Joan Smalls Rodriguez (born July 11, 1988) is a Puerto Rican model and
actress. In 2011, she became the first Latina model to represent
Estée Lauder cosmetics. In 2013, she entered Forbes magazine's
"World's Highest-Paid Models" list for the first time, ranking at
number eight with over $3 million in earnings. In January 2014, Smalls
appeared on the "Return of the Supermodel" cover of American Elle. In
2012, Smalls was ranked the number #1 model in the world by
Models.com; she is currently ranked as one of the New Supers and
"Money Girls".Joan Smalls RodrÃguez was born and raised in Hatillo,
Puerto Rico, with her two sisters. Her father, Eric Smalls, is an
accountant, and is West Indian from Saint Thomas. Smalls' mother,
Betzaida RodrÃguez, is a social worker, who is Puerto Rican, and of
Spanish and TaÃno heritage. She also has distant Irish and Indian
ancestry. Smalls initially became interested in modeling as a
teenager, entering local competitions. She met with a New York agency
who told her she would have to correct her teeth in order to succeed;
during that time she went to college. Smalls graduated magna cum laude
from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico with a bachelor's
degree in psychology. Upon graduation, she moved to New York City to
begin her modeling career.She was signed by Elite Model Management in
2007, and did commercial modeling jobs such as Nordstrom, Liz
Claiborne, and Sass & bide. In 2009, she left Elite and switched to
IMG Models worldwide, where she changed her focus to runway work. She
was chosen as a Givenchy exclusive for Riccardo Tisci's Spring/Summer
Haute Couture show in January 2010, and her modeling career gained
traction.Since working for Givenchy, Smalls has modeled haute couture
and ready-to-wear collections for top designers and fashion houses
such as Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Isabel Marant,
Burberry, Moschino, Miu Miu, Bottega Veneta, Lanvin, Missoni, Chloé,
Alexander Wang, Versace, Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis
Vuitton, Hermès, Jean Paul Gaultier, Balmain, Fendi, Dior,
DSquared², Valentino, Oscar De La Renta, DVF, Tommy Hilfiger, Anna
Sui, Stella McCartney and many more. She has appeared in shows for
fashion week in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. In 2010, Smalls
began modeling for Victoria's Secret and has appeared in their 2011,
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
actress. In 2011, she became the first Latina model to represent
Estée Lauder cosmetics. In 2013, she entered Forbes magazine's
"World's Highest-Paid Models" list for the first time, ranking at
number eight with over $3 million in earnings. In January 2014, Smalls
appeared on the "Return of the Supermodel" cover of American Elle. In
2012, Smalls was ranked the number #1 model in the world by
Models.com; she is currently ranked as one of the New Supers and
"Money Girls".Joan Smalls RodrÃguez was born and raised in Hatillo,
Puerto Rico, with her two sisters. Her father, Eric Smalls, is an
accountant, and is West Indian from Saint Thomas. Smalls' mother,
Betzaida RodrÃguez, is a social worker, who is Puerto Rican, and of
Spanish and TaÃno heritage. She also has distant Irish and Indian
ancestry. Smalls initially became interested in modeling as a
teenager, entering local competitions. She met with a New York agency
who told her she would have to correct her teeth in order to succeed;
during that time she went to college. Smalls graduated magna cum laude
from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico with a bachelor's
degree in psychology. Upon graduation, she moved to New York City to
begin her modeling career.She was signed by Elite Model Management in
2007, and did commercial modeling jobs such as Nordstrom, Liz
Claiborne, and Sass & bide. In 2009, she left Elite and switched to
IMG Models worldwide, where she changed her focus to runway work. She
was chosen as a Givenchy exclusive for Riccardo Tisci's Spring/Summer
Haute Couture show in January 2010, and her modeling career gained
traction.Since working for Givenchy, Smalls has modeled haute couture
and ready-to-wear collections for top designers and fashion houses
such as Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Isabel Marant,
Burberry, Moschino, Miu Miu, Bottega Veneta, Lanvin, Missoni, Chloé,
Alexander Wang, Versace, Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis
Vuitton, Hermès, Jean Paul Gaultier, Balmain, Fendi, Dior,
DSquared², Valentino, Oscar De La Renta, DVF, Tommy Hilfiger, Anna
Sui, Stella McCartney and many more. She has appeared in shows for
fashion week in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. In 2010, Smalls
began modeling for Victoria's Secret and has appeared in their 2011,
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
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