The 'eternal fashion It-girl' who defined the turn of the millennium
In short: By the age of 16, Devon Aoki had already replaced Naomi Campbell as the face of Versace. Beyond the runway, she became a cult icon of the 1990s and 2000s, shaping the aesthetic of a generation while navigating a high-profile lineage of wrestlers, designers, and musicians.
Devon Aoki's ascent in the fashion world was meteoric. After her runway debut in 1997, she quickly became one of the industry's most in-demand faces. By 1998, at just 16 years old, she stepped into the role of the face of Versace, succeeding Naomi Campbell. Her influence was cemented by collaborations with elite photographers like Juergen Teller and Ellen von Unwerth, who helped establish her as a recognizable 'alternative' face of the 1990s.
Her career is characterized by a transition from high-fashion modeling to diverse creative ventures. She has walked for major houses including Balenciaga, Chanel, and Marc Jacobs, and appeared on the covers of international editions of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. In 2007, she expanded into design with a capsule collection for Levi's, and she later appeared in various film roles, including '2 Fast 2 Furious' and 'Sin City,' before retiring from full-time acting in 2009 to focus on her family.
Aoki's legacy is often cited as a defining influence on modern aesthetics. Marie Claire identified her in 2019 as a member of the 15 supermodels from the 2000s who reshaped fashion's appearance. Her cultural impact is so enduring that even contemporary figures like Rihanna have been noted to channel her specific looks from her early film work. Today, she remains a symbol of the 'It-girl' era, balancing her public history with a private life as a mother and co-chair of charitable events.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Devon Aoki
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