Love it or hate it, there’s no denying the fact that nepotism is a potent force in the fashion industry. Many of the biggest names in modeling all had a leg up on their competition thanks to their famous parents, including Bella and Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Kaia Gerber, Willow Smith, and Lily-Rose Depp, just to name a few. (When you extend it to the entertainment industry, the list grows exponentially longer!)
So who will fill these models’ shoes when it comes to the next generation of so-called nepo babies? Well, I have some ideas. I made a TikTok video in September about this very subject, and it racked up over 500 comments, sparking a lively debate about who has the It factor. Scroll down to see my predictions.
As the daughter of Jude Law and Sadie Frost, Iris was perhaps destined to be in the spotlight. She’s already nabbed campaigns with Versace, Marc Jacobs, and others, and has sat front row at big-ticket shows including Dior. She also attended her very first Met Gala in May 2022.
Eve is the daughter of Apple founder Steve Jobs. She just signed with DNA models earlier this year, but she’s already a Louis Vuitton darling: The brand dressed her for her first Met Gala this year, and she’s a regular in LV’s front row. She also made her first appearance in American Vogue in May 2022, so it’s safe to say she’s hit the ground running with her modeling career.
Yumi Nu’s uncle is Steve Aoki and her aunt is Devon Aoki. She’s already had several big successes, but her career stands to take off like a rocket ship in 2023. She was the first-ever plus-size model on the cover of Vogue Japan (for the April 2022 issue) and was also on the September 2021 group cover shot cover for American Vogue. Additionally, she shared a Teen Vogue cover with her sister, Natalie Nootenboom, and has walked the runway for several brands, including Markarian, Jacquemus, and Brandon Maxwell.
Deva Cassel is the daughter of Italian model and actress Monica Bellucci and French actor Vincent Cassel (who himself is a nepo baby because his dad was the famous actor Jean-Pierre Cassel). Deva is only 18 years old but has already been on the cover of Italian Vogue with her mom and has had solo covers on Vogue Turkey, Harper’s Bazaar Spain, Glamour Spain, and others
Next is Ever Anderson, daughter of model Milla Jovovich. Ever’s first-ever campaign was for Miu Miu—casual. She’s also shot covers for Muse magazine and Marfa Journal. Get ready to see a lot more of her because she’s starring as Wendy in the live-action movie Peter Pan and Wendy coming out in 2023, which also stars Jude Law as Captain Hook and Yara Shahidi as Tinkerbell.
Stella Jones is the daughter of Mick Jones, guitarist for The Clash. She’s signed with Kate Moss’s modeling agency, which is no coincidence, because she’s very close friends with her daughter, Lila Grace Moss.
If you ask me, the late Kobe Bryant’s daughter Natalia deserves the world. She covered the September issue of Teen Vogue in 2021 and is signed with IMG Models. She’s also a new red carpet fixture, having attended this year’s CFDA Awards and the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party.
Esther Rose McGregor is the daughter of actor Ewan McGregor. She’s half French from her mom’s side and she’s 21 years old. She’s already a Miu Miu girl—she’s walked the runway for the brand once and has starred in two of their campaigns. She’s also done a spread for Vogue Mexico.
Chase Sui Wonders is the niece of designer Anna Sui. She’s primarily an actress but has also modeled for Coach, Ferragamo, Madewell, and others, and has appeared in American Vogue.
Next up is Zaya Wade, whose dad is basketball player Dwayne Wade. She’s done campaigns for Tiffany & Co, Fendi, Batsheva, and others, but she’s super young so she’s just getting started. She’s transgender and uses she/her pronouns.
Grace Burns is Christy Turlington’s 19-year-old daughter. She’s done shoots for Muse, Perfect magazine, Pop magazine, and others, and sat front-row at Fendi’s NYFW show in September 2022.
Perhaps the most inevitable nepo baby of them all, Kate Moss’s daughter Lila Grace Moss opened the Fendi show in September when the Italian brand showed in New York. It’s no surprise Lila Grace also scored her first British Vogue cover in May 2022.
Leni Klum, Heidi Klum’s daughter, walked her first runway show in 2021. She also attended lots of fashion month events with her mom this year, sitting front row at Michael Kors and others. At just 18 years old, she’s already amassed over 1.6 million Instagram followers.
As the granddaughter of Bob Marley and the daughter of Lauryn Hill, Selah Marley has music royalty in her blood. She’s 24 years old and has done shoots for Lacoste, Harper’s Bazaar, and Hugo Boss. She’s also walked the runway for Pyer Moss, Telfar, Ekhaus Latta, and others.
