What The Next Top Model International Cycle Winners Look Like Today

Tyra Banks created one of the biggest television franchises in the world. Since its debut in 2003, "America's Next Top Model" has become an international phenomenon with spin-offs in over 50 countries. In every iteration, the basic prize remains the same: a contract with an esteemed modeling agency, a magazine cover, and the promise of supermodel status. In the OG show, many of the winners have gone on to have careers jam-packed with opportunities in and outside the modeling world. Cycle 2 winner Yoanna House hosted a television show, Cycle 3's Eva Marcille (née Pigford) has a long resumé in modeling and acting, cycle 8 winner Jaslene Gonzalez (who also auditioned for Cycle 7 but didn't make it into the house) started her own modeling business, and one of the few male winners, Nyle DiMarco, won "Dancing with the Stars" and became an avid Deaf awareness activist.

But success is not limited to the American victors. With over 200 winners worldwide, over 200 competitors have accomplished great things. Here are some champions who have taken their titles to new heights!

One of the first international branches of the "Top Model" franchise was in Australia, aptly named "Australia's Next Top Model." Model and singer Erika Heynatz hosted and judged the first two cycles alongside fashion designer Alex Perry, stylist Ken Thompson, and magazine editor Marguerite Kramer. The four of them were responsible for crowning cycle 1 winner Gemma Sanderson. Despite her struggles with depression and anxiety, Sanderson thrived and took home the prize and the Chic Management contract. She is currently signed with Bump Models from Australia, Modelwork from Germany, and Le Management from Denmark (via Instagram). She posed in big-name international catalogs like Macy's, ASOS, Facon, and Tchibo, and starred as the angel girlfriend in adverts for French male grooming brand Axe.

Not only has Sanderson modeled undergarments, but she launched her own brand In My Knickers, which not only sells lingerie but includes YouTube videos on how to succeed in the modeling industry.

Sanderson became a wife in 2017 when she married 'Australia's Next Top Model' producer Toby Searles. Accompanied by a photo of the romantic occasion, she beamed in her caption, "[W]hat a perfect 3 days surrounded by the most loving, wonderful and welcoming people." That same year, the then 37-year-old posed on the cover of Body and Soul Australia showing off her toned and muscular figure. Her versatility showed through, as she posed for Bump Models during her pregnancy in 2019. In 2022, Sanderson welcomed her second child. 

One of the other most successful models from the "Top Model Australia" spin-off was Cycle 10 winner Aleyna FitzGerald. At only 16, FitzGerald won the title and the prize package: a spread in Elle Australia, a one-year contract with Priscilla's Model Management, a $20,000 trip to New York Fashion Week, and a new Mazda. Only a year post-victory, FitzGerald walked in Paris Fashion Week for Dior, Valentino, Saunt Laurent, and Giambattista Valli (per Daily Mail). She went on to walk for Balmain, who also featured her in their Fall/Winter 2017 and 2018 ad campaigns. Her relationship with Balmain continued into 2019/2020 when she was featured in the documentary, "Wonder Boy," which followed the boutique's artistic director Olivier Roustein, and appeared in their Fall/Winter 2020 videos. M for Models confirms Galliano, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, and the late Karl Lagerfeld all also invited her to their runways. Talk about being booked and busy!

In the years to come, her resumé continued to grow. In 2023, she has been featured in eight shows and spreads so far (via models.com). She has even been featured on Fashion Channel on YouTube.

According to her Instagram, FitzGerald is still signed with Priscilla's but has added DNA Models (New York), Ford Models (Paris), Premier Model Management (London), and d'management group (Milan). She catalogs her many international travels and highlights her multicultural experiences regularly. 

For Dutch model Kim Feenstra, it was no easy ride to the top. Feenstra was left 50% deaf after a car accident. She described her teen years as a particularly difficult period, but, fortunately, a French modeling agency discovered her and flew her to Paris to start her career. At 22, she got onto "Holland's Next Top Model" Cycle 2 and won. And this win was just the beginning of her life in the spotlight. 

Feenstra has signed with over half a dozen international agencies and appeared in different magazines and runways. But it wasn't just the fashion industry she broke into. After "HNTM," she started acting in commercials, film, and television and even had the chance to work with "Westworld" actress Katja Herbers.

As for her personal life, the actress-model lost a boyfriend who was killed by stabbing. Later, she was married to Michael Mendoza from 2010 to 2014, after which she dated Stanley Tailor with whom she has two children. Her motherhood inspired her brand Baby Tailor and their first product, an electric nail file for infants. Feenstra is also an ambassador for the jewelry company Zinzi. In 2013, she was a featured speaker for TedxAmsterdam Women where she shared her inspirational story. After her boyfriend's death, her then-agency declared she would never work for Italian fashion again because of the stories coming out about her (via her Ted Talk). In 2013, she was featured in Italian Vogue. Talk about resilience!

