British beauty Cara Delevingne is a fashion favorite on the runways, known for walking the Chanel couture shows, but she’s hardly a household name like Heidi Klum — except to her 4.1 million followers (and counting) on Instagram.
Delevingne’s wacky selfies and candid party snaps with famous friends like Rihanna and Rita Ora have made her the most popular model on the social networking site, putting her well above the Kate Uptons (just 72,000 followers) of this world and among the ranks of Hollywood starlets Zooey Deschanel and Selena Gomez, who boast 2,573,161 and 6,596,811 followers, respectively.
“It’s not just professional photos [Kara’s] posting, it’s the different activities she’s doing, her meeting different celebrities, funny pictures,” says Saman Kouretchian, digital marketing consultant and columnist for socialmediatoday.com. “A lot of them are not really glammed up, and I think her fans really appreciate that.”
Since Instagram launched in 2010, the most media-savvy mannequins have taken advantage of the social network to show they’re more than just comely clothes hangers, posting personal, behind-the-scenes shots of their enviable lives.
Surprisingly, most of their followers aren’t horny dudes, but rather, female fans who look at the models as their BFFs and are eager to score their beauty tips and gush about their pretty faces and sexy bodies. “Oh sh - t. U are perfect, follow me,” a lady fan recently commented on Miranda Kerr, the second most popular Instagram model behind Delevingne.
“Women tend to follow models more because of the insight they get,” explains Kouretchian. “They want to see what brands the models are wearing, what kind of makeup and hair products they’re using, where they’re going and the things they’re doing.” See for yourself . . .
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1. The party girl
Instagram: caradelevingne Cara Delevingne, 21
Handle: @caradelevingne
Followers: 4,169,943
Posts to date: 1,164
Known for: Her brows, Burberry campaigns, social media ubiquity
Insta-style: The queen of Instagram prefers silly to pretty selfies, and has a penchant for peace signs, quote memes and photos with both famous folk (Karl Lagerfeld, Miley Cyrus) and unfamous friends
Worth following? Yes. It’s a bit of a mess, but a hot, sexy one.
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2. The sweetest thing
Instagram: mirandakerr Miranda Kerr, 30
Handle: @mirandakerr
Followers: 3,217,765
Posts to date: 919
Known for: Her dimples, marrying (and divorcing) Orlando Bloom and being a Victoria’s Secret Angel
Insta-style: La vie en Kerr entails airy glam shots, flowers, puppies and all of life’s prettiest things. The picture she paints is so perfect, it’s not surprising she was accused of Photoshopping her waistline in an Instagram photo last November.
Worth following? Yes. Real or fake, her pics are very easy on the eyes.
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3. The beach babe
Instagram: candiceswanepoel/angelcandices Candice Swanepoel, 25
Handle: @angelcandices
Followers: 2,560,118
Posts to date: 1,072
Known for: Her body, her love of bikinis, being a Victoria’s Secret Angel
Insta-style: Sexy is as sexy does. Between lingerie shoot outtakes and beach romps on a seemingly endless vacation, there’s enough fitness-inspiring shots to motivate a lifetime membership at Crunch. Frolic on, Candice, frolic on.
Worth following? Yes — because escapism is essential when you’re stuck in a polar vortex.
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4. The model mogul
Instagram: tyrabanks Tyra Banks, 40
Handle: @tyrabanks
Followers: 2,229,220
Posts to date: 1,032
Known for: Her “smize,” her use of the word “fierce” and everything else spawned from “America’s Next Top Model”
Insta-style: Mostly melodramatic/melo-comedic photos of herself and “ANTM” constants. Also, paintings and drawings of the business-minded model done by rabid fans. Tyra loves Tyra and people who love Tyra.
Worth following? No — better to watch “ANTM” on TV and spare your smartphone.
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5. The gym bunny
Instagram: adrianalima Adriana Lima, 32
Handle: @adrianalima
Followers: 1,744,783
Posts to date: 176
Known for: Her piercing blue eyes, her Maybelline campaigns and being a Victoria’s Secret Angel
Insta-style: She doesn’t post all that much, but when she does, expect unflattering, too-close post-gym selfies, self-help books, and Hallmark quotes like “Time has a wonderful way of showing us what really matters.”
Worth following? No. There’s a lot to roll your eyes at here, and you probably take better pics yourself.
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6. The free spirit
Instagram: alessandraambrosio Alessandra Ambrosio, 32
Handle: @alessandraambrosio
Followers: 1,563,597
Posts to date: 1,301
Known for: Her perky bum, boho style and being a Victoria’s Secret Angel (Yes, there’s a pattern here.)
Insta-style: Ale, as she’s called, is all about behind-the-scenes with the VS crew, desserts she may or may not actually eat, guacamole and sun-drenched California dreams. It’s standard fare for a beau monde veteran, with a bohemian twist.
Worth following? Yes. Victoria Secret’s lead Angel typically comes across as boring when she’s interviewed, but her Instagram suggests there’s more to her than her perfect backside.
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7. The snob mom
Instagram: giseleofficial Gisele Bündchen, 33
Handle: @giseleofficial
Followers: 1,472,238
Posts to date: 251
Known for: Her legs, being the highest-paid model in the world, wreaking havoc on husband Tom Brady’s football career
Insta-style: Over-posed mom shots with kids Benjamin, 4, and Vivian Lake, 1, yoga, scenes of “outdoor serenity” (frozen lake, insert haiku) and brazen Brazilian pride. Brady’s baby-mama is trying just a bit too hard.
Worth following? No. The world’s No. 1 model might also be it’s No. 1 poser, pun intended.
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8. The maneater
Instagram: realbarbarapalvin Barbara Palvin, 20
Handle: @realbarbarapalvin
Followers: 1,308,611
Posts to date: 521
Known for: Her face, an exclusive contract with Prada, messy affairs with ’tween idols and, of course, being a Victoria’s Secret Angel
Insta-style: This Hungarian stunner is rumored to be dating One Direction’s Niall Horan, and was once linked to Instagram’s No. 1 most followed, Justin Bieber (13.8 million). She likes chilling with the boys,making kissy faces, pandas and “come hither” selfies in various filters.
Worth following? Yes. She knows her angles, and there’s a 50/50 chance she’ll post something juicy.
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9. The Blockbuster babe
Instagram: rosiehw Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 26
Handle: @rosiehw
Followers: 1,268,641
Posts to date: 972
Known for: Her pout, jet-set style, “Transformers” sequel
Insta-style: This Brit vixen is no English rose. She smacks you in the face with sex appeal (lips, hair, boobs, bam!), and practically lives in lingerie, or so her Instagram would have you believe. If you like luxury handbags, Pic Stitch and pretty-people posses, she’s your new BFF.
Worth following? Yes. A fabulous life is best flaunted unabashedly.
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10. The sugar ’n’ spice
Instagram: doutzen Doutzen Kroes
Handle: @doutzen
Followers: 1,256,628
Posts to date: 971
Known for: Her lips, L’Oréal campaigns, Vogue
Insta-style: A Dutch girl with All-American vibes, her pictures are sweet as pie (shots of smiles, sunsets, actual pies), but she sneaks in sassy selfies, chic editorials and semi-scandalous photos directed at her husband, DJ Sunnery James.
Worth following? Yes. Her narcissism reads as charming. Now that’s special.