Yasmeen Ghauri

Yasmeen Ghauri is a Canadian former fashion model known for her runway walk, which model Tyra Banks described as the "walk of life." She achieved major success during the 1990s and became one of the first women of South Asian descent to appear on the cover of Vogue.

Ghauri was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to a German mother and a Pakistani father. Her paternal family ultimately traces its origins to Ghor, Afghanistan, and she identifies as half South and Central Asian. At the age of 17, she was discovered by Edward Zaccaria, artistic director of Platine Coiffure, after leaving a hair salon in Montreal. Despite initial disapproval from her parents, she actively pursued modeling.

She made her modeling debut on runways in Milan and Paris before relocating to New York City in 1990. Her presence quickly drew attention from fashion labels and critics, with The New York Times describing her runway walk as a "ball-bearing swivel of her hips." Her early success contributed to what fashion observers termed the "Canadian invasion."

Ghauri achieved widespread fame in the early 1990s, beginning with a major cover for Elle in January 1991, for which she did her own makeup due to a lack of available shades for her skin tone. She also starred in the music video for Elton John's song "Sacrifice" alongside Chris Isaak. By late 1990, she had appeared on covers for French Elle and walked for major designers including Gianni Versace, Chanel, Helmut Lang, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Lanvin. She subsequently became the face of brands such as Chanel, Jil Sander, Christian Dior, and Anne Klein.

In January 1991, photographer Steven Meisel shot Ghauri for the cover of Italian Vogue. Later that year, she appeared in editorials for British and Italian Vogue, with photographer Patrick Demarchelier calling her his favorite subject. In 1992, she became the face of Valentino couture and Versace, walked in Gianni Versace's "Bondage" show in Milan, and signed with Victoria's Secret as one of its angels. Over the following years, she represented Hermès and Lanvin, appeared in the 1995 Isaac Mizrahi documentary Unzipped, and frequently modeled for Victoria's Secret catalogues, swimsuit issues, and annual fashion shows starting in 1996.

Ghauri retired from modeling in 1997 after unexpectedly stepping out of an Yves Saint Laurent show. In other media, she served as the inspiration for the character Jasmine in the comic book series Jonathan Steele. She is married to lawyer Ralph Bernstein, with whom she has a daughter and a son, and resides in Bedford, New York.