Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks Profile

Throughout her entire career, Tyra Banks has broken barriers and smashed glass ceilings. Despite hearing the words “You can’t” time and time again, she became an iconic model, television star, and accomplished entrepreneur who now urges young women to seize control of their destinies and work fearlessly towards their dreams.

When Tyra began to pursue modeling, numerous agencies and designers turned her done for the color of her skin. Nevertheless, she became the first African American woman to grace the cover of GQ, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and the Victoria Secret’s catalogue. Troubled by the eating disorders and narrow definition of “beauty” that she saw firsthand in the modeling industry, Tyra sought to expand society’s concept of beauty through being her curvy self, a feature that became her trademark and solidified her place as one of most recognized and lucrative models in the world.

Her desire to bring diversity to the fashion and beauty industry inspired her to create and produce America’s Next Top Model, which aired for 12 seasons around the world. On a grassroots level she established the T-ZONE outreach program which helps young inner city girls build self-esteem through developing their talents.

Tyra completed a three-year Owner/President Management Program (OPM) at Harvard Business School. Rather than turn her back on her modeling career, she has built her business, the Tyra Banks Company, on it, using her vast expertise and network in the media world to develop innovative products and businesses as she proves that the fashion and entertainment industry is more than skin-deep. Under her company’s umbrella, she launched Fierce Capital, which prioritizes making investments in female-driven start-ups. Her latest business venture is Tyra Beauty, a makeup line that celebrates each woman’s unique beauty and refuses to use harmful ingredients.

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  Expanding the definition of beauty is something Tyra Banks has always believed in, as a supermodel and as a super-businesswoman. Six modeling agencies rejected her before she was signed at the age of 15 years old. Now, hundreds of magazine covers and thousands of runways later, Tyra grooms the next generation of models to make their dreams come true. For the last decade, she has been the Creator and Executive Producer of America’s Next Top Model (ANTM), the first and longest running fashion competition-based reality television series. ANTM which aired in 186 counties and has 26 international versions that span from Asia’s Next Top Model to Africa’s Next Top Model.

  An original Victoria’s Secret Angel, Tyra was also the first model to grace the cover of GQ and the first African-American model to be featured on the covers of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, which featured her for two consecutive years, and the Victoria’s Secret catalogue. She was named one of Hollywood Reporter’s “100 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment” and Entertainment Weekly’s “25 Smartest in Television”. She was honored as one of Glamour Magazine’s coveted “Women of the Year”, alongside Former U.S. Secretaries of State Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Rodham Clinton. She won two Emmy Awards for The Tyra Show, the first show ever to receive the award in the new “Informative” category. Her infamous line, “KISS MY FAT ASS!”, made TV Guide Magazine’s 60 Greatest Talk Show Moments. She was listed twice on Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World”, and she took the #1 spot on Forbes’ list of top earning women in primetime for two years in a row. She is the author of a New York Times bestselling book, Modelland, and was named one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People”.

  Tyra is CEO of The Tyra Banks Company – a place where beauty meets entertainment. In 2012, she graduated from the Owner/President Management program at Harvard Business School and is a proud alum. She recently developed Fierce Capital, the investment arm of The Tyra Banks Company, which invests in early-stage companies, including firms that are female-led or female-focused. Her passion is the TZONE Foundation, a non-profit organization that invests in young women to help them realize their ambitions and approach life’s challenges with fierce determination. The TZONE has transformed over the years and now takes residence at the Lower Eastside Girls Club Center for Community in New York City. The Tyra Banks TZONE at the Lower Eastside Girls Club is a rapidly growing program for girls, ages 11-14. The future roll-out of the complete TZONE curriculum will consist of a three-month program that focuses on five core pillars: entrepreneurship, financial literacy, elocution and self presentation, health and wellness, and self-esteem, beauty and body image.

  She’s addicted to social media and cosmetics and can even do your makeup like a pro! She loves barbeque, photo apps, and freckles, but she hates all things chocolate. She’s an inventor of words: “SMIZE” (smile with your eyes), “Ty-over” (a Tyra-style makeover), and “H2T” (head to toe).

  Tyra believes that perfect is boring, and human is beautiful!