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Vogue tips London teenager as world's next supermodel
Ellen Widdup, Evening Standard04.07.08
A London teenager has been named one of the world's most promising young models by Vogue.
Jourdan Dunn - who was discovered shopping in Hammersmith Primark and has since become Prada's first black catwalk model since Naomi Campbell a decade ago - is one of only two British girls tipped for global modelling success by the magazine.
The 19-year-old was approached by a fashion scout for Storm - the agency responsible for the careers of Kate Moss, Claudia Schiffer and Sophie Dahl - two years ago. Since then she has modelled on catwalks in London, Paris and New York, fronted campaigns for brands including Benetton and Gap, and spoken out in the Evening Standard about racism in the fashion industry.
Today Jourdan, who lives with her mother Dee and two younger brothers in Greenford, said she was elated by the honour. "This is such a big compliment from British Vogue and I am so flattered," she said.
Jourdan, who is 5ft 11in with vital statistics of 32-23-35, said a lot more could be done to make her industry more diverse. "I go to castings and see several black and Asian girls, then I get to the show and there's just me and maybe one other coloured face."
Sarah Doukas, managing director of Storm, described Jourdan as a " trailblazer", adding: "I have felt that our industry has badly needed an interesting and new model star. In my opinion Jourdan Dunn is the girl ... Like all the great models before her, she is exciting and original."
Vogue's fashion booking editor Sophie Baudrand said 10 girls were picked from thousands worldwide. She added: "Jourdan is one of those really cool London girls that come along once in a while." The other tipped Briton is Eden Clark, 17.
