How 90s Supermodel Yasmeen Ghauri Put South Asia On Global Fashion Map

Former model Yasmeen Ghauri created a legacy that will forever remain unmatched. In an era where only fair-skinned women were considered worthy of walking for popular fashion labels, Ghauri put the South Asian community on the map. Remembered for representing iconic brands like Dior, Chanel, Hermès, Anne Klein, and Victoria’s Secret among others, she swayed the fashion industry for a good part of the decade in the early 90s. Ghauri's presence on the runway was nothing short of empowering and her glorious career showcases that even today.

Yasmeen Ghauri slayed the runway scene at a time when the fashion industry failed to acknowledge brown women, leave alone give them opportunities to represent global brands. It may have been two decades since Ghauri retired from the profession at the age of 27, but the fact that she is recognised as the trailblazing supermodel from the 90s shows the impact she left in the world of modelling.

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Yasmeen Ghauri - the trailblazer 

Yasmeen Ghauri was born in Montreal to a Pakistani father and a German mother. She was 17 and working at Mcdonald’s when she was discovered for a modelling project. While her decision to go forward with modelling met with resistance, she marched ahead anyway. Looking back, her decision to go on despite the kind of subtle and not-so-subtle racism she faced in the States was not just brave but also trailblazing. In a way, Ghauri paved way for women from diverse ethnicities, and especially from South Asian communities to dream of making a career in fashion.

As the face of Vogue and Elle covers for several years, she became a global name and rightly so. She became the first woman from a South Asian community to not just feature on Vogue but also land a contract at one of the world's biggest luxury brands, Victoria's Secret. Not just fashion labels, Ghauri also appeared on screen in some great lines of work. She featured in the song Sacrifice, Elton John’s music video, and later in a 1995 documentary titled Unzipped.

Yasmeen Ghauri retired at the age of 27 in the year 1997 after her fashion show for Victoria’s Secret. She proudly embraced marriage and motherhood, and now resides with her beautiful family in the United States.

"One of the most visible stars of 90s"

In 2016, Vogue paid homage to Ghauri and called her as of the most influential supermodels from the 90s. Honouring her impactful personality, the magazine mentioned the empowerment Ghauri spread in her days by shattering glass ceilings and defying cultural norms. "With the industry now embracing diversity and a new generation of women from multicultural ethnicities rising to prominence, Yasmeen Ghauri stands out as a pioneer," it remarked.

People from the 90s who fondly remember Ghauri from her modelling days often recall how her runway appearances were inspiring in more ways than one. A Twitter user recently recalled how Ghauri was unapologetic when it came to carrying herself o her own terms. "I love how she always flaunted her broad shoulders, especially at a time when society considered women having such shoulders as masculine," the user wrote.

Not just back then, but even today Ghauri's walk is considered one of the best in the history of fashion shows.  Supermodel Tyra Banks often calls Ghauri her inspiration. In one of her pressers, Banks shared how Ghauri's stance on never messing with her face with excessive makeup empowered her. Even when she presented Victoria's Secret, she always made it a point to be as natural as she could because she believed in showing 'being' her own face which could show who she was in the greatest capacity.

As someone who has championed women's rights and raised her voice against oppression, Ghauri has constantly partaken in campaigns around it in one way or another. She is currently raising her voice against the Iranian regimes and lending her support to the women of Iran in her own way by actively putting up relevant information, sharing the needful and strongly objecting to everything that undervalues the struggles of women in Iran.

Ghauri defied not just resistance around her but also varied social obstructions to move forward and live on her terms. Whether entering the fashion industry as a young girl or exiting the world of fashion when she was on top of her game, she paved the way for fashion to become more inclusive and accepting of diversity.