The first transgender model of the "Top Model" franchise is Loiza Lamers who conquered "Holland's Next Top Model" Cycle 8 in 2015. The 6-foot glamazon was well received by the judges and the viewers and took the title home, but not the prize. The victor was promised a contract with Touché Models worth 50,000 euros, which the 20-year-old shockingly turned down. According to the cycle's host Anouk Smulders, Lamers did not agree with the conditions that came with the contract (per RTL Boulevard), "I am very proud to be transgender," the winner told Dutch news outlet De Telegraaf (via Huff Post), "For me [being on 'HNTM'] is a reward for my transition."

Lamers continued to grace fans with her presence on TV: she competed in the Dutch versions of the survival competition show "Expeditie Robinson", "The Masked Singer" and "Let's Dance Germany." She also returned as a guest panelist on Cycle 12 of "HNTM" and was the program's host for Cycle 13 in 2022. The young woman has been an inspiration to other models, including the first transgender Miss Nederland winner Rikkie Kolié. Lamers's journey has been highly public. In 2005, the then 10-year-old was the subject of the documentary that followed her remarkable early-in-life transition. She has also been scheduled for speaking engagements and allowed RLT to film her forehead reduction surgery. Lamers is in a romance with Awin manager Jelle Ploeg. She looks happy and gorgeous as ever.

"Mexico's Next Top Model" Cycle 1 winner Mariana Bayón was gifted a cover of Glamour Mexico, modeling trips to London and San Fransisco, a $20,000 Sears gift card, and a contract with internationally renowned agency Shock Modeling. Although she has walked runways, Bayón seems to shine best in photographs: She's captured seven magazine covers and many spreads showing off her hazel eyes, light brown hair, and many freckles, birthmarks, and tattoos (according to Models). Her tattoos – most noticeably two small ones on each arm – stand out since traditional modeling prioritizes clear blank canvases. And she wears her skin with pride. In 2019, she shared a photo on Instagram to show off her body's various markings and captioned it, "I call this picture birthmarks, birthmarks and more birthmarks." She has also worked with the tattoo-centric brand Ink Inc Studio. As of this writing, she credits New Icon Models, DT Model Management, and Munich Models as her current three agencies in her Instagram bio. 

32-year-old Bayón returned to reality TV in 2022 when she joined Los 4 Elementos, a competition show that divides competitors by occupation. Obviously, Bayón was with the models. Unfortunately, she left the competition due to injury. She was only two episodes away from the finale too! Bayón continues to model and grace us with her breathless beauty.

Being the winner of "Mexico's Next Top Model" Cycle 5 isn't Vanessa Ponce's (born Silvia Vanessa Ponce de León Sánchez) most impressive credit. It's not even what she's most known for. She told Women Fitness, "I started modeling to help my family and after the reality show, I became a professional model. Life was good but it felt empty, so I decided to search for something more meaningful, that's when I found that my heart was in volunteering." After getting booked for one of their commercials, Ponce became a full-time volunteer for Migrants on the Road. She also put her degree in International Commerce to work by joining the Board of Directors of a girls' rehab center and was a speaker for the National Institute of Youth in Mexico (via Women Fitness). This new life of anthropology inspired her to join the pageant circuit: In 2018, she won Miss Mexico City, then Miss Mexico, and then became the first Mexican titleholder – and the oldest at 26 – of Miss World.

Five years later, Ponce continues to inspire. The timeless beauty stays traveling the world for speaking engagements and public appearances. As for her "MNTM" fans, don't worry! Ponce gave some modeling tips on her Instagram and in her Women Fitness interview.

In her spare time, the 31-year-old fitness lover is a scuba diver, volleyball player, and ultimate frisbee player (per Women Fitness). In April 2022, Ponce married her unnamed boyfriend in a gorgeous outdoor ceremony.

In 2006, the most popular iteration of the Banks franchise premiered, with German model and actress Heidi Klum starring as the host. And they rewarded their first winner, blonde bombshell Lena Gercke, with contracts with IMG Models, Microsoft, and OuiSet, and a cover shoot for German Cosmopolitan (which she has shot the cover for many times since). From then on, Gercke has had blossoming success across many fields. 

According to M for Models, Gercke started modeling in 2004. So, by 2024, her career will have spanned twenty years. Her resumé consists of over twenty print ads, eleven magazine covers, and more than half a dozen runway shows (per Fashion Model Directory). Gercke consistently appears on reality shows, fashion and not fashion-related, both as a guest, judge, and host (per IMDB). Gercke judged the German branch of the "Got Talent" franchise and hosted the shows "The Voice of Germany," "The Voice Senior," and the first four cycles of "Austria's Next Top Model." Her love of modeling inspired the creation of her clothing line LeGer by Lena Gercke. Since 2010, the brand has expanded from women's every day to sportswear, lingerie, accessories, and a separate company for home decor. In tandem with LeGer, she also started the women, men, and children line ABOUT YOU. 

