Tyra Banks

==Modeling career==
[[File:Tyra Banks 2012 Shankbone.JPG|thumb|right|upright|Banks in 2012]]
When Banks was 15 years old, she started modeling while attending school in Los Angeles. She was rejected by four modeling agencies before she was signed by L.A. Models. She switched to [[Elite Model Management]] at age 16. When she got the opportunity to model in Europe, she moved to Milan. In her first runway season, she booked 25 shows in the 1991 [[Paris Fashion Week]]. Banks appeared in editorials for American, Italian, French, and Spanish ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]''; American, French, German, and Spanish ''[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]]''; American, German, and Malaysian ''[[Harper's Bazaar]]''; ''[[V (American magazine)|V]]''; ''[[W (magazine)|W]]'' and [[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]].

She appeared on the covers of magazines such as ''[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]]''; ''[[Harper's Bazaar]]''; Spanish ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]''; ''[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]]''; ''[[Seventeen (American magazine)|Seventeen]]'' and ''[[Teen Vogue]]''.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} She walked in fashion shows for [[Chanel]], [[Oscar de la Renta]], [[Yves Saint Laurent (brand)|Yves Saint Laurent]], [[Anna Sui]], [[Christian Dior]], [[Donna Karan]], [[Calvin Klein]], [[Perry Ellis]], [[Marc Jacobs]], [[Givenchy]], [[Herve Leger]], [[Valentino SpA|Valentino]], [[Fendi]], [[Isaac Mizrahi]], [[Giorgio Armani]], [[Sonia Rykiel]], [[Michael Kors]] and others. She appeared in advertising campaigns for [[Yves Saint Laurent (brand)|Yves Saint Laurent]], [[Dolce & Gabbana]], [[Escada]], [[Tommy Hilfiger]], [[Ralph Lauren]], [[Halston]], [[H&M]], [[XOXO (brand)|XOXO]], [[Swatch]], [[Versace]], [[Christian Lacroix]], [[Victoria's Secret]], [[Got Milk?]], [[Pepsi]] and [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/models/tyra_banks/|title=Bank Profile|work=The FMD - FashionModelDirectory.com|access-date=September 27, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/547117054701357640/|title=SublimeL'Officiel #777, 1993Photographer: Carlo Dalla ChiesaModel: Tyra BanksChristian Lacroix, Spring 1993 RTW {{!}} !1990s Sailor Moon Fashion Ideas {{!}} Tyra banks, Fashion images, Tara banks|website=Pinterest|language=en|access-date=2019-04-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/354940014375592967/|title=Pin by Adi Divaris on Classy bissh {{!}} Versace dress, Nineties fashion, Vintage outfits|website=Pinterest|language=en|access-date=2019-04-04}}</ref> In 1993, Banks signed a contract with [[CoverGirl (brand)|CoverGirl]] cosmetics, launching advertising campaigns for the cosmetics company. She was one of only a few Black models to achieve [[Supermodel]] status. In the mid-1990s, Banks returned to America to do more commercial modeling.

Banks was the first Black woman on the cover of ''[[Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue]]'' and the first African-American woman on the cover of ''[[GQ]]''.<ref name="fmd">{{cite web|url= http://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/models/Tyra_Banks|title= Tyra Banks Profile|publisher= FMD-database|access-date= June 11, 2008}}</ref> In 1997, she received the [[VH1]] award for "Supermodel of the Year".<ref name="ABOUT TYRA BANKS" /> That year, she was the first African American chosen for the cover of the Victoria's Secret catalog,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n7_v52/ai_19383832/ | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709034659/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n7_v52/ai_19383832/ | archive-date=July 9, 2012 | work=Ebony | title=Tyra Banks: on top of the world – African American fashion model | first=Lynn | last=Norment | year=1997}}</ref> and became a [[Victoria's Secret Angel]].<ref name="cbsvsfs05">[http://www.cbs.com/specials/victorias_secret_2005/ CBS Specials: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2005] source:CBS.com. Retrieved July 20, 2012.</ref> In 2010, Banks re-signed with her former modeling agency [[IMG Models]].<ref name="IMC">{{cite web|url=http://imgmodels.com/details.aspx?navbtn=1&cityID=1&modelid=19410&pic=&subid=1767&mainsubid=1767&agencyID=&catID=1&pageNo=&selectedModel=TYRA%20BANKS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713022212/http://imgmodels.com/details.aspx?navbtn=1&cityID=1&modelid=19410&pic=&subid=1767&mainsubid=1767&agencyID=&catID=1&pageNo=&selectedModel=TYRA%20BANKS |archive-date=July 13, 2011|title=Bio|access-date=September 27, 2014}}</ref> Banks is now a contributor of the ''[[Vogue Italia]]'' website.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tyra Banks|url=http://www.vogue.it/en/vogue-black/tyra-banks|work=www.vogue.it|access-date=July 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616174522/http://www.vogue.it/en/vogue-black/tyra-banks|archive-date=June 16, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In 2013, Banks transformed herself into 15 supermodels, in collaboration with fashion photographer [[Udo Spreitzenbarth]].

In 2019, Banks came out of her modeling retirement to pose for one of the three 2019 ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' covers; the other cover models being [[Camille Kostek]] and [[Alex Morgan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/swim-daily/2019/05/07/si-swimsuit-2019-cover-reveal-tyra-banks-camille-kostek-alex-morgan|title=Tyra Banks, Camille Kostek, and Alex Morgan are SI Swim 2019 cover models|website=SI.com|date=May 8, 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref> It marked her third cover for the publication, 22 years after her first.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/swim-daily/2019/04/29/tyra-banks-sports-illustrated-swimsuit-2019-cover|title=Tyra Banks lands the cover of SI Swimsuit 2019!|website=SI.com|date=May 8, 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref> She also announced that she will now go by the modeling name BanX.<ref name=":1" />