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Ali Stephens
Ali Stephens
Ali Stephens
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Alison F. Stephens (born May 10, 1991) is an American model.

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Stephens was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.[2]

She participated in cross country running at East High School, placing second in her region in 2006.[3]

Personal life

[edit]

Stephens had no prior experience or interest in the modeling industry.[4][5] Stephens became friends with fellow model Toni Garrn during bookings with Calvin Klein in fall 2008.[2]

Stephens married Nicholas Lund on August 3, 2012.[6][7]

Stephens says she practices Transcendental Meditation and supports the programs of the David Lynch Foundation.[8] She is interested in environmentalism and works with the non-profit group Oceana to preserve the world's oceans.[2][8][9]

Career

[edit]

Stephens was discovered while shopping with her family in Salt Lake City and signed a three-year contract with Elite Model Management in August 2007 after submitting Polaroid photos of herself.[2] [4][10] On September 25, 2007, she made her runway debut at the Prada spring/summer fashion show in Milan.[4][11]

During 2007, her first year as a fashion model, Stephens was an exclusive for the spring Prada runway show in Milan and opened for the spring Chloé show in Paris.[4] During that year she also walked the runway on behalf of Chanel, Dries van Noten, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton.[4] She was featured as a "rising star" in Hintmag.com's “Model Mania”, Pop magazine and was chosen by Style.com as a member of an elite group of emerging runway stars called “The Ten”. In December 2007, Vmagazine.com called Stephens the second-ranked model for the upcoming spring season.[2]

In 2008 Stephens became the face of Chloé and M Missoni and was photographed by David Sims for Calvin Klein. She modeled for Gap's international spring ad campaign and was photographed for Prada Sport. She was hired as an exclusive for the fall Calvin Klein show in New York City and opened the fall Nicole Farhi and CNC Costume National shows in London and Milan. She was featured on the cover of the Korean magazine W and the cover of MUSE. French Vogue also featured Stephens as a top model that year. In April, Stephens was the focus of a Calvin Klein billboard on the corner of Houston and Lafayette Street in New York City. She was named by New York Look magazine as "This Year's Girl" and signed a cosmetics contract with Chanel. In the fall of 2008, Stephens opened for the spring show of Peter Som in New York City and closed the spring Jonathan Saunders, Preen, and Sophia Kokosalaki shows in New York City and Paris.[2]

In 2009 Stephens appeared in many fashion magazines including Vogue China, Italian Vogue, Japanese Vogue, i-D, Numero, Allure, and the cover of Russh and the French magazine, Revue de Modes. She was also chosen that year as the model for Lacoste’s fall ad campaign.[2]

In 2010 Stephens appeared in German Vogue and Teen Vogue and was featured on the cover of the French version of Elle.[2]

Stephens has walked the runway for many designers including Shiatzy Chen, Balenciaga, Dries van Noten, Givenchy, Chanel, Kenzo, Nina Ricci, Miu Miu, and Louis Vuitton.

She has appeared in ads for Prada, Gap, Chloé, Alexander Mcqueen, Diane Von Furstenberg, Bergdorf Goodman, Missoni, Karen Millen, Lacoste, Chanel mascara, Georges Rech, Uniqlo, Neiman Marcus, Calvin Klein, and appeared in editorials for Numéro, The New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, Allure, V Magazine, Flair, British, Quebec, and French Elle, and American, French, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Teen, German, and British Vogue.[2][4][8]

In a 2010 New York magazine article, Stephens said "I'm not one of the girls willing to starve themselves for fashion, so I do what shows I can but I don’t pressure myself to fit into the sample sizes." For this reason Stephens now participates in a smaller number of fashion shows per season.[12]

References

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Ali Stephens

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Ali Stephens (born May 10, 1991) is an American fashion model. Raised in , , Stephens competed as a cross-country runner at East High School, where she achieved regional placements before transitioning to modeling after being scouted during her teenage years. In a rapid ascent, she signed with and debuted on international runways for the Fall/Winter 2008-09 collections, participating in shows across New York, , , and for prominent designers. Represented by agencies such as Marilyn, Models 1, and Why Not, Stephens appeared in editorial features, advertising campaigns, and events including charity galas, contributing to her visibility in the industry during the late 2000s.

