It’s universally known that if you want to be a model, you’ve got to be tall. For a lot of us, 5’9″ is a pretty good height, but in the fashion industry, that’s on the shorter side for a model. That doesn’t mean, however, that girls who aren’t blessed with longer legs can’t still have successful careers. In fact, there are plenty of women who have proved that, although they might not stand as tall as most models, they can still make it–like these 17 top models, all of whom are under 5’9″:
1. Lily-Rose Depp
Lily-Rose Depp may only be 5’3″, but she looms large in Karl Lagerfeld’s mind. The Chanel muse has walked many a tweed-filled runway (Haute Couture Spring 2017, Pre-Fall 2017, Haute Couture Fall 2015) and starred in various beauty and eyewear campaigns for the brand. Depp has already graced a fair number of magazine covers, among them Jalouse, LOVE, V Magazine, Vogue Paris, British Vogue, ELLE France, ELLE Greece and Vanity Fair France. We suppose she has her equally petite, preternaturally beautiful mom to thank.
2. Lottie Moss
Much like her big sister Kate Moss, Lottie Moss has risen within the industry despite being (somewhat) vertically challenged. (Needless to say, the family affiliation didn’t hurt.) The 5’6″ British beauty has fronted campaigns for Topshop, Chanel, Bulgari and RED Valentino. She’s walked the runways of Sonia Rykiel, Topshop Unique and Chanel and graced a handful of covers, the most notable being Vogue Paris’ May 2016 edition, which she shared with fellow genetically #blessed millennial Lucky Blue Smith.
3. Hailey Bieber
Instagirl Hailey Bieber is one of the most visible models of our time thanks (in part) to the 5’7″ blonde’s close friendship with the Jenner and Hadid sisters – and being married to Justin Bieber. Nevertheless, the IMG signee — who’s walked for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Jeremy Scott, Prabal Gurung, Elie Saab, Tory Burch, Off-White, Zadig & Voltaire and Tommy Hilfiger — has more than earned her stripes. She has fronted campaigns for Guess, Karl Lagerfeld, Tommy Jeans, Calvin Klein, Versace, Miu Miu, UGG. In June 2022, the American beauty unveiled Rhode – a line of efficacious, intentional skincare essentials.
4. Sofia Richie Grainge
Sofia Richie Grainge (daughter of Lionel Richie) is successfully forged her own identity in the modeling industry and now considered a style icon. The 5’6″, beauty has fronted Complex, Wonderland, Town & Country, walked the runways of Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Yeezy and Philipp Plein and appeared in the pages of W, V Magazine, Vogue Japan and Seventeen, among others.
5. Adwoa Aboah
Freckle-faced Ghanaian-British beauty Adwoa Aboah is a force to be reckoned with. The 5’8″ 24-year-old is a Vogue (and Vogue.com) favorite thanks to her fresh, rebellious personal style. Not that she needed the validation. Aboah has walked nearly every runway of note (Miu Miu, Chanel, Christian Dior, Fenty x Puma, Versace, Fendi, Moschino, Marc Jacobs, Kenzo) and starred in countless high-profile campaigns (Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Calvin Klein, Sephora). In 2017, Aboah jumped to the silver screen as Ghost in the Shell’s Lia.
6. Rose Bertram
Rose Bertram, a 5’7″ bombshell known for her curly mane and killer curves, is a favorite of Sports Illustrated, LOVE, H&M and Jeremy Scott. The IMG signee and Instagirl on the rise has also worked with beauty giant L’Oréal Paris and luxury lingerie retailer Agent Provocateur, among others.
7. Sara Sampaio
As far as Victoria’s Secret Angels go, 5’8″ Sara Sampaio is a bit on the “short” side. Still, Portugal’s most photogenic export is a mainstay on the international catwalks. In 2017, she’s strutted Balmain, Mugler, Elie Saab, Alberta Ferretti, Baja East, Marchesa, Tory Burch, Prabal Gurung and Tommy Hilfiger. Her list of recent campaign appearances is almost as long-winded — Moroccanoil, Victoria’s Secret, Blumarine, Hogan… Oh, and she’s already got Vogue, LOVE and Editorialist features under her belt.
8. Emily Ratajkowski
You’ve definitely had an eyeful of 5’7″ Emily Ratajkowski — you’ll remember her from 2013’s controversial “Blurred Lines” music video and 2014’s movie adaptation of Gone Girl. But Ratajkowski’s a model first. Her formidable CV includes a turn on Miu Miu’s Fall 2016 runway, a spot in Marc Jacobs’ sprawling Spring 2016 ad campaign and stints on the covers of CR Fashion Book, GQ Spain and British Vogue. Oh, and she’s a firm fave of Donatella Versace.
9. Marisa Miller
Marisa Miller would be a babe no matter her height, which is 5’8″, to be exact. The American fashion model is known best for looking scrumptious in Sports Illustrated and for Victoria’s Secret.
10. Kate Moss
Kate Moss is an industry icon, which is amazing, considering shes’ only 5’7″. But her keen modeling abilities and dangerous, cool-girl vibe we all wish we had have turned her into one of the most successful faces in the world.
11. Cara Delevingne
Cara Delevingne‘s height has been reported to be anywhere between 5’7″ and 5’8″. One thing’s for sure, she’s definitely not traditional runway height. Her agent once tried to get her cast in Louis Vuitton’s Fall 2012 show, but she was cut when Marc Jacobs asked, “Why is that dwarf in there?”
12. Devon Aoki
Devon Aoki is one of the shortest high fashion models out there, and has enjoyed a lot of success through her career. In the late 90s, she became the face of Versace and also posed for Chanel, Kenzo, Moschino, Fendi and many more. How tall is she? Just 5’5″.
13. Camille Rowe
Camille Rowe has landed campaigns with Chloé, Aldo, Dior Homme, H&M and more, as well as multiple covers of ELLE France. She’s also posed for Victoria’s Secret at only 5’7″. Not bad for a “short” girl, right?
14. Lila Moss
After posing alongside her model mother Kate Moss on Vogue Italia’s July 2016 edition, it was only a matter of time before Lila Moss reached superstardom. At 5’3″, Lila has secured campaigns for a whole multitude of fashion houses including Ermanno Scervino, Versace, Marc Jacobs and appeared on the magazine covers of British Vogue, Vogue Japan and Vanity Fair Italia to name a select few.
15. Liberty Ross
Liberty Ross‘ 5’6″ frame certainly was not a problem for Burberry, Emanuel Ungaro or Jimmy Choo–they all chose her to front their campaigns.
16. Lydia Hearst
While it helps that your family is one of the most powerful in the publishing industry when you’re trying to start a modeling career, Lydia Hearst has had a lot of success–not because of her name. She’s landed campaigns for Juicy Couture, Pringle of Scotland, Swarovski and more. Not to mention the sizeable amount of print work she’s done for international versions of Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle and more. The 5’7″ Hearst has been so successful, that she was chosen to be a mentor for season 2 of Naomi Campbell’s modeling reality competition, The Face.
17. Laetitia Casta
Laetitia Casta has had a tremendously successful career in spite of her 5’6″ height. The credits are as far as the eye can see: A contract with L’Oréal Paris, a stint as a Victoria’s Secret Angel, covers of Vogue, ELLE, i-D as well as jobs modeling for Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy, Roberto Cavalli, Vivienne Westwood and countless others.
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