Kelsey Merritt
Filipino model
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kelsey Alaine Merritt (born October 1, 1996) is a model best known for being the first Filipino-American woman to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show[1] and to feature in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[2] She has been featured in advertisements for various brands.
October 1, 1996
Kelsey Merritt | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kelsey Alaine Merritt October 1, 1996 Philippines |
| Alma mater | Ateneo de Manila University |
| Modeling information | |
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
| Hair color | Brown |
| Eye color | Dark Brown |
| Agency |
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Life and career
Merritt was born on October 1, 1996, in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines to a Filipina mother and American father who was semi-retired in Clark, Angeles City.[3] In May 2017, she graduated from Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Metro Manila, with a degree in communications.[4] She has been modelling in the Philippines from a young age and is currently based in New York City and Los Angeles.
Kelsey's modeling journey began when she was first scouted in Manila. "It was really hard because I was from this really small town in the Philippines, not even from Manila. I had not heard of a fashion industry," she recalled. "I didn't know about modeling." While still in college, Kelsey Merritt was later discovered through social media and offered the opportunity to model in New York. "I was discovered by this New York director for Wilhelmina Models at that time on Instagram. I remember I was a sophomore in college, and I was doing a paper and I got an email. And it said 'Modeling in the Big Apple,'" she recalled. The Filipino model was 17 years old when the New York director reached out to her. "It was really this legit guy who discovered Coco Rocha. My dad talked to him for two hours because he was telling me to go to New York on my own. My dad wouldn't let me. I was like 'I'm good, I'm old, I can do it.' But now in hindsight, I'm like okay, that was fair," she shared.[5]
In April 2015 from the Philippines, Kelsey flew to New York and officially signed with Wilhelmina Models. From then on while juggling her studies with modeling work abroad, Kelsey Merritt secured numerous global and regional campaigns for numerous international brands, including work with Vera Wang famously photographed by Patrick Demarchelier and a commercial and campaign for Maybelline working as a background model alongside main cast top model Gigi Hadid, Emily DiDonato, and Jourdan Dunn. And global print ad for Uniqlo Re-Jean campaign.[6]
After foundational years with Wilhelmina Models, Kelsey Merritt switched her modeling agency to Supreme Management in New York which eventually lead and caught the eye of Victoria's Secret brand and casted her as the catalogue model and then, later on famously booked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2018, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2019, and the features of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Elle magazine beauty in their designated Youtube channel.[7]
In 2018, after completing the rigorous stage in casting Kelsey Merritt received a surprising news from her modeling agency that she got the coveted confirmation to walked for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York and was announced to be the first Filipino-American model to walk the runway. It was also her first ever international runway show.[8]
On October 9, 2019, Kelsey posted on her Instagram that she signed with her new management, The Society, in New York City.[9][10]
She was featured three times consecutively in the pages of the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[11][12][13] Kelsey Merritt had also appeared as the main front cover model for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2022 Day-at-a-Time Box Calendar[14] and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Wall calendars alongside models like Camille Kostek, Olivia Culpo, and Jasmine Sanders.
In February 2020, Kelsey Merritt booked her first Milan Fashion Show, walking down the runway for Philipp Plein ready-to-wear Fall/Winter 2020-2021 during the Milan Fashion Week photographed by Ellen Von Unwerth.[15]
Kelsey Merritt had appeared on the magazine covers for L'Officiel Philippines, Cosmopolitan Philippines Fashion, Vanidades, Ocean Drive, Modeliste, and Filipino magazine covers such as Metro Magazine, Metro Society, Metro Style, Mega Magazine, Rogue, Preview, Candy, Chalk.[16] Editorials for Harper's Bazaar Beauty, Vogue Philippines, Women's Health USA, Galore.[17]
Merritt also made appearances in major international fashion magazines such as American Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, and Allure, with the latter featuring her on their YouTube channel in relation to beauty talks.[18][19][20][21] In 2018, British Vogue dubbed Kelsey Merritt a "rising star".[22]
Kelsey Merritt has been in advertisements, campaigns, and/or catalogues for the numerous clothing brands like Vera Wang, Victoria's Secret, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Polo Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie & Fitch, H&M, Next, Uniqlo, Forever 21, Skims, Calzedonia, Frame, Aritzia, Anthropologie, Free People, Vuori, LoveShackFancy, Lilly Pulitzer, Urban Outfitters, Tommy Bahama, Dynamite Clothing, Nicole + Felicia Couture, Triangl, Gigi C, Lulus, Spiritual Gangster, Jenni