The Canadian supermodel of Pakistani-German descent was a trailblazing runway icon.

Yasmeen Ghauri wasn&rsquo;t just the average runway <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/model">model</a>&mdash;she was the moment.
In the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/90s">1990s</a>, when <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/runway">runways</a> favored a specific, Eurocentric standard of beauty, Ghauri&rsquo;s striking presence and hypnotic walk shattered expectations and the perception of what counted as beautiful and feminine. (She even did her own makeup for shows backstage, as there weren't enough shades for her skin tone at the time.) The Canadian supermodel of Pakistani-German descent exuded a certain sensuality that made you enthralled with every step she took on the runway. 
To many, to watch her walk the runway was to genuinely experience something not of the earth, be it Ghauri at <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/chanel">Chanel</a>&rsquo;s ethereal presentations to her modeling in <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/mugler">Thierry Mugler</a>&rsquo;s sci-fi fantasies. Ghauri didn&rsquo;t just wear clothes&mdash;she became them. Even today, her signature strut remains one of the most memorable in fashion history, with none other than <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/tyrabanks">Tyra Banks</a> calling it the &ldquo;walk of life.&rdquo;
Ghauri's rise to the top was as captivating as her runway presence. Discovered at the age of 17 after leaving a hair salon, she pursued modeling despite her parents' disapproval. Ghauri quickly became a muse for powerhouses like Azzedine <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/alaia">Ala&iuml;a</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/versace">Versace</a>, and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/ysl">Yves Saint Laurent</a>. By the early &lsquo;90s, she had graced many a magazine cover, breaking barriers as one of the first South Asian women to do so at Vogue and Elle. Though she stepped away from modeling in 1997, her impact resonates in the diverse faces we see on today&rsquo;s runways.
Click through the gallery below for a look at Ghauri&rsquo;s most unforgettable runway moments from the '90s.

Chanel Fall/Winter 1990-1991. Getty Images.

Azzedine Alaïa Fall/Winter 1991-1992. Getty Images.

Gianni Versace Aids Benefit Runway Show in 1991. Getty Images.

Chanel Fall/Winter 1991-1992. Getty Images.

Sonia Rykiel Autumn/Winter 1991-1992. Getty Images.

Bill Blass Fall/Winter 1991. Getty Images.

Versace Fall/Winter 1991. Getty Images.

Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 1991-1992. Getty Images.

Thierry Mugler Spring/Summer 1992. Getty Images.

Christian Lacroix Spring/Summer 1992. Getty Images.

Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 1992-1993. Getty Images.

Dolce & Gabbana Fall/Winter 1992. Getty Images.

Thierry Mugler Spring/Summer 1993. Getty Images.

Jean Paul Gaultier Spring/Summer 1993. Getty Images.

Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 1997. Getty Images.

Yasmeen Ghauri for Enrico Coveri Spring/Summer 1990. Getty Images.

Yasmeen Ghauri’s 15 Fiercest ‘90s Runway Moments

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Yasmeen Ghauri’s 15 Fiercest ‘90s Runway Moments

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