Sometimes a model quietly enters the scene by walking in a series of notable shows and becoming a familiar face—but other times, they make a grand entrance by closing a Chanel show with the biggest smile or taking us behind the scenes in the most authentic and candid way. Some of 2025's breakout models didn't make their debuts this year, but certified themselves as it-models to watch through campaigns, booked fashion months, and unforgettable viral moments.
This year, Bhavitha Mandava, the NYU student turned model discovered on the subway by none other than Matthieu Blazy, became a certified Chanel girl, Awar Odhiang encouraged joy on the runway, and I had the opportunity to witness Vivian Wilson’s power walk of an entrance at the Dauphinette show for myself.
Ahead, we present to you the breakout models of 2025 that we should definitely be keeping our eyes on as we enter 2026, along with snippets of their already stacked portfolios.
Bhavitha Mandava
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Bhavitha Mandava stole the hearts of fashion lovers when she recorded herself crying happy tears and voicing sincere gratitude backstage at the Chanel Spring/Summer 2026 show and posted the video on TikTok. While she started modelling last year after being scouted in a subway station as an NYU student, 2025 was truly her year. In addition to the Chanel S/S 2026 show, a twenty-five year old Mandava opened the Chanel's 2025 Métiers d'art show, becoming the first South Asian model to ever open a Chanel show.
Achol Ayor
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From: South Sudan, East Africa
Twenty-two year old Achol Ayor was booked and busy throughout the Spring/Summer 2026 fashion month season, with Milan being a highlight for her. In Milan alone, the South Sudanese newcomer walked for Prada, Bottega Veneta, The Attico, Sportsmax, Roberto Cavalli, Etro, and Alberta Ferretti. Other fashion month highlights included appearances on Saint Laurent, Simone Rocha, Tom Ford, and Alexander McQueen's runways.
Scarlett White
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Scarlett White is the nineteen year old daughter of musicians Jack White and Karen Elson who made her debut back in 2024 at Valentino's Spring 2025 presentation. This past fashion month, after walking in both Anne Demuelemeester and Simone Rocha's shows, she established herself as a model to watch.
Awar Odhiang
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Awar Odhiang is perhaps most recognizable from her joyous, beaming closing of Chanel's Spring/Summer 2026 show in Paris—she floated down the runway with the brightest energy and biggest smile on her face. This past fashion month, the Candadian model also appeared on runways for Louis Vuitton and Chloé, and more recently appeared in Chanel's Métier d'art show.
Achol Kuir
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Achol Kuir, a model from South Sudan, already has so many notable moments under her belt at such a young age: appearances on Etro, Tom Ford, Gucci, Coperni, and Schiaparelli's runways, as well as a Gucci look book and Harper's Bazaar spread.
Vivian Wilson
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Vivian Wilson made her debut at Alexis Bittar's Spring/Summer 2026 presentation during New York Fashion Week. The LA native also appeared in the Dauphinette Spring/Summer 2026 in a dramatic, show-stopping moment and walked in ChrisHabana, Prabal Gurung, and Ottolinger's shows.
Summer Dirx
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All-American Summer Dirx's modeling journey began when she attended an open call in Miami—then she made her debut at the age of seventeen for Christian Dior. She made a playful appearance in the 2025 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, was sporty chic on Lacoste's S/S 2026 runway, and made appearances in Isabel Marant, August Barron, and Blumarine's shows.
Stella Hanan
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The Spring/Summer 2026 season was non-stop for Australian-born Stella Hanan. You maybe have spotted her on one of many international runways: Bottega Veneta, Max Mara, Fendi, Sportmax, The Attico, Chloé, Coperni, Sacai and, more recently, Vogue World. For Hanan, the list truly goes on and on.
Peng Chang
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Peng Chang made an appearance on a list of Fall/Winter 2024 and 2025 runways (Off-White, Richard Quinn, and Balenciaga, for example) but solidified herself as a model to keep an eye on with a series of campaigns throughout 2025: British Vogue, Altered States, and Balenciaga to name a few. Plus, the Taiwanese model made an appearance in this year's Vogue World show.
Kai Schreiber
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The seventeen year old daughter of Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber made her debut on Valentino's Fall/Winter 2026 runway—then the following season was jam packed for the born and raised New Yorker. During the Spring/Summer 2026 season, she walked for Max Mara, Mugler, Coperni, Isabel Marant, Fendi, and opened for Jason Wu. Surprisingly, this is only to name a few.
