Modeling as we know it has evolved and gone are the days when you had to be stick thin to be a model. There is still pressure for models to look skinny but agencies are now accepting models of different shapes and sizes. “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder” and for these models, this statement has never been truer. They redefine modeling as we know it!

1 The Lady with Muscular Dystrophy

Jillian Mercado is no ordinary model. She is a fashion reporter and uses a wheelchair due to muscular dystrophy. She met the artistic director of the Diesel Fashion house, Nicola Formichetti while she worked at a fashion magazine. Few months down the line, Diesel was casting young hip models who represented different cultural backgrounds. Out of fun, she applied and got an email soon requesting her to send more pictures. They were interested in casting her in the campaign! She got chosen along with 22 others as the face of Diesel. She was a bit worried on the reaction of people to her pictures since she was in a wheelchair but it was overwhelmingly positive. She wrote this on her blog, “You all have no idea how speechless I am right now . . . Thank you for giving me a chance of a lifetime and believing in me. This is beyond everything. You guys that’s me!!” (Source)

2 Super granny, 85, that models lingerie

Daphne Selfe will not let age come between her and success. She is in her 60th year as a model, thanks to her striking cheekbones, graceful posture and long lustrous grey hair. As Britain’s oldest catwalk model, she graces runways for Tata-Naka, Dolce & Gabbana and Michiko Koshino. She earns up to £1,000 in a day for magazine shoots and has been in adverts for Olay, Nivea and in a Will Young video. (source)

3 The Cross-eyed model

She is just like any other supermodel, beautiful, young, right body measurements and talent. But something sets her apart from the rest of the models, she is cross-eyed.
Physical “flaws” cost most girls’ jobs in the modeling industry, but Molly’s condition, strabismus, (a condition where eyes aren’t properly aligned to each other) helped her get the job.  She is now famous for her POP magazine photo shoot; she seduced everyone with her unconventional beauty. Storm, the modeling agency which discovered Kate Moss, recently signed her in. (Source)

4 Former Marine Amputee

He looks good in Skivvies and his finely chiseled tattooed body always gets him a second look. He works out twice every day and has a demanding maintenance schedule. The former marine who became a model experienced a lot before getting to where he is today. Alex Minsky, lost part of his right leg four years ago in Afghanistan to a roadside explosive.  The Purple Heart recipient, however learned how to walk using a prosthetic limb. Photographer Tom Cullis approached him as he trained at the gym one day and one year after he had his first photo-shoot, Alex’s tattooed and ripped body photos are still heating up the internet. (Source)

5 Tallest Model who stands at 6’8″

At 34, Amazon Eve, holds the record as the tallest model in the world. Erika Ervin,(a name she also goes by) dwarfs majority of people as she towers at a  6′ 8″ height.
She appeared on the front cover of Zoo Weekly magazine 4 years ago and her career began. She is also a political lobbyist, personal trainer, paralegal and challenges men sometimes to wrestle her at a $ 400 fee.

She was always tall even as a child and took up acting to boost her confidence.  Her Hollywood star dreams one day came true after she landed a role on Hemlock Grove, a hit TV series, as Shelley Godfrey.(Source)

6 Woman who models male clothes

35 year-old Casey Legler, exclusively models menswear. She has razor sharp cheekbones and stands at a height of 6′ 2″. Ford Modeling Agency recently signed her to the men’s division. She landed the gig in 2012 after Cass Bird, the photographer, invited her to participate in a man’s role for the Muse Magazine photo-shoot. The photos got shared with a Ford Models agent and Legler was invited the next day to sign a contract. She exclusively works from their male roster now.(Source)

7 World’s Largest hips model

Mikel Ruffinelli, 39, hails from Los Angeles, CA. She holds the biggest hips record worldwide. She is a mother of four and her amazing 100-inch curves make her struggle while getting through doorways. She also needs two seats on a plane. Mikel, who drives a truck stands at 5ft 4inches, has a 40-inch waist, weighs 420 pounds and has 42D size breast. She is proud of her figure and doesn’t want to lose weight. She models for a website that features women who are big and beautiful and gets $ 1,000 per shoot. (Source)

8 72 year old grandpa models teen girl outfits.

Photos of this 72 year old grandpa went viral online after the granddaughter posted them on the largest retail website in China. A silly joke of the Chinese man as he modeled stylish young women clothes, turned into an enormous advertising campaign. Liu Xianping is the first elderly male to reach internet stardom while modeling girl’s outfits. Liu poses for his granddaughter’s fashion store and though the garments have been designed for cute teen girls, featuring, laces, rosy shades and ribbons, the 72 year old pulled it off totally. He has gained admiration from millions due to his camera confidence, slim physique and long skinny legs. His efforts have paid off since his granddaughters store has increased sales 5 times over after the pictures went viral.(source)

9 Men and women from an ugly people modeling agency.

Casting for models sometimes requires quirks, some specific looks or sometimes the bizarre. When this happens, the ad agencies turn to Ugly Models, London. This modeling agency specializes in the casting of weird-looking actors and models. It offers “wee folks” (dwarves), “guys” and “girls,” “bikers,” “bodies”(bodybuilders), “thugs,” and “x-files”(people who’ve got lots of body piercings or tattoos). (Source)