2000s Model Reunion: Legendary Faces Slay Fall/Winter 2024 Fashion Week Runways
After seasons of 1990s icons returning to the runway, these Y2K legends are reclaiming the catwalk.
By Imran Jalal,
As Fall/Winter 2024 Fashion Week shifts gears from London to Milan, a Y2K trend is emerging on the catwalks: the era's models are back. The Burberry show led the charge, featuring British noughties icons like Agyness Deyn and Lily Cole strutting down the runway. Then, on the second day of Milan Fashion Week, Max Mara delivered another #throwback moment with Natasha Poly, Caroline Trentini, and Gemma Ward gracing its show.
In an Instagram post shared by Trentini, a backstage photo captures the trio, who collectively walked 18 seasons together in the 2000s, beaming with joy. Her caption reads: "It’s a reunion and it feels so good 😎 we met when we were babies and now we have 7 kids all together 😂"
Who: Agyness Deyn
Seen at: Burberry's Winter 2024 show
What you need to know: Agyness Deyn, the model from the north of the English county of Lancashire, epitomised the spirit of the indie sleaze during the 2000s with her distinctive peroxide pixie haircut and androgynous charm. She became a familiar face at raves and clubs, where she hung out with pals like Henry Holland and Hedi Slimane. Her unconventional beauty and eclectic style defined the generation and made her a favourite of designers such as Burberry's then-chief creative officer Christopher Bailey and Dr. Martens. The 41-year-old dabbled in acting for most of the mid-2000s, primarily in independent films.
Who: Lily Cole
Seen at: Burberry's Winter 2024 show
What you need to know: The flame-haired and freckled English model was celebrated in the 2000s for her Botticelli-esque features, feted by labels from Alexander McQueen to Chanel. The 36-year-old, married to businessman Kwame Ferreira with whom she shares a nine-year-old daughter, made headlines in 2020 with her book Who Cares Wins: How to Protect the Planet You Love, where she revealed she is queer and asserted that "none of us choose the cultural norms and laws we inherit." The title is also the name of her ongoing podcast, focusing on her other passion: environmental and social activism.
Who: Lily Donaldson
Seen at: Burberry's Winter 2024 show
What you need to know: Discovered at the age of 16 while shopping in Camden, the 37-year-old model has left an enduring mark on the fashion industry. The blonde-haired beauty, gained widespread recognition as a Victoria's Secret Angel, participating in seven annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows from 2010 to 2016. Emerging as one of the most bankable British models in the 2000s, she boasts an impressive portfolio with over 50 campaigns, featuring prominently as the face of prestigious brands like Gucci and Burberry.
Who: Edie Campbell
Seen at: Burberry's Winter 2024 show
What you need to know: This London model, with her striking pixie cut and bug-eyed gaze, caught the fashion world's attention in 2009 with her debut. The 33-year-old comes from a family with a long history in fashion, and she once humorously referred to herself as a nepo baby. Her mother, Sophie Hicks, is a former editrix, and her grandmother and sister are both accomplished models. In addition to being a British Fashion Award-winning model in 2013, she has also used her voice in various publications as a writer. In 2017, she created a stir with an open letter published in WWD, a trade publication, that described the abuses of power in the fashion industry in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. "When the Weinstein affair broke, I immediately felt a shift," she wrote. "It seemed like people were finally speaking up about experiences they were too ashamed or afraid to share before. I believed fashion needed the same reckoning. While I haven't personally experienced that kind of abuse, I know it exists, and it needs to be addressed."
Who: Natasha Poly
Seen at: Fendi's Fall/Winter 2024 show and Max Mara's Fall/Winter 2024 show
What you need to know: This 38-year-old is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to commanding runway presence and her captivating feline-esque features. Born in Russia, she began her modelling journey at the young age of 15 when she was scouted. In 2004, she landed her big break by walking for Emanuel Ungaro. Since then, she has quickly risen through the ranks and become a muse for fashion designers like the late Karl Lagerfeld and Tom Ford.
Who: Gemma Ward
Seen at: Max Mara's Fall/Winter 2024 show
What you need to know: This Perth native's life changed forever when she was discovered at 14 while accompanying friends to a TV show audition. Gemma Ward's elfin features and ethereal beauty propelled her onto the global stage at a dizzying pace. One of her most iconic moments came at 17 when she replaced Kate Moss as the face of Calvin Klein's Obsession campaign. Ward took a break from modelling in the mid-2000s to pursue acting, with roles in The Great Gatsby, The Strangers, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and the historical drama While the Men are Away. The 36-year-old mother of three also graced the stage, making her debut in The Ugly One and later appearing in the Australian remake of the West End thriller 2:22 A Ghost Story. Ward's recent fashion comeback saw her fronting the Courreges Fall/Winter 2023 campaign.
Who: Caroline Trentini
Seen at: Max Mara's Fall/Winter 2024 show
What you need to know: Caroline Trentini, a Brazilian model of Italian and German descent, was discovered at the age of 14 by the same agent who discovered Gisele Bundchen. Known for her infectious smile and sun-kissed features, she quickly became a favourite of fashion houses like Marc Jacobs and Dolce & Gabbana, and a a muse to designers like Olivier Theyskens, who created a custom gown for her wedding in 2012.