LING TAN, 36, FROM MALAYSIA
Discovered: In 1992 by an advertising executive of Malaysia's Catwalk agency while waiting for a friend in a hotel lobby.
Claim to fame: Starting out in a Tiger Beer ad in 1994, she went on to become Malaysia's hottest model. That year, she moved to New York and was signed by IMG Models.
What's hot: Tan has walked for fashion greats such as Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel and shot a Gucci campaign with renowned fashion photographer Mario Testino. She also appeared in a George Michael music video for his song, Fastlove, in 1996.
Now based in New York city, she is still represented by IMG and is reportedly the lead singer in a five-member female band called Jungk. She currently fronts the spring/summer 2010 online campaign of Banana Republic.
GISELE BUNDCHEN, 30, FROM BRAZIL
Discovered: At age 14 in a shopping mall in Sao Paolo, Brazil, while eating at McDonald's with her friends.
Claim to fame: While she has graced many magazine covers and campaigns, it was not until five years ago that her name made a mark in the fashion world. She signed a US$25 million contract with Victoria's Secret, making her the highest-earning model of all time.
What's hot: In 2008, the New York Daily News named her the fourth most powerful person in the world. She remains one of two models - the other being Kate Moss - who can boost magazine sales, according to Style.com. Despite giving birth to a baby boy last month, she still fronts both the Loewe and Versace fall/winter 2009 campaigns. Bundchen also has her own line of flip-flops that she designs with the Brazilian brand, Ipanema.
KATE MOSS, 36, FROM BRITAIN
Discovered: In 1998 at New York's John F. Kennedy airport by the founder of Storm Model Management, Sarah Doukas, when she was only 14.
Claim to fame: At 15, the blonde waif became the "anti-supermodel" of the 1990s, then dominated by curvy supermodels such as Cindy Crawford. Moss started the trend of "heroin chic" with her rail-thin figure.
What's hot: No working model commands more covers and campaigns than Moss. In 2007, Forbes magazine ranked the mother of a seven-year-old girl second on its list of the world's 15 top-earning supermodels, earning US$9 million a year. She is also working to launch her latest collection for Topshop - the fourth since 2007.
TOP OF THE HEAP
COCO ROCHA, 22, FROM CANADA
Discovered: In 2002 by a talent scout while competing in a dance competition.
Claim to fame: The brunette opened Jean Paul Gaultier's fall/winter 2007 show dancing the Irish jig down the runway. Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue, dubbed this the "Coco moment", making Rocha a household name. She became the face of French luxury label Balenciaga's fall/winter campaign the next year.
What's hot: Rocha is currently the face of Yves Saint Laurent Skincare, Liz Claiborne, Zac Posen and Gap and was on the cover of Vogue Korea last October.
FREJA BEHA ERICHSEN, 23, FROM DENMARK
Discovered: In 2004 on the streets of Copenhagen by a modelling agent passing by in a taxi.
Claim to fame: Erichsen made her debut as a model at the fall/winter 2005 shows in Paris and Milan, walking for Prada and Louis Vuitton. She was also chosen to open for Miu Miu. A favourite with many designers, she has been dubbed a "designer's muse". This led to a number of fashion items being named after her, including the Jill Stuart Freja handbag, the Chloe Freja clutch and the Alexander Wang Freja lace-up stiletto boots.
What's hot: She fronted Gucci's fall/winter 2009 campaign and was the face of Chanel's fall/winter 2009 blitz, alongside American model Heidi Mount.
WILL CHALKER, 30, FROM BRITAIN
Discovered: In 2000. He was a construction worker until a friend sent pictures of him to modelling agencies.
Claim to fame: In 2003, he landed the role that placed him on the fashion map - as the face (and body) of Paco Rabanne's perfume Black XS. His boyish smile and taut, shirtless body made him a household name. In 2005, he opened and closed the Gucci menswear shows and walked the runway of Dolce & Gabbana's spring/summer 2005 show carrying a baby tiger. He was the first male nominated for Best Model at the 2008 British Fashion Awards.
What's hot: Chalker is the face of French skincare giant ClarinsMen.
FACES TO WATCH
LINDSEY WIXSON, 15, FROM THE UNITED STATES
Discovered: In June last year. Fashion site model.com named her one of the new faces to watch.
Claim to fame: Wixson was rejected by almost every modelling agency in New York before she was signed by Marilyn Agency. Even after that, many casting directors shunned the leggy blonde from Kansas, thinking that her looks, which includes her now famous pout, would not translate well on and off the runway. She had the last laugh when she was shot by American fashion photographer Steven Meisel for Vogue Italia in June last year. The waif-like model was then booked exclusively by Italian designer Miuccia Prada to open the Prada spring/summer 2010 show in Milan and to close the Miu Miu one in Paris, making her the most talked-about newcomer this fashion season.
What's hot: She is the face of Miu Miu's spring/summer 2010 campaign.
TAO OKAMOTO, 23, FROM JAPAN
Discovered: In 2006 by renowned modelling agency Elite Models, which signed her after seeing her test-shot pictures.
Claim to fame: She made her runway debut at the spring/summer 2006 Paris Fashion Week for Emanuel Ungaro. Her American debut came the next year, for Marc Jacobs in New York. In September last year, Vogue Nippon dedicated the entire November issue to her - she was on the cover and modelled all four fashion spreads - a first for any Asian model. She is also the first Japanese face to grace the cover of Vogue Nippon in nearly a decade.
What's hot: She has been dubbed a rising star by Teen Vogue and was named the magazine's Girl Of The Moment in its December/January 2010 issue. She is also the face of American preppy chic label Ralph Lauren - another first for an Asian model.
KELSEY VAN MOOK, 17, FROM CANADA
Discovered: At 14. Van Mook was talent-scouted while sitting on a bench outside a mall in her native Ontario in 2007.
Claim to fame: She was handpicked by Givenchy's designer, Riccardo Tisci, to open the label's fall/winter 2009 collection in Paris, a privileged spot given to only top models.
What's hot: The young model landed a cover for Vogue Australia's August issue last year and is set to walk for big names such as Givenchy and Marchesa in the fall/winter 2010 shows.