Gercke is the mother of two daughters, whom she had with film director Justin Schöne. A parent, model, CEO, TV personality – is there anything Gercke can't do!

Many aspiring models dream of being discovered while living their everyday lives. But Barbara Meier wasn't even looking to model. She was studying mathematics when a scout for "GNTM" invited her for a casting. Suddenly, the 21-year-old student was the show's second winner.

The versatile redhead's modeling career spans from editorials for the likes of Vogue, Marie Claire, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Grazia Italy to cat-walking for L'Oreal, Beymen, Swarovski, Wunderkind, and more. Her filmography is almost as long as her fashion credits. In 2011, Meier was a supporting actress in her first movie and was taken under contract by an acting agency, where she decided to attend the New York Film Academy to hone this new craft, which led to more small and leading roles. Her first television commercial, however, was during her time on "GNTM," when one of her challenge prizes was a McDonald's commercial with Klum. Meier's love of fitness gained her collaborations with Sketchers and the wellness brand Polar Germany. It also inspired her own book: "Your Path to Your Happy Weight," an anti-diet how-to-guide for women's health. 

Meier is involved in multiple charities. She has been the ambassador for organizations that promote anti-plastic pollution, environmentally friendly fashion, healthy eating habits, and education in mathematics for kids. In 2020 and 2022, she became a mother to two girls with her husband Klemens Hallmann. She announced her second pregnancy with a breathtaking photoshoot showcasing her belly and fierce facial features. Whatta star.

Sara Nuru was the first "Germany's Next Top Model" winner of Ethiopian descent and the first to win a contract with Klum and her father's agency ONEeins Management. Her unique life as an Ethiopian-German intrigued interviewers and even led to her own Ted Talk for TEDxWHU, where she declared her biggest pride was becoming an ambassador for the charity Menschen für Menschen, "Could I feel good about myself knowing that for the price of a [Cavalli] dress ... I could actually build a small school in a village in Ethiopia?" Nuru redirected her focus to anthropology. This new path caught the notice of Germany's Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, who subsequently appointed her Special Ambassador for Sustainable Consumption and Production, and opened The Sara Nuru School in Ethiopia. Nuru also cofounded the Ethiopian brand nuruCoffee with her sister Sali with 50% of all profits going toward helping their humanitarian association nuruWomen. She's become known for her activism and not just for her beauty. Her beauty isn't forgotten, though. In September 2023, Vogue Germany followed Nuru's wedding weekend to an unidentified spouse, photographing her three wedding dresses and capturing her infectious smile. 

Throughout its run, "GNTM" has been subject to criticism from competitors, audience members, and the head of MGM Models. An anonymous contestant published a Vice article detailing her mistreatment. Upon learning about the show's criticisms, Nuru stated, "With the knowledge I have today, I wouldn't take part in it again."

Syria native Alisar Ailabouni triumphed in the competition despite her shy personality. Her prize came with a cover of German Cosmopolitan, a commercial for Venus Breeze, and a contract with Klum's agency. But Ailabouni turned down the contract after feeling she wasn't getting sufficient modeling work. She sued ONEeins in order to leave the company.

Ailabouni found agencies that suited her. She started walking consistently in fashion shows, strutting for Berlin and New York Fashion Week – representing over 20 labels – and featured her long legs for Vogue Italia in 2012. She returned to magazine covers for L'officiel Maroc and Harper's Bazaar in 2018 and 2022 respectively. Her television credits also grew. She never got into acting but came onto the screen as herself in TV specials, filmed runways, and the 13th season of "Project Runway" where she was the winning model. She just can't seem to help but win.

The 34-year-old best friend is Model of The Year Award winner Skye Stracke who has appeared on the covers of Elle and Vogue Italia. The two have been friends for a decade! Stracke celebrated their longstanding friendship with a compilation of the blonde and brunette duo behind the scenes of fashion shows and enjoying themselves day-to-day. Romantically, Ailabouni has been seeing her boyfriend Mykolas Marcinkevicius since February 2022. As of this writing, she and Marcinkevicius are enjoying life in NYC.

Blonde and beautiful Larissa Marolt had a similar "Top Model" experience as Lena Gercke: Gercke won "GNTM" and became the "Austria's Next Top Model" host, and Marolt won the first cycle of Austria and then competed in Germany (she placed eighth, but hey, she won her original cycle!). Those two competitions propelled the 16-year-old into a life in the limelight.

Marolt was in Fashion Weeks, had magazine covers, and walked in the Vienna Life Ball, the largest charity event in Europe. She participated in the "Top Model" spin-off series "Die Model WG." But that experience was short-lived; she quit in the second episode to focus on her school studies, which took her to the Lee-Strasberg Film Academy. From then on, she has starred in film and television as both an actress and herself. Marolt was beloved enough to win eight consecutive episodes for the German version of "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!", setting a new record across the entire franchise. She won a Romy for Favorite Show Host, has her own docudrama series "Larissa Goes to Hollywood," and was a judge on Cycle three of "Switzerland's Next Top Model."

Marolt started dating American filmmaker Whitney Sudler-Smith's relationship in 2011, but it is unclear whether The "Southern Charm" creator and the model are still partnered. What is clear is Marolt continues to work in her many fields and has maintained her stunning blonde look.

Lots of "Top Model" winners have gone on to enter the world of acting and philanthropy, but "Asia's Next Top Model" Cycle 2 winner Sheena Liam (born Liam Yue Sheen) broke into the visual art field with her intricate and moving embroidery. 

Hailing from Malaysia, Liam took on 15 of her fellow East Asian opponents and brought home the title for her country. She brought with her a cash prize, a spread and cover for Harper's Bazaar Malaysia and Singapore, a TRESemmé campaign, and a three-month contract with Storm Model Management that was extended due to her impressive versatility (via Be Asia). She continued this successful streak and stayed booked for photoshoot after runway after photoshoot. It wasn't until 2017 that her visual artistry also came to light. 

Under the moniker Times New Romance, Liam shares her embroideries of Asian women doing various day-to-day tasks. Her works span from handheld pieces to towering installations with 3D braiding hair. In 2018, she had her first solo exhibition in France and has since had multiple group exhibitions, been gifted an artist's residency, and customized five handbags for Coach, all recorded on her website. In an exposé for FirstClasse Malaysia, Liam shared she is fond of her two artistic outlets, "[Modeling and visual art] are like two sides of a coin. In one, I get to be the canvas. In the other, I get to create." She lives and creates with her husband, Lithuanian multidisciplinary artist Ernest Zacharevic.

Filipino-German Maureen Wroblewitz, known as Mauren Wrob, was discovered on Instagram by a talent scout for Storm Models when she was 15. She moved From Saudi Arabia to the Philippines, where she modeled and studied until making it onto the fifth Cycle of "Asia's Next Top Model." She was the first Filipino representative to win it all and signed with the very agency that recruited her for the competition. 

Wrob's personality shone brightly for product endorsements, clothing collaborations with Shein, on many talk shows across East Asia, and as a host for the Philippine variety show "Eat Bulaga!" She's an ambassador for Asus, the American brand Palmolive, the cancer foundation ICanServe, and Subaru, which she promoted on the next cycle of "AsNTM."  She also represented Levi's for the 150th anniversary and got her makeup done by fellow Asian influencer Patrick Starrr for his Mac Cosmetics collab. Wrob's lovable nature won her enough votes to be entered for Miss Universe Philippines 2021 and was crowned first runner-up.

At only 21, Wrob made the brave decision to start sharing about her mental health. She unveiled to her 2 million followers across multiple platforms her struggle with suicidal ideation and anxiety and has worked to promote good mental hygiene and therapy. She posted this past Suicide Prevention Month, "This is a reminder to check on your friends and family." Now 25, Wrob continues to model and speak out and is dating "Spider-Man and the Monsters" actor Brandon Melo.

France's "Top Model" was one of the shorter-lived iterations of the franchise, but it launched the career of Haitian-Swiss model Alizée Gaillard. After winning the first out of the show's two cycles, Gaillard signed with Elite Model Management. She's been featured in all of the major Fashion Weeks, ad campaigns, and print. Her dense career landed her a spot in Jubilee's Middle Ground video "Instagram vs. Runway Models: Can Anyone Be a Model?" In the video, Gaillard and her fellow models discussed disparages in the modeling world, including body image, pay, and mental health. The video has over 10 million views. 

Gaillard's time on our screens is not limited to YouTube. She started acting in music videos, national and worldwide commercials, television, and film, the last of which landed her an appearance in the Oscar-nominated film "Nocturnal Animals." But her love of modeling stayed strong, so strong in fact that she created her own modeling masterclass called "BECOME A SUPERMODEL." The free course promises aspiring models advice Gaillard has amassed from her 18-year-long career. She has also included public access to her Amazon list where she keeps her recommendations for self-tape setups, makeup products for models, and her choice of baby products for her daughter Ayla. Gaiilard and her baby have been featured in magazines showcasing their matching beauty.