Joan Smalls

Joan Smalls Rodriguez (born July 11, 1988) is a pioneering Puerto Rican model and television personality who has reshaped the landscape of high fashion with her striking presence and relentless work ethic. Raised in the coastal town of Hatillo, Puerto Rico, she grew up alongside two sisters in a multicultural household—her father Eric Smalls, a West Indian accountant of African and Irish descent, and her mother Betzaida Rodríguez, a Puerto Rican social worker with Spanish and Taíno heritage—providing her with a rich cultural tapestry that would later inform her global appeal. After excelling academically, she graduated magna cum laude from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico with a bachelor's degree in psychology, a credential she earned before moving to New York City to chase a modeling career. Smalls was first signed by Elite Model Management in 2007, appearing in commercial work for Nordstrom, Liz Claiborne, and Sass & Bide, before switching to IMG Models in 2009 and shifting her focus toward runway shows. Her breakthrough arrived when she walked as a Givenchy exclusive for Riccardo Tisci’s Spring/Summer 2010 haute couture show, a moment that catapulted her onto the international stage and led to collaborations with houses such as Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Versace, Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, and Dior. In 2010 she debuted in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, a platform she returned to for six consecutive years, cementing her status as a versatile supermodel capable of bridging luxury couture and commercial appeal. In 2011 she became the first Latina to represent Estée Lauder, a historic partnership that expanded her influence beyond the runway into global beauty campaigns and later inspired a line of twelve matte lipsticks in 2015. Forbes ranked her the eighth‑highest‑paid model in 2013, reporting earnings exceeding $3 million, while Models.com crowned her the world’s #1 model from 2012 to 2014, recognizing her unprecedented runway count and editorial presence. Her magazine covers span dozens of editions of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and Glamour, and she has fronted advertising for brands ranging from Calvin Klein and Bottega Veneta to Moschino’s first fragrance, Fresh Couture Gold, in 2017. Beyond fashion, Smalls has ventured into television as a co‑host of MTV’s House of Style, appeared in music videos for Beyoncé, Ricky Martin, and ASAP Rocky, and served as a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2017. She has also explored design, releasing a denim collection with True Religion in 2015 and a lingerie line for Walmart’s Smart and Sexy brand in 2017, demonstrating a keen entrepreneurial spirit. Committed to philanthropy, she supports Project Sunshine’s pediatric medical initiatives, the Jeans for Refugees campaign for the International Rescue Committee, and The Garden of Dreams Foundation, leveraging her platform to aid vulnerable children. As of 2018 she was publicly dating entrepreneur Bernard Smith, and while she has not announced any children, her professional legacy continues to inspire a new generation of models from diverse backgrounds.