Arlenis Sosa

When she was 16 years old, Arlenis Sosa was spotted by her mother’s agent. The agent complimented her and told her she could be a model in New York. She was inspired and tried working in her homeland, the Dominican Republic. However, after suffering color prejudice in her home country, she felt that contacting the moving company and starting a career in New York would be the best course of action.

Her decision proved to be correct, and within the first week in New York, she met Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue, who helped launch her career. With just a slight degree of effort, she was accepted into Marilyn Modeling Agency was given the contract on the spot. In 2008, Sosa appeared on Vogue Italia’s “all black” July issue. She also became a spokesmodel for Lancôme cosmetics. She serves as an inspiration to many young models, not just because she has been able to transcend the color barrier but also because many international brands admired her.