Who could front “The Model Issue”, if not Naomi Campbell? A name that conjures strength, shattered barriers, and an unmatched aura, Naomi Campbell remodelled the modelling world. For this trailblazer, being first is simply second nature. 

At 18 years old, she made history as the first Black model to grace the cover of Vogue France, and later, the first Black woman to open a Prada show. In the ‘90s, she soared to “supermodel” stardom—alongside a group of ladies she’s come to realise are the “original influencers”—and became the first model to be honoured with a retrospective at London’s prestigious Victoria & Albert Museum in 2024. 

Early in her career, Naomi Campbell already proved that she has the power to both disrupt and elevate—disrupt the status quo and elevate any runway or campaign she graces. Naomi Campbell didn’t just walk the runway—she paved her own, and her footsteps still resound in pop culture, activism, and beyond.

Somehow, Campbell aces a million things a day, yet makes time feel like it’s at a standstill when she’s in your presence. Almost 40 years into her career, and still as busy as ever, she stole the spotlight at London Fashion Week—on the runway and in the front row—while still carving out a full day to nail the perfect cover shots. After much (anxiety-inducing) back and forth, I thought this interview would fall through entirely. But, at 6 am on Friday, I woke up to a slew of voice messages with her clear and considered replies. 

As she reflected on her past experiences and current pursuits, what stood out was her emphasis on “commitment”, the value of being loyal to a person or a cause. And it’s become evident in her relationships, her work, and even with these voice messages sent at the nick of time that Campbell is a woman of her word who can make even the seemingly impossible possible. 

Campbell’s ascent was shaped by the guidance of legendary figures like Gianni Versace and “Papa” Azzedine Alaïa, who took her under his wing when she moved to Paris at the age of 16. As she reflects on those days—filled with dancing, dining, and camaraderie with designers beyond the frenzy of Fashion Week—her voice fills with joy. 

“We saw each other when we would go to Paris and go to dinners, and we enjoyed each other, and we shared ideas,” Campbell shares, both nostalgic and grateful. “We laughed together, dined together, danced together, and cried together. It was really amazing times, and I’m blessed, more than anything, getting to see the way that each of them worked in their own special way.”

As her career flourished, she transformed the pinnacle of her success into a communal celebration, lifting others alongside her, mentoring young models and designers, pushing their potential and platforming their voices.

In an industry known to be cut-throat and cruel, she lent her honesty and vulnerability to rising British-Nigerian fashion designer Tolu Cooker, who featured Campbell in a short film and presentation for Cooker’s Spring 2026 collection. To South Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech, Campbell is a “mother” figure who has mentored her through her modelling career. 

With nearly four decades in the industry, Campbell has witnessed the rapid cycles of industry figures while maintaining her position at the forefront. Through every challenge, she bounces back. The supermodel shared her belief that everything happens in their “divine time”. But Campbell doesn’t simply wait for fate to run its course; she rewrites the trajectory of history—by showing up, doing the work, and committing every single time. 

During this past London Fashion Week, you walked for Dilara Fındıkoğlu and opened for Richard Quinn. In the past, you’ve also shared how you’re keeping your eyes on young fashion designers from emerging countries such as Thebe Magugu, among others. Your endorsement is so influential in the fashion world and beyond. Why is it important to you to platform young designers?

Because young designers are our future. They’re making this business evolve. And it’s important that we shine the light on them, and help them to be given opportunities like all the mainstream countries and markets, and so that’s why it’s super important. I know that I can help with that and make that connection and bridge easier and smoother. I’m happy to be that bridge.

Having graced countless covers over your decades-long career, how has the significance of being a ‘cover star’ evolved?

For me, it’s always an honour. I love working, I love creating, and I love being a part of the team of creation. So for me, everything I do, I’m grateful. And of course, I’m always grateful to do anything in China, as my grandmother was half Chinese, so I also have that affiliation that I love, and I know she would be very happy if she were here today. There are no ‘buts’, I love what I do, and so I hope that that transcends, and that’s what you see when you look at the pictures.

Throughout your remarkable modelling career, you’ve worked with iconic figures such as Gianni Versace, Azzedine Alaïa, Karl Lagerfeld and also Saint Laurent, who championed your appearance on the 1988 French Vogue cover. As you reflect on the past almost 40 years, are there any unsung heroes who have played a pivotal role in shaping your journey?

Well, all of those designers that you mentioned were part of shaping my journey, as well as John Galliano, Rifat Ozbek, Vivian Westwood, Jasper Conran, and Thierry Mugler. What I loved about that time and era is that it was a really wonderful time where we had our own direct relationships with the designers, and it wasn’t just during a fashion show or fashion weeks that we saw them. We saw each other when we would go to Paris and go to dinners, and we enjoyed each other, and we shared ideas. We laughed together, dined together, danced together, and cried together.

It was really amazing times, and I’m blessed, more than anything, getting to see the way that each of them worked in their own special way, the craftsmanship, how they created, how Azzedine Alaïa did his own patterns and cut his own patterns with his hands after pinning them and drawing them. I mean, it was just something really special, and I realised more and more until this day, how privileged I was to witness this way of working.

You’ve developed such close relationships with the legendary designers. What qualities enable the model to become a designer’s muse, and what did it mean to you to embody that role?

Honestly, with all my relationships, I was never trying to be Gianni Versace’s muse. I was never trying to be Azzedine Alaïa’s daughter or muse. I just think it’s energy between you and the person and what you guys feel together, what you go through together. It’s consistency, it’s showing up, it’s being there. And I think that then that just becomes, there’s an understanding between the two of you, and you have a really strong bond and relationship. And I never, ever would say, and I don’t think I’ve ever said that I am the muse of Alaïa. I’ve never had to say it. It’s what people just assumed because I showed up.