We’ve just seen Puerto Rican model Joan Smalls on the front of May’s Australian Vogue and almost choked on our Pret a Manger mango slices she looks so smokin’ hot.
We’ve had our eye on this soon-to-be-supermodel since she became a Gucci girl in 2010. And recently we’ve been ripping out her Chanel S/S print campaign, shot by Karl Lagerfeld, and Blu-Tacking an homage to her on our wall, next to our Iris Apfel shrine.
At fashion week in London and Milan, her strides down the catwalk for Burberry and Dolce & Gabbana sent a ripple of excitement along the front rows and elicited slight smiles and almost eyebrow-raises from even the most Botoxed of faces.
Joan’s a classic beauty, who off camera is pretty and approachable rather than Naomi-style terrifying. She can also do edgy, which we love (see her shoots for i-D and W magazines). Last month she was the first black model to grace the cover of Vogue Italia since 2008 which is undoubtedly a travesty.
But despite the slightly dubious ‘exotic’ concept, Joan looked fab. Frankly, this 23-year-old goddess can do no wrong in our book. She even has an equally hot boyfriend Bernard Smith. Swoon!
