Eniko Mihalik
Birthday: May 11, 1987
Hometown: Békéscsaba, Hungary
Agency: Elite Paris, Marilyn Agency, Storm
In a world of pale beauties whose similar looks often blur into one another, Eniko Mihalik’s dainty nose and tiny bow mouth make her unmistakable. She debuted at the Chanel couture show in 2006, but achieved widespread recognition this season. Her spring shows included Derek Lam, Donna Karan, Versace, Balmain; Zac Posen chose Mihalik to close his resort show. “She reminds me of Jodie Foster in Bugsy Malone. What more can you ask for?” Posen says. That her runway career picked up this season wasn’t surprising; Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin had recently shot Mihalik for the Gucci campaign.
Liu Wen
Birthday: January 27, 1988
Hometown: Hunan, China
Agencies: Marilyn Agency
It takes something to book a Jean Paul Gaultier show on first look, but Liu Wen managed just that. “I had a coup de foudre”—French for “stroke of lightning,” more or less—“for Liu Wen the first time I saw her,” the designer explains. “She came in for casting for my prêt-à-porter show, and I immediately booked her.” Wen, who got her start at a modeling competition in China, caught the international fashion world’s eye when she was styled as Karl Lagerfeld and Viktor & Rolf for Chinese Cosmopolitan. This spring, the Americans noticed; she walked in Ralph Lauren’s show and signed a fragrance deal with CK One. Abroad, she appeared at Balenciaga, Chloé, and Louis Vuitton.
Imogen Morris Clarke
Birthday: March 24, 1992
Hometown: London, England
Agencies: Next, D’Management
Imogen Morris Clarke was first spotted by a model scout when she was out shopping in 2006—but since she was 14 and only five foot five, the agency put her on hold to see if she would grow. Two years and a few inches later, she was taking time off from school to do a Chanel show. This season, Morris Clarke worked her way through a staggering 50 shows—it helps to be young—including Alexander McQueen, Dries Van Noten, Rodarte, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Dolce & Gabbana, and Prada. “There is this mischievous twinkle in her eye that made me realize that we had to cast her,” says Phillip Lim.
Lakshmi Menon
Birthday: November 4, 1981
Hometown: Bangalore, India
Agency: Ford, Storm, Nathalie
It’s just over a year since Lakshmi Menon appeared on the first cover of Vogue India, but that sparked a booking frenzy. “Lakshmi Menon has brought the supermodel back,” Vogue India’s Priya Tanna raved. “She is a great combination of earthy and exotic, and her celebrity is clearly on the rise.” Menon was the face of Hermès’ spring 2008 campaign, and then came a blur of spring 2009 runways: Givenchy, Carolina Herrera, Vera Wang, Ralph Lauren, Jean Paul Gaultier, Diane Von Furstenberg, Zac Posen, Ohne Titel, and so on. What makes it even more surprising is her advanced (for a model) age: She’s 27. So far, that hasn’t been a problem.