About
Jessica Elizabeth Stam is a Canadian fashion model whose wide‑set eyes and porcelain features helped define the “doll‑face” wave of the early 2000s. After bursting onto runways for Prada, Marc Jacobs, and countless other houses, she became a fixture on international Vogue covers and landed fifteenth on Forbes’ list of top‑earning supermodels in 2007. Two decades in, her résumé still grows: in December 2024 Harper’s Bazaar Turkey named her its “Global Icon of the Year,” celebrating a career that has blended high fashion credibility with pop‑culture recognizability.
Before Fame
Stam grew up on a farm in Kincardine, Ontario, the only girl among seven children. Her parents, Rick and Deb, ran the dairy operation and kept a tight‑knit, faith‑oriented household. Jessica planned on dentistry until a chance encounter at a Tim Hortons café changed everything. Scout Michèle Miller from International Model Management spotted her and suggested she try modeling. Winning a Los Angeles “Model Look” search in 2002 opened the door, but photographer Steven Meisel’s early campaigns truly accelerated her path, turning the farm kid into an international runway regular before her eighteenth birthday.
Trivia
- The “Stam Bag.” Marc Jacobs was so inspired by her look and energy that he christened a quilted top‑handle satchel the Stam in 2005. The bag became a status symbol and is still traded on resale sites today.
- Catwalk comeback moments. Though she briefly stepped back from nonstop shows, Stam has enjoyed headline‑grabbing returns—walking for Dior’s Paris show supporting John Galliano, and popping up in Vogue Italia’s 2023 fitness‑themed story looking stronger than ever.
- Runway slip heard ’round the world. Fashion week folklore recounts her 2006 tumble at Chloé; instead of embarrassment, the stumble humanized her and sparked an avalanche of supportive press.
- Beyond fashion. Stam has cameoed in music videos, fronted campaigns for tech‑savvy brands like Apple’s Beats by Dre, and speaks at industry conferences about model wellness. She also served as a mentor on The Fashion Fund TV series, offering practical advice to designers.
- A long relationship with charities. From early days volunteering with Food Bank For New York City to current work supporting maternal‑health causes in Hawaii, philanthropy remains woven into her schedule.
Family Life
Life now moves at a gentler Pacific pace. Stam and her filmmaker husband, Brahman Turner, sold their Manhattan apartment in 2022 and settled on Oahu, crediting the islands with giving them “room to breathe.” They are parents to two young children—daughter Jameson (born 2017) and son Hartley (born 2024)—and often share surfing snapshots and pup‑filled beach walks on Instagram.
Despite the sunny locale, Stam keeps her Canadian roots close, visiting Ontario relatives whenever work pulls her to New York or Europe. She notes that being one of seven kids prepared her for the organized chaos of raising toddlers while juggling photo shoots. In interviews she credits her brothers with fostering her competitive streak: “If you wanted the last pancake at our place, you sprinted.” That same drive still powers late‑night fittings and red‑eye flights.
Associated With
- Steven Meisel – the legendary photographer who cast her early and shot many key editorials, effectively launching her international career.
- Marc Jacobs – beyond naming the Stam Bag, he placed her in multiple runway shows and campaigns, cementing her early‑2000s relevance.
- Victoria’s Secret – appearances in the 2006, 2007, and 2010 fashion spectaculars introduced her to mainstream TV audiences.
- The “doll‑face” cohort – peers such as Gemma Ward, Lily Donaldson, and Sasha Pivovarova shared magazine covers and catwalk lineups, collectively steering mid‑2000s fashion aesthetics.
- Harper’s Bazaar editors – their 2024 accolade underscores industry respect for her longevity and adaptability.
