Famous Models With Famous Parents
The fashion industry is entering a new era, full of fresh, familiar faces. Over the years, luxury designers have begun to look to Hollywood's elite for the next generation of supermodels, with many A-list kids modeling for brands like Givenchy and Dolce and Gabbana soon after being signed. Thanks to their famous parents, these models have the world at their fingertips, with access to endless connections, gigs, and riches. It's no wonder many of them chose to follow their parents into the spotlight. However, this ambitious bunch full of entrepreneurs, models, actors, and philanthropists seems to be creating success in lanes of their own.
While some choose a more low-key life out of the spotlight, other celebrity kids are using their platforms for music, fashion, activism, and everything in between. So, which celeb kids are taking over the fashion industry? Let's take a look at the famous models who have famous parents.
Christian Combs
24-year-old Christian Combs is falling right into his famous father's footsteps. The model and musician — also known as King Combs — is the son of hip hop mogul P. Diddy and model Kim Porter. It's safe to say that this model has been in the spotlight his entire life, but recently, Combs has been making noise with his contributions to fashion and music. He made his runway debut in 2017, then went on to sign with IMG models, becoming the face of Dolce & Gabbana's spring/summer 2018 campaign (reported the Los Angeles Times). He later signed to DNA Model Management and is continuing to make strides on the runway. Combs cites his late supermodel mother, Kim Porter, as his modeling muse. "She would always tell me before any runway or photoshoot little pointers like, be free, be yourself," he told Models in 2020. "Don't think about it so much. Show your swag. She honestly would be at most of those photoshoots, almost all of them that I did."
Much like his famous father, Combs also has a love for hip hop. After dropping a few tracks on SoundCloud, Combs signed to Epic Records and produced popular tunes like "Legacy" and "Gas You Up" under the name King Combs. Combs also curated the musical group CYN, achieving global success. He hopes to carry on the legacies started by his famous parents through his music and fashion, and, per Sheen, he's very proud of who his parents are.
Corinne Foxx
Corinne Foxx is the daughter of Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx. The model and entrepreneur, who started modeling in 2014, describes herself as a "multi-hyphenate," because she dips her toes into multiple corners of the industry. Corinne has walked for Dolce & Gabbana and Yeezy, but she got her start accompanying her dad on red carpets as a child. Despite this, Corinne insists her father didn't pressure her to be famous. "I think he always secretly wanted me to be [in the industry] but he never pushed me. I wanted to come into it on my own. ... I really wanted to love my art. I wanted to learn the art of acting," she shared at a Sherri Hill show during New York Fashion Week. "I didn't wanna just be an actress because I could be an actress." Still, Corinne says her dad is her "number one fan" and frequently embarrasses her with his support.
These days, Corinne has shifted her focus from modeling to acting and mental health. She was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at 13 years old, and wants to be a positive guide for others. "I think mental health issues can feel so isolating," she told ET. "You can feel like nobody understands you, and that is a thinking pattern that I'd really love to combat and to overcome because there is a light at the end of the tunnel." She now stars in and produces "Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!" alongside her famous father.
Bella and Gigi Hadid
Bella and Gigi Hadid are perhaps two of the most famous supermodels of the decade. The sisters are fabulously talented and have massive social impact, with over 125,000 followers on their combined Instagrams alone. The duo have walked for Vivienne Westwood, Givenchy, and Mugler, amongst numerous others throughout their time in the industry, while their younger brother, Anwar Hadid, is beginning to build up his resumé as well. As it turns out, the three supermodels are all mirroring their mother, supermodel and reality star Yolanda Hadid. After signing to Ford Models in 1979, Yolanda van den Herik (as she was known at the time), appeared in everything from Vogue to the runway. Yolanda modeled in the fashion industry for 15 years before settling down in the mid-'90s and marrying real estate developer Mohamed Hadid. Mohamed is famous in his own right — the Jordanian developer is known for building luxury hotels and mansions, mainly in Bel Air and Beverly Hills, California — and has also had small appearances on reality tv. Together, Yolanda and Mohammad had three children, and the rest is history, right?
Yolanda is now most known for starring in "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," and her now-famous children were featured quite often in the show as teens. Mohamed also made a few appearances on reality tv, but he is mostly known for his lavishly long-winded Instagram captions full of love and support for his children.
Manolo Gonzalez Vergara
Colombian actor Sofía Vergara is the young mom to model Manolo Gonzalez Vergara. The gorgeous Manolo's father is Sofía's high school sweetheart, José Luis González, whom she married at just 18 years old. Despite getting divorced after two years, the two remain friends and González is very much present in Manolo's life. Manolo made his unofficial modeling debut in the '90s alongside his famous mother, and has gone on to model for Paper magazine, amongst other notable publications. He has also been dipping his foot into the acting world, with significant roles in "The Big Feed" and the television series "Guilty Party." He once starred alongside Sofía, playing a DJ in the 2015 comedy action film, "Hot Pursuit."
