Karen Alexander

Karen Patton Alexander, born circa 1965 in New Jersey, is an American fashion model and actress. She worked alongside numerous top fashion designers, magazine editors, and photographers throughout a modeling career that spanned over two decades. She is recognized for her prominent industry work during the late 1980s and early 1990s, as well as her role in breaking barriers for models of color in major national publications.

Alexander began her pursuit of modeling at sixteen years old when she visited various modeling agencies in New York. During her initial search, she faced rejections from major modeling agents, including Eileen Ford, John Casablancas, and Bethann Hardison, who individually turned her down for being unphotogenic, not commercial enough, or too commercial. She ultimately entered the industry after signing with the Legends Agency.

As her modeling career developed, Alexander appeared on the covers of major fashion magazines, including Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Mademoiselle, Glamour, and Mirabella. Her commercial work included advertising campaigns for brands such as Cover Girl, Tiffany & Co., and Chanel's Allure fragrance. Throughout her career, she collaborated with prominent photographers of the era, including Steven Meisel, Patrick Demarchelier, Gilles Bensimon, and Peter Lindbergh.

Alexander reached the peak of her modeling career with her appearances in the 1988 and 1989 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, becoming one of the first models of color featured in the swimsuit edition. Additionally, she was featured in the Pirelli Calendar photographed by Herb Ritts and was included in People magazine's list of the 50 Most Beautiful People. Despite her professional achievements, she noted in a 1990 interview with People that she had struggled with self-image, stating that until she became pregnant she felt like an impostor waiting to be found out.

Throughout her career, Alexander faced racial discrimination within the fashion industry. In a 1991 interview with Vogue, she discussed how her modeling options were restricted compared to top white peers of her era, noting that her agency would inform her when clients were not interested in hiring Black models. Beyond her work in fashion, Alexander expanded into acting, gaining recognition for her appearance in the 1995 feature film Bad Boys.

In 2016, Alexander resumed her high-profile modeling work by signing with IMG Models and fronting an advertising campaign for L’Oréal. In her personal life, she was previously married to producer Adam Kidron, with whom she has two daughters. She later married American screenwriter Kurt Olaf Johnstad, and she has three daughters. Alexander is also a member of an advocacy group dedicated to working toward ending gun violence.