About
Julia Stegner is a Munich-born supermodel who has been turning heads on runways and magazine covers for more than two decades. Since her debut in the early 2000s she has collected 27 international Vogue covers, worked with every major fashion house from YSL to Valentino, and remained one of Germany’s most recognizable fashion exports. In 2010 Forbes placed her among the world’s highest-earning models, and even now—at 40—she still books blue-chip campaigns and selective catwalk shows, proving that longevity is possible in an industry famous for quick turnovers.
While her résumé is packed with runway numbers and advertising credits, Stegner’s appeal goes beyond statistics. Industry insiders praise her adaptable look—sunny, athletic, and high-fashion all at once—while photographers laud the easygoing energy she brings to long shoots. Recent seasons have shown her in Mango and Victoria Beckham ads and striding down the 2023 Isabel Marant catwalk, a reminder that her relevance spans generations of designers and clients.
Before Fame
Stegner grew up in an animal-loving household in Munich with accountant mother Erika, tech-executive father Günter, and big sister Jeanette. As a tall, sport-obsessed kid—classmates jokingly called her “Beanpole”—she balanced nine years of dance classes with serious basketball practices. Modeling actually began early: for seven years she appeared in children’s catalogues and commercials, but it was still more hobby than calling.
Everything changed one autumn evening in 1999 when 14-year-old Julia was celebrating Oktoberfest. Talent scout Louisa von Minckwitz noticed the lanky teen and offered test shoots on the spot. Within months she had paused plans to study accounting, relocated to Paris, landed an Elle cover, and—just four months later—opened Yves Saint Laurent’s fall 2003 show before an audience of fashion heavyweights.
Trivia
- Childhood nickname: “Beanpole,” a nod to her rapid teenage growth spurt that took her to 1.83 m (6 ft).
- Athletic streak: she still shoots hoops and cycles around New York’s East Village when time allows.
- Dog devotee: Stegner and her family raised multiple rescue dogs, a habit she credits for her lifelong animal-rights interest.
- Philanthropy: in 2006 she travelled to Sierra Leone as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador to highlight children’s health issues—an experience documented by German Vogue.
- Career marathon: in her first full season she walked some 70 shows—an endurance feat rookies rarely match today.
Family Life
Julia married Australian fashion photographer Benny Horne in April 2014 after several years together. The couple welcomed daughter Emma a few weeks later and split their time between Germany, New York, and coastal Australia, choosing quieter bases that allow their child “a normal playground life” far from flashbulbs.
Family remains central to Stegner’s worldview. Her parents still live in Munich, her sister works in film production, and extended breaks at their Bavarian home are filled with countryside walks and big home-cooked meals. That grounding, she says, keeps fashion pressures in perspective.
Associated With
Stegner’s career is studded with collaborations that read like a fashion hall-of-fame roll call. Steven Meisel shot her first Vogue Italia covers; Mario Testino, Peter Lindbergh, and Patrick Demarchelier followed. She has fronted campaigns for Dior, Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss, and became a global face of Maybelline New York in 2007.
Runway-wise, she walked seven consecutive Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows (2005-2011) and has been a reliable muse for designers like Stella McCartney, Versace, and Isabel Marant. Off-the-clock, her UNICEF work linked her with fellow ambassador Orlando Bloom, adding a humanitarian dimension to a career often measured only in gloss and glamour.