Manolo also seems to be putting his directing chops to the test: The young model has directed two short films, "Waking Up", which he wrote for as well, and "Post Mortem." Sofía is incredibly proud of her son's achievements, telling People: "Every time people compliment me about my son, it is very rewarding. I was really young when I divorced his father, so I raised him trying to set the best example and give him the best that I could," she gushed. "When people compliment me on him, on how well mannered, how charming, funny and well-behaved he is, it makes all the sacrifices worthwhile."
Destry Allyn Spielberg
Destry Allyn Spielberg is the daughter of famous filmmaker Steven Spielberg, and is making noise on the runway and off. Signed to DT Model Management, Destry made her modeling debut in 2017, immediately walking for Dolce & Gabbana. While she seems to enjoy the perks of celebrity-kid fame, Destry finds her identity difficult to deal with at times. "To be honest, I've been somewhat frustrated," she told W in 2017. "I go into things feeling like, did I get this because I'm really up for it, or because of who I am? It's hard, because if people are just going to take me for my name, then this isn't the right industry for me. I'm trying to be myself, but I'm really trying to just go by Destry Allyn now."
These days, however, it seems Destry has become more comfortable with her famous last name. She proudly includes Spielberg on her social media handles and in the directing credits of her short films, and has successfully created her own lane. Destry's latest project, "The Rightway," was written by Owen King, Stephen King's son, and starred Hopper Penn — another famous Hollywood kid. Despite accusations of nepotism, Destry maintains that she's worked very hard to get where she is, tweeting (via Best Life): "I am just a young aspiring female filmmaker who admires the art of cinema. People can argue nepotism, But i know deep down that i worked hard to get where i am and it wasn't easy."
Hailey Bieber
Up next is Hailey Bieber, formerly known as Hailey Baldwin. The model is best known for her trendy fashion on and off the runway, along with being married to superstar Justin Bieber. Nevertheless, Hailey is the daughter of famous Hollywood actor Stephen Baldwin, the youngest of the famous Baldwin siblings. Stephen built a successful career in television and film, starring in numerous comedy movies throughout the '80s and '90s. He eventually settled down with his wife, Kennya, and had their two daughters, but he still occasionally makes appearances on shows like "Celebrity Big Brother."
In spite of her successful career on the catwalk, Hailey quit runway modeling for good in 2022. The model told W that her departure is due to losing confidence in her craft. "I had a really bad experience with a casting director who was very important," she explained, omitting the director's name. "He said something to my agent that just shook my confidence when it came to the runway. I don't want to feel bad about myself in this space because I feel really good about the other work that I do. So why would I even put myself in a position to feel small?" In truth, strutting the runway has "never been her thing," so Hailey had no issue shifting focus.
Cordell Broadus
Cordell Broadus is an up-and-coming model with an unquenchable thirst for fashion. Snoop Dogg's second oldest son made his modeling debut alongside Christian Combs and Diggy Simmons at Milan Fashion Week in 2017, wearing Dolce & Gabbana as he walked the runway. Broadus initially started his career in football, playing as a wide receiver for UCLA, but swiftly made the transition to fashion when given the chance. His big break came in 2016, when he was approached by Karruche Tran's agent at Wilhemina Models to discuss a contract. Now, Broadus has modeled for the likes of Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, and MCM Worldwide, and can only do well from here.
As for if he plans to follow in his famous dad's footsteps, Broadus doesn't want to compete: "Nah, not really (Lol). Me and my father are alike, but we're completely different when it comes to our creativity — his thing is music and my thing is film and fashion," Broadus told Mixed Chicks. "My main goal is to get signed to a modeling agency and continue traveling the world as a model and creative director! It's completely left field from what my family is used to, but my Granddad used to be a model back in the day, so now it's my turn!" Broadus admits that fashion is his true passion and that he only played football to please his father. With Snoop Dogg's support, Broadus has gone on to smash the modeling and film industries alike.
Brandon Thomas Lee
Our next model is Brandon Thomas Lee, the son of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee. The oldest of the couple's two sons, Brandon is the latest celebrity kid with a taste for designer fashion. With a famous model and actor for a mother and a heavy metal musician for a father, it's hard to believe Brandon had no interest in entering the entertainment world. His stumbling into fashion came completely by fate, when his mother dragged him to a meeting with her in Los Angeles. A passing agent stopped the teen in the hallway and asked if he was a model. "I wasn't really into working in the entertainment industry — well not modeling per [se] — and I never really thought of myself as having the model look. I always thought I wanted to be in film and models had to be super tall and good-looking," Brandon told Grazia Magazine. Eventually, with some hesitation, he signed to Next Management and got a gig as the recurring millennial face of Dolce & Gabbana.
To Brandon, the idea of working hard is a no-brainer. The model's famous parents taught him the value of a good work ethic, and he took their teachings to heart: "Success goes hand-in-hand with respect. You have to earn people's respect in order to generate success," Brandon explained. "To be respected by other people in your industry for being a hard worker and for them to be like, 'this kid's good' ... that's all I want."
Lori Harvey
Lori Harvey is the latest "it" girl and the step-daughter of "Family Feud" host Steve Harvey. The 24-year-old model is still in the early stages of her career and has already signed with high-profile firms LA Models in the United States, and Select Models in Europe. Lori started modeling at the age of three, according to The Sun, and has modeled for Chanel, Calvin Klein, and Pat McGrath, among others. The stunning model, who grew up in Memphis, says her childhood was pretty normal, despite her father's fame. "My parents did a good job of keeping us out of the spotlight and letting us have a normal childhood so we could be kids and not live life under a microscope," she told Vogue. "They let us decide if we wanted to be in the industry."
After observing a severe lack of diversity on the runway, Lori hopes to be an a role model for other Black girls wanting to make it in the industry. "I feel like you don't see a lot of color in the fashion industry in general. You just don't. I think I was one of five girls backstage at the show that was African-American," she spilled to BET (via Elle). "I think it's very important to hold open the door for the next person and the next generation of girls that see me and are like, okay, I can do that."
Kaia Gerber
Kaia Gerber has been dubbed the "baby supermodel" to watch by fashion editors worldwide. The 20-year-old model is the daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, and has quickly become a favorite among fashion buffs. The young model bears an uncanny resemblance to her bombshell mother (minus the famous mole), and this likeness has helped Kaia book high-profile shows with Fendi, Prada, and Moschino. Crawford's talents clearly passed onto her daughter, as Kaia was already turning heads on the runway at 16 years old. With her timeless looks inherited from her supermodel mother, Kaia is giving a nod to the '90s while also spearheading fashion's future.
With two supermodels as parents, growing up, Kaia found herself constantly surrounded by huge names in fashion. From Naomi Campbell to Carla Bruni, she would interact with these icons on a personal level, and never grasped the reality of their impact until she was older. "As a young girl, I only understood their influence on me personally — I didn't realize their impact on the culture of the world I was about to enter," Kaia wrote for Vogue. "When that final curtain opened at the Versace show and they were all standing there, everyone backstage started cheering and tearing up. I did, too — I finally got it." Now that she's come into her own, Kaia has started dabbling in acting, but maintains a passionate love for the runway.
Ava Phillippe
Yes, you read that correctly. The above photo is not Reese Witherspoon, but her lookalike daughter, Ava Phillippe. Ryan Phillippe and Witherspoon's daughter made her modeling debut in 2018 with a lookbook for Rodarte's Fall 2018 collection, and has since posed for Pat McGrath and Ivy Park alongside her younger brother, Deacon Phillippe.
Ava is still getting started with modeling, and every booking is more exciting than the last for her. The Pat McGrath shoot was a particularly big accomplishment for the up-and-coming model, who reportedly greatly admires the brand. While Witherspoon didn't give her daughter modeling tips to prepare for the shoot, she did encourage Ava to enjoy every minute of it. "She did not give advice per se," Ava shared with People. "She did want to make sure that I was going to be safe and that everything was accounted for and that I was going to be treated as well as possible. And I felt good about it. And I checked all those boxes and she said, 'Go have fun.'"
Margaret Qualley
Finally, we have model, actor, and socialite Margaret Qualley. Qualley's parents are fellow actor Andie MacDowell and former model Paul Qualley, meaning the young model is no stranger to the fast life of celebrity kids. Margaret made the transition to the modeling industry after studying in rigorous ballet programs and quitting dance at the age of 16. Unfortunately, though, modeling only pushed her to isolation. "I was 20 pounds less than I am now and starving myself. I lived alone, I didn't know anybody in New York, and I was definitely a recluse," Margaret told The Cut. "It had been, like, two weeks, and I realized I hadn't said anything. I was laying in bed and I was like, 'Hello?' I just talked to hear my own voice. And it was such a strange feeling."
Margaret only lasted a few months as an IMG model, eventually making the switch to acting and following in her mother's footsteps. "Modeling was easy, and I was fortunate enough to be able to capitalize on the way that I looked in a society that will pay you to look that way," Margaret told C. "But after about four months I was like, 'I'm lucky and I'm privileged and I'm an a**hole, but this is making me very unhappy.' So I quit." Despite having a negative experience as a model, Margaret still appreciates fashion from afar, frequently attending fashion shows in Paris with her sister.