Paloma Elsesser

Paloma Elsesser
Elsesser in 2019
Born	Paloma Kai Shockley Elsesser (1992-04-12) April 12, 1992 (age 33) London Borough of Camden, England, UK
Nationality	American
Occupation	Model
Years active	2014-present
Relatives	Ama Lesser (sister) Sage Elsesser (brother) [1]
Modeling information
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) [2]
Hair color	Black
Eye color	Brown
Agency	IMG Models (New York, Paris, Milan, London, Sydney) [3]

Paloma Kai Shockley Elsesser (born April 12, 1992) is an American model. ^[4] In 2023, she was the first plus-size model to win Fashion Awards for Model of the Year. ^{[5] [6]} She also walked for Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in late 2024. ^[7]

Early life

Elsesser was born in London, England to an African-American mother and a father of Chilean and Swiss descent. ^{[8] [9]} She was raised in Los Angeles, California and moved to New York City, New York in 2010, to attend The New School to study psychology and literature. ^{[4] [10]} She has two sisters: her elder sister Kanyessa McMahon is a director and producer, her younger sister, Ama, is also an actor and model signed to IMG, while her brother Sage Elsesser aka Navy Blue is a rapper and professional skateboarder. ^[1]

Career

Elsesser was discovered on Instagram by makeup artist Pat McGrath. ^[11]

She has modeled for Nike, Inc., Fenty Beauty, Victoria’s Secret, Proenza Schouler, and Mercedes-Benz. ^{[12] [13] [14] [15]} She has appeared in editorials for fashion magazines such as American Vogue, Vogue España , Teen Vogue , Elle , W , Wonderland Magazine , and Glamour . ^{[16] [17] [18] [19] [20]}

In 2018, Elsesser appeared on the cover of British Vogue's April issue with Fran Summers, Radhika Nair, Adut Akech, Faretta, Selena Forrest, Halima Aden, Vittoria Ceretti, and Yoon Young Bae. ^[21] In 2019, Elsesser made her screen acting debut in the Safdie brothers' Uncut Gems . ^[22]

Elsesser appeared on the cover of American Vogue's January 2021 issue, ^[23] and on the cover of Vogue Adria 's April 2025 issue. ^[24]

Awards

Year	Association	Category	Nominated works	Result	Ref.
2023	Fashion Awards	Model of the Year	Herself	Won	[25]

References

1. "Nearest and Dearest: Paloma Elsesser Has a Joyful (and Glittering) Family Reunion". Vogue. Condé Nast. May 20, 2021.
2. "Paloma Elsesser - New York - IMG Models".
3. "Paloma Elsesser - Model".
4. Dash, Kristie (26 May 2016). "Paloma Elsesser on Being "Plus-Size," "Not Black Enough," and Pat McGrath's Instagram Muse". Allure. Condé Nast.
5. "Paloma Elsesser was the first plus-sized Model of the Year; then the haters, including Kanye, came for her". Yahoo News. 2024-02-15. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
6. Elsesser, Paloma (2024-02-15). "Paloma Elsesser on the Price of Being 'First'". The Cut. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
7. "Watch Paloma Elsesser Strut the Runway at the 2024 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show". Cosmopolitan. 2024-10-16. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
8. "A conversation with Paloma Elsesser". 23 October 2017.
9. "Meet Paloma Elsesser: The New-School Beauty Icon We've Been Waiting for".
10. "How Paloma Elsesser Redefined Beauty". 26 August 2020.
11. "Paloma Elsesser". Office Magazine. 15 January 2018.
12. "Proenza Schouler - Fall 2017 Campaign".
13. "A conversation with Paloma Elsesser". 23 October 2017.
14. Dazed (26 February 2018). "Watch Paloma Elsesser journey through a dramatic volcanic landscape".
15. "How Model Paloma Elsesser Uses Instagram To Talk About Everything From Fashion and Cars to Body Image and Mental Health".
16. "The Great Beauty Shake-Up (American Vogue)".
17. Professionals., Susie Sobol, Nails by Maki Sakamoto, Julia Noni, Ariana Marsh, Melanie Mignucci, Tina Ferraro, Brian Guiducci, Felicia Garcia-Rivera, Tamara McNaughton using Wella (23 August 2017). "We're Calling It Now — These Are the Future ICONS You Need to Know".
18. "Best of the Next: Paloma Elsesser - Wonderland Magazine". 5 November 2015.
19. "Pat McGrath Muse Paloma Elsesser Is Your New Beauty #Goals". 14 October 2016.
20. Glamour (9 March 2017). "39 Game Changers Who Are Redefining "American Beauty"".
21. Enninful, Edward (March 30, 2018). "9 Trailblazing Models Cover May Vogue". British Vogue. Condé Nast.
22. Munzenrieder, Kyle (September 24, 2019). "What is Adam Sandler's Uncut Gems Even About?". W . Retrieved February 3, 2020.
23. Okwodu, Janelle (December 14, 2020). "Role Model: How Paloma Elsesser Is Changing Fashion for the Better". Vogue. Condé Nast.
24. Lončar, Tina (2025-04-08). "The twelfth edition of Vogue Adria has arrived". Vogue Adria . Retrieved 2025-04-12.
25. "Fashion Awards 2023 : qui sont les gagnants de cette prestigieuse cérémonie ?". ELLE. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2024.

External links

• Paloma Elsesser at IMDb