They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So, in the curated, aesthetic-led world of modelling, the images you choose to fill your model portfolio speak volumes.
Your portfolio (or “book” as it’s often called in the industry) is essentially a visual CV. In order to help you land modelling jobs, it needs to showcase your experience, skill, versatility, and personality, as well as clearly portraying your natural features.
Here are some of the best model portfolio examples the industry has to offer.
It can be tempting to put in every photo, but between 10 and 20 is the industry standard – and less is often more. Good model portfolios show a choice selection of a model’s best recent work to give a stronger impression of their skill and personality.
“I often book models just from their Polaroids or portfolios, without meeting them in person,” casting director Nicolas Bianciotto of Ikki Casting told 10 Magazine. That shows how impactful a portfolio can be. It also means you don’t necessarily need to stuff your book with loads of experimental or arty shots.
Polaroids (also known as “digitals”) are basic snapshots of you with no makeup or styling – just your natural self.
Exceptional model portfolios are well balanced, showing your natural features, establishing your niche and your versatility within it, a dash of your personality, and any high-profile campaigns or editorials you’ve worked on. They usually include a headshot in natural light, as well as a three-quarter, a profile, and a full-length shot.
It’s worth remembering that model portfolios are never finished. They are constantly changing and evolve alongside your career.
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Bella Hadid
Despite being one of the most famous models on the planet (her Instagram boasts over 59 million followers), even Bella Hadid needs a model portfolio. Hers shows the professional behind her popular public image. Her versatility is undeniable: from clean beauty shots and high fashion editorial to her as a Victoria’s Secret Angel or candidly unmade-up and laughing. A few shots of her with horses adds a touch of her personality.
Anok Yai
Awarded model of the year by the British Fashion Council in 2025, Anok Yai’s portfolio exudes her can-do attitude. Instead of chasing commercial versatility, her photos demonstrate her strong, distinctive, editorial look. The portfolio presents her unapologetically as a high-fashion model, with plenty of full-length body shots emphasizing her long limbs.
Jill Kortleve
Jill Kortleve’s portfolio is an excellent example of what effective commercial plus-size modelling can look like. It deliberately shows range – beauty close-ups sit alongside full-body fashion editorials and accessible lifestyle shots. High fashion and commercial work are both celebrated, showing that hybrid portfolios are a strength when well curated.
Mona Tougaard
Mona Tougaard’s portfolio represents the contemporary new-generation approach, where the agency book and the model’s public social media complement each other. Her book shows her top editorial and high-fashion campaigns – Balenciaga, Miu Miu, and a strong run of covers among them – while her Instagram extends the portfolio and adds a bit more candid personality. This is a great example of a dual-channel approach.
Kit Butler
Kit Butler’s portfolio is a classic example of how a powerful male portfolio differs from a woman’s. Full-length photos are included, but there is greater focus on facial structure and muscle definition – emphasised by good use of black-and-white photography. This portfolio particularly stands out because of Butler’s confident playfulness and expressive features.
Linna Shi
For emerging models, Linna Shi’s portfolio illustrates how to build a book from a smaller base of work. Rather than padding it out with weak test shots or including a discombobulating variety, her slim book establishes a look and a distinctive tone, and shows off achievements that fit with her desired niche. This restraint is harder than it looks, but it signals confidence and discernment for an up-and-coming model. Crediting the photographers below each photograph is a nice extra touch.
Stacey Hannant
Parts model Stacey Hannant’s portfolio has a clear commercial focus, with everyday household brands such as Heinz and Apple sitting proudly among her past clients. Her hands are always the hero of the shot, instead of being cropped awkwardly from a wider photo. Her photos also show her hands in a range of positions, showing off her capability and skill.
Kerstin Schaubhut
Mature model Kerstin Schaubhut (represented by Models1 in the UK) has an exemplary commercial portfolio with her Munich agency. Three clean shots at the start quickly illustrate her natural features, followed by a variety of commercial fashion, beauty, and lifestyle work. There is a range in emotion and tone – from serious to friendly, polished to relaxed – portraying her expertise as a commercial and catalogue model.
Emmanuel
For fitness models, the trick is to make your physicality the star of the show while also being able to effortlessly wear apparel and kit. Fitness model Emmanuel balances the two with expertise and style. His portfolio celebrates his physique while demonstrating a clear ability to model a range of fashion items, without appearing too overtly editorial. His determined facial expression in dynamic, active shots completes the full picture.
Stella Maxwell
Like fitness models, lingerie models have to walk the line between flaunting their physicality and marketing their outfit, while adding extra sex appeal. Former Victoria’s Secret Angel Stella Maxwell hits all the right notes in her lingerie model portfolio. From kooky editorial to softer commercial campaigns, her photos show a range of skills – and her figure – while maintaining a consistent allure that ties everything together.