Being a great model isn’t just about how you look. Personality is key—for dealing with agents, clients, and press—but so is the ability to convey that personality in pictures and on the runway without ever uttering a word. That intangible cool quality is often what separates the girls from the It girls. Fashion has always actively pursued girls with a devil-may-care attitude, and for nearly 20 years, Erin Wasson has been bringing it in spades. Cultivating an unmistakable personal style; spawning a million copycat tattoos; working with the best designers, photographers, and brands; and, of course, maintaining that Texan nonchalance that got her noticed in the first place, Wasson has managed a career trajectory that’s a thing of beauty.
Arriving on the scene after winning the Kim Dawson Model Search back home in Texas, Wasson instantly became one of the aughts biggest success stories. Walking for Nicolas Ghesquière–era Balenciaga and Tom Ford’s Gucci, following it up with campaigns for both labels, a Maybelline contract, and appearances on the cover of several international editions of Vogue, Wasson ruled the modeling scene. Photographed by Steven Meisel, Mario Testino, and Paolo Roversi, Wasson’s editorial work saw her sporting looks far beyond the downtown chic she’s now known for. Capable of taking even the loftiest couture pieces and making them look uncomplicated, she never failed to bring a touch of cool to her work in front of the camera. She was a key influence for Alexander Wang in his early years, styling his shows and conveying her own incorruptible sense of downtown model-off-duty ease—if you wore a deeply slouchy tank top with ripped jeans in those years, it was in no small part because of Wasson. Here, we take a look back at her best moments on the runway.