little. And this teen from Calgary caused a stampede—Tom Ford, Moschino, Kenzo, Valentino and more were all swept up in the sensation that is Shayna.


Photo by Pietro D’Aprano/Getty Images

Sydney Sylvester

Her debut was at the Courréges S/S 20 show, but this season Sydney’s brand of Louisiana glamour was hotter than crawdad jambalaya. There was Marc Jacobs in NY, Christopher Kane in London, and Fendi in Milan before Sydney said bayou to fashion month, closing out her stellar season at Miu Miu.


Photo by Estrop/Getty Images

Valerie Scherzinger

A few seasons ago this Long Island native was trying to finish homework assignments while her mom shuttled her between NYC show castings. Opening spots at both Carolina Herrera and Giambattista Valli this season demonstrates that Valerie has crystallized from schoolgirl into super sophisticated show assassin.


Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images

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