While Detroit is known for being a bustling automotive hub, techno city, and the contagious Motown sound, these distinctions aren't always what come to mind when thinking of one of America's Blackest cities. The soulful, ancestral city has often served as a prolific breeding ground for photogenic talent.
Donyale Luna, a Detroit native, is recognized as the world's first Black supermodel. Luna was the first Black model to appear on the cover of Harper's Bazaar in 1965, shattering even more barriers when she became the first Black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue in March 1966. Along with many other notable achievements throughout her career, Luna laid the foundation for those who came after her. Veronica Webb, another iconic Black supermodel from Detroit who rose to prominence in the 1990s, was the first Black model to secure an exclusive multi-year contract with the global cosmetics company Revlon.
The lineage of born-and-bred Motor City muses doesn't stop there. In fact, the mantle is now being carried by Iyonna Hester, a Michigan-based model making strides across editorial, commercial, runway, and production spaces. Hester's approach to modeling is rooted in preparation, precision, and intentional visibility. Her career is expansive, spanning work with brands such as Red Funk Collection, Indie Fashion, and Vegan Beauty by Monè. She was also crowned the Fall 2024 Michigan's Miss Dream Model and made an appearance on Detroit's Channel 4 local news in June 2026 with Strut Honey. While this level of exposure undeniably brings recognition, being noticed locally isn't at the top of Hester's priority list.
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Hester is often thinking big picture—especially about her longevity within the industry. She is extremely deliberate about the brands she pursues as a model. "It wasn't always my priority to be seen by fans. Of course, I appreciate them. My visibility has always been aimed at the brands I want to work with."
Being immersed in Michigan's modeling community was a destined event for Hester. She simply needed the right opportunity. A few years ago, she kept hearing the name Indie Fashion and was immediately intrigued. "I kept hearing the name, and I heard about the casting calls, but I was under 21 at the time." The following year, she was selected, and she walked for Indie Fashion. She believes in the power of the tongue, ultimately willing these experiences into fruition. A similar situation occurred with Mr. Kevin Carter, a well-renowned alternative hairstylist in Detroit whose work she'd followed for years. She eventually connected with him through Indie Fashion, reaffirming Hester's belief that she needed to be intentional with the thoughts she allowed to simmer in her mind and the words she spoke over her life.
While Hester's manifestations have served her well, the way she operates in the modeling space is often precise and even intimate. Her diligence and preparation are the pillars that unlock her ability to be fully at one with each shoot, including making a checklist and writing every detail down in her calendar. She also thoroughly examines what each shoot requires. "I like to study what the concept is, so I have a better understanding. I can bring the concept and vision to life." She describes it as embodying different characters, and the character she portrays varies by project.
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Each shoot requires her to show up differently and more abstractly. This routine extracts something different from her each time, whether emotionally, physically, or intellectually. The Introspection shoot she participated in with 5D is one of the most beloved projects of her career. What grounded Hester in this project was that the visionary behind 5D, Destiny, shared her personal story with the models. "Introspection was a self-reflection type of project that focused on how you see yourself in the eyes of the Lord." Hester considers herself extremely blessed to have been a part of it.
Out of the many characters Hester has portrayed, one of the most difficult to embody was that of a dancer in another shoot with 5D. "It involved dancing—I'm not a dancer. I kept saying that. The hard part wasn't the dancing, but the emotions that came with it; I had to tap into being able to let go." The model tends to sit with what she goes through, and that was her biggest challenge while taking on this project. "For this project, I couldn't be strong and hold it in. I had to release these expressions through my body, and in the end, I was able to do so."
The spirit of Detroit is something to marvel at when thinking about the eye-catching darlings who come from the city. Style and upkeep are two qualities that are essentially built into the Detroit persona. Veronica Webb, for example, whose mother hand-made all of her clothes while she was growing up, stated in the Supreme Models documentary that every Sunday in Detroit was a fashion show. People spent all week thinking about what they were going to wear to church and how their hair would look.
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We see this tradition echoed in newer generations, and more specifically in Hester. The model says that much of what she knows today about her appearance and presentation began at home. "My mom was always big on upkeep; she didn't even let me walk around the house without my hair done." Furthermore, the model's discipline is not something she's cultivated entirely on her own; she attributes much of it to her family and environment. As the first girl and granddaughter in her family, all eyes have been on her since she was born.
She believes that the community surrounding her in Detroit has played a crucial role in the woman she has become. "As far as Detroit culture, there are women in Detroit who have helped me get to where I am now." She shares that even people outside of her family, such as Ms. Paulette from Teaser's Boutique and the girls who were kind and encouraging at her first open call, are among the many women who have consistently believed in her.
Detroit carries a kind of grit, community, and devotion that becomes a part of how individuals carry themselves. This energy has even influenced some of the ways Hester approaches her work. "People be like everybody in Detroit thinks they're a celebrity, but no one is better than the next person. They're all fly, and you can see it in them. Being a part of Detroit culture, I do naturally have some of those tendencies."
For years, Hester has been telling the stories of others through her modeling, and now she's reached a point where she wants to tell her story through others. "I've been looking at creative direction, especially in production and model coaching." She is in the process of directing her first commercial and is entering a space where people understand her vision and work alongside her to bring it to life. "The first commercial is for perfume. I want to start there because the vision came to me; I didn't put too much thought into the initial concept. I know what kind of cuts and images I want."
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With such bold and consuming aspirations, she understands the importance of prioritizing her well-being and incorporating the art of balance into her lifestyle. "Sometimes it can be a large part of my world, even if I'm not in that space." She likes to take a step back when it feels all-consuming. "Sometimes I like to sit and watch TV, read, and not worry about what's going on in the modeling world."
From a very human perspective, she hopes to become a beacon of access within the industry. She's been in rooms where other models have expressed their concerns about how selfish the industry can be, the constant competition, and the gatekeeping. This is an area where Hester wants to create real change. "It doesn't have to be like this. I always say everybody can eat. There are so many channels and ways we can always make it." She takes pride in sharing the knowledge she possesses, even going as far as sharing the names of certain models with casting directors she meets.
Hester is a Michigan-made model embodying poise, grit, and devotion. Her dedication to her craft and the agency she demonstrates to begin anew and continually reinvent herself will only strengthen her trajectory. Whether through high fashion or commercial work, her name is one on the rise—and one that should be remembered.
Trinity Battle is a freelance journalist investigating culture, identity, shunned realities, and transitions. Her work examines relationship dynamics, systems of power, and emotional life, with bylines in She’s Single Magazine and ReVamp Magazine, as well as in projects with the African American Male Wellness Agency. She focuses on reinvention, vulnerability, Blackness, and the forces shaping individual and collective evolution.
