Iskra Lawrence

About Iskra Lawrence

Iskra Arabella Lawrence, born on September 11, 1990, is a British model and actress. She entered the world in Wolverhampton but moved to Kidderminster, Worcestershire at just six weeks old. Lawrence attended several educational institutions including Holy Trinity School in Kidderminster, Malvern St James, and Bromsgrove School. A talented swimmer, she was competitive at the national level and joined the UK National Youth Theatre when she was 15. Her name translates to 'spark' in several Slavic languages.

From 2014 to 2021, Lawrence served as a global role model and represented the lingerie brand Aerie, a subsidiary of American Eagle Outfitters, announcing her departure through a post on Instagram. Additionally, she has worked with the lingerie brand Adore Me. After over a decade in the modeling industry, she made her catwalk debut during New York Fashion Week in 2016 for Chromat, and subsequently walked for L'Oréal's inaugural fashion show at Paris Fashion Week in October 2017. In the same year, she was one of six millennials featured in American Eagle Outfitters' Fall 2017 jean campaign, which spotlighted unretouched images.

In 2018, she took on the role of brand ambassador for the Marina Rinaldi Persona collection campaign. As of 2024, Iskra was seen walking in Cupshe's runway show during Miami Swim Week, where she showcased two distinct looks, including a white floral one-piece adorned with ruffles on the shoulders. Lawrence passionately supports the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) as a brand ambassador and has created the NEDA Inspires Award. She refrains from retouching the images she shares on social media, where she openly confronts "body shamers," including a notable exchange in April 2016 on Instagram.

Lawrence prefers not to be labeled as a plus-sized model. In 2017, she featured in the documentary "Straight Curve," which focuses on body image and the industry's confrontation with unrealistic beauty standards. That same year, she delivered a TEDx talk titled "Ending the Pursuit of Perfection" at the University of Nevada. Additionally, in 2018, she was appointed as an ambassador for L'Oréal's Princes Trust.

Recognition for her contributions to the field includes being selected by the BBC as one of their World's 100 Women in 2016, and in 2017, she was one of seven women honored as Great Girl Leaders by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. In 2019, Forbes named Lawrence in their 30 Under 30 list for Europe in the Art & Culture category. Malvern St James school acknowledged her as one of their Malvern Alumnae 100 during their centennial celebration, highlighting her as an inspiration for future generations of women. Lawrence has also contributed to Self magazine and served as the founding managing editor of Runway Riot, an online platform dedicated to