Early life

Family background and upbringing

Ali Stephens was born on May 10, 1991, in , , where she spent her early years. Her family resided in the local area, and she has a sister named Maddie, who was a senior at East High School during Stephens' high school tenure. Stephens' mother, Julie Stephens, maintained a close mother-daughter relationship with her, including sharing an apartment in during her early modeling career. Raised in a household supportive of her athletic pursuits, Stephens attended East High School in , focusing on cross-country running as a key part of her upbringing. She was discovered by a modeling scout in summer 2006 while shopping at The Gateway mall with her parents and sister, marking a transition from her student-athlete life to the fashion industry. Prior to this, Stephens had no expressed interest in modeling, prioritizing her sports activities.

High school years and athletic achievements

Ali Stephens attended East High School in , , where she competed in and track. During her sophomore year in 2006, Stephens placed second in the Region 6 cross country championship with a time of 19:14.6, finishing just behind Emma Saarel of West High School, who clocked 19:04.9. Her performance helped East High's girls' team secure the regional title with 26 points, as five team members finished in the top nine. Stephens later reflected on the race as bittersweet, acknowledging Saarel's intimidating talent while contributing to the team's dominance. Stephens finished the 2006 cross country season strongly, with her regional runner-up position highlighting her emergence as a key athlete for East High. She continued during high school, balancing athletics with academic pursuits that included classes and a 3.8 GPA. Her athletic background, particularly in cross country, was noted by scouts as a factor in her poised transition to modeling, drawing parallels between endurance running and the demands of the .

Modeling career

Discovery and early breakthroughs

Ali Stephens was discovered in the summer of 2007 while shopping with her family at The Gateway mall in , , when a model scout approached her and invited her to an open call with Management. Following a callback from the scout, she collaborated with agent Stacey Eastman to build a portfolio, which included a photoshoot in New York during . Days later, Stephens signed a three-year contract with in New York. Her transition to professional modeling accelerated rapidly, with a runway debut at the Spring/Summer 2008 show in occurring within two weeks of signing. During the subsequent in October 2007, she walked for high-profile houses including , , , Nina Ricci, and , notably opening the show and participating in a private presentation for Vogue editor . These initial appearances marked her as a breakout talent, leading to early campaign work such as Chloé’s Spring/Summer 2008 advertising featuring her alongside Karlie Kloss. By September 13, 2007, designers like Jil Sander had requested her for castings, with multiple agencies competing to represent her amid the buzz from her Milan and Paris debuts.

Major campaigns and runway work

Stephens made her runway debut at the Spring/Summer 2008 show in , marking her entry into high fashion during her first professional season. She walked for prominent houses including , , , , and that season, as well as Haute Couture. In Fall/Winter 2008, she opened the show in New York, a significant achievement for a newcomer, and appeared for , Prorsum, , , , and Valentino. Her Spring/Summer 2009 schedule included openings for and walks for , Fendi, Marc by Marc Jacobs, , and . Subsequent seasons featured continued prominence, with Fall/Winter 2009 shows for , , , and , followed by Spring/Summer 2010 appearances at , , and . Stephens walked in over 50 shows across New York, , , and during her peak seasons around 2008-2009, establishing her as a versatile runway presence known for an athletic yet ethereal look. In advertising, Stephens starred in the campaign following her success, photographed in a style blending edge and accessibility. She fronted Lacoste's Fall/Winter 2009 ads, shot by , emphasizing sporty elegance aligned with her background. Additional major campaigns included Jeans, Gap, , and later Blanco for Autumn/Winter 2010, Wildfox for Spring/Summer 2012, and for Spring/Summer 2013. These bookings, particularly with blue-chip brands like and , underscored her early commercial viability in both luxury and accessible markets.

Career trajectory and later developments

Stephens' modeling career accelerated following her signing with in August 2007, leading to her debut on international runways during the Fall/Winter 2007-2008 collections. By her third season in 2008, she had secured high-profile campaigns for and , alongside runway appearances for designers including and . Her breakthrough continued into 2009, where she opened the Spring/Summer show and closed , establishing her as a fresh face in circuits. In early 2010, Stephens walked the Spring haute couture show in , contributing to her portfolio of editorial features in publications like Vogue. However, she became increasingly selective about bookings, citing in a February 2010 interview her refusal to engage in extreme practices demanded by some European houses, noting that her developing figure—described as having "grown hips"—did not align with their preferences for ultra-thin silhouettes. This stance reportedly led to fewer invitations for and Fashion Weeks that year. Post-2010, Stephens' visibility in major seasons and campaigns notably declined, coinciding with the end of her initial three-year contract with . While she maintained some presence through environmental advocacy, including hosting the "Ride the Wave" event for World Ocean Day on June 8, 2010, organized by Oceana to raise awareness for , no subsequent high-profile modeling engagements have been documented in reputable industry sources. Her pivot reflected earlier expressed interests in over sustained commitments.

Personal life

Relationships and marriage

Ali Stephens married Nicholas Lund on August 3, 2012. At the time, Stephens was 21 years old, and the private ceremony featured fellow model as maid of honor, who shared a photo from the event on . No prior public relationships for Stephens have been documented in reliable reports. As of 2025, the couple remains married, with no announcements of separation or .

Philanthropic activities and interests

Stephens has demonstrated interest in environmental conservation, particularly ocean protection, through her involvement with the Oceana. In June 2010, she hosted the "Ride the Wave" event in to raise awareness for World Ocean Day, which included a temporary depicting ocean ecosystems and the sale of T-shirts benefiting Oceana. She also organized a related ocean awareness initiative featuring local artists and attended an Oceana benefit earlier that year. She supports the , which promotes programs to reduce stress and trauma, particularly among at-risk populations. Stephens has practiced for over a decade as of 2010 and has publicly discussed its benefits in interviews tied to the foundation's initiatives. In addition, Stephens participated in the Lakay Pam "Hearts for Haiti" charity event on February 12, 2010, at the Opera Gallery in , aimed at relief efforts in . No major philanthropic engagements beyond these early-career activities have been publicly documented in subsequent years.

Reception and legacy

Achievements and industry impact

Ali Stephens garnered early acclaim for her swift ascent in high fashion, debuting with an exclusive runway appearance for during in September 2007, just two weeks after signing with . This breakthrough followed her discovery at age 16 while shopping in , marking a transition from high school cross-country running to professional modeling. In her inaugural season for fall 2008, she opened the show, a rare honor for a that underscored her poised, athletic stride. Her portfolio expanded to include campaigns for Calvin Klein and Chloé, alongside runway walks for Louis Vuitton in spring 2008 and closing Balenciaga, which positioned her as a designer's muse in the late 2000s. Media outlets like New York Magazine and W Magazine highlighted her as a fresh face with natural appeal, contributing to her status among emerging talents, though she did not secure magazine covers or formal industry awards during this peak. Stephens' industry impact remained niche, primarily exemplifying how pre-professional athletic training could enhance runway performance in an era favoring lithe, energetic models. Her visibility in luxury campaigns influenced perceptions of accessible entry for non-traditional prospects from regions like , but lacked evidence of catalyzing shifts in diversity, practices, or standards beyond personal initiatives, such as hosting the Ride the Wave event for World Ocean Day on June 8, 2010. By the early , her high-fashion bookings diminished, reflecting the transient nature of model careers without sustained editorial or commercial dominance.

Criticisms and industry context

Stephens has expressed reservations about the modeling industry's rigid body standards, stating in February 2010 that she is "not one of the girls willing to starve themselves for " and thus limits her runway work to shows where she can fit sample sizes without self-imposed pressure. At age 18, she attributed her reduced bookings—down from being a prolific "show girl" in prior seasons—to natural body maturation, including the development of hips, which she described as making it "unhealthy to make [the body] a rail when it’s not." She emphasized treating models as "humans" rather than "ghosts," highlighting stricter size expectations in European markets compared to the U.S. No major public criticisms of Stephens' professional conduct or personal choices appear in reputable sources, though her selective approach to bookings may have contributed to a shorter peak in high-fashion work, with activity tapering after 2010. This aligns with the industry's high-stakes environment, where sample sizes (typically U.S. 0-2, corresponding to measurements under 34 inches) prioritize garment drape over model , often requiring body mass indexes below 18 to fit effectively. The fashion sector's emphasis on extreme thinness has drawn empirical scrutiny for fostering disordered eating; a 2022 study reported that fashion models exhibit significantly higher rates of anorexia nervosa and related behaviors than the general population, driven by occupational pressures to sustain sub-optimal body weights. Peer-reviewed analyses confirm that such standards correlate with elevated eating disorder prevalence among models, with many resorting to restrictive dieting, laxatives, or purging to meet casting demands. These dynamics underscore causal factors like designer preferences for visual uniformity and the competitive brevity of modeling careers, where non-conformance to size norms can limit opportunities despite talent or prior success.

References

  1. https://nymag.com/fashion/look/2008/fall/thisyearsgirl/
  2. https://www.deseret.com/2007/10/13/20046978/east-runner-turned-model-salt-lake-teen-skyrockets-from-student-to-star/
  3. https://www.teenvogue.com/gallery/alistephens
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgLfAFyjjW4
  5. https://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/models/Ali_Stephens/
  6. https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/ali-stephens
  7. https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Ali_Stephens
  8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w-Ct4_YcGE
  9. https://www.ksl.com/article/1980867/utah-teen-walks-runways-as-an-international-model
  10. https://www.deseret.com/2006/10/20/19979919/east-high-s-girls-dominate-cross-country-championship/
  11. https://www.deseret.com/2006/11/3/19982544/east-high-girls-finish-in-3rd-hampered-by-injury-illness
  12. https://www.wmagazine.com/story/this-weeks-model-ali-stephens
  13. https://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/models/ali_stephens/
  14. https://models.com/oftheminute/?p=4400
  15. https://models.com/oftheminute/?p=2502
  16. https://models.com/Work/lacoste-lacoste-fw-09-1
  17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODIg-isu0Fg
  18. https://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/models/ali_stephens/ads/
  19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvcmZGJeRfE
  20. https://nymag.com/tags/ali-stephens/
  21. http://fashionencyclopedia.com/wiki/ali-stephens
  22. https://www.thecut.com/2010/02/ali_stephens_doesnt_walk_many.html
  23. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/model-ali-stephens-saving-our-seas-1
  24. https://usa.oceana.org/blog/ali-stephens-hosts-ride-wave/
  25. https://www.whosdatedwho.com/dating/ali-stephens-and-nicholas-lund-husband
  26. https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/ali-stephens.html
  27. https://www.thecut.com/2012/08/ali-stephens-got-married.html
  28. https://rss.listal.com/ali-stephens
  29. https://www.deseret.com/2010/6/7/20119926/model-from-salt-lake-organizes-event-for-ocean-awareness/
  30. https://ryanelitemodel2.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/02/ali-stephens-accompanied-by-sister-maddie-fellow-model-and-friend-taryn-and-elite-agents-micki-and-attienette-attend-a-bene.html
  31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jy2NUIO6YY
  32. https://www.thecut.com/2009/08/ali_stephens_didnt_know_walkin.html
  33. https://nymag.com/fashion/models/astephens/alistephens/index.html
  34. https://www.thecut.com/2011/12/model-ali-stephens-returns-to-high-fashion.html
  35. https://models.com/models/ali-stephens
  36. https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/skinny-models-media-eds
  37. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9790310/
  38. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178107003666
  39. https://www.vogue.com/article/model-doc-vogue-body-image-modeling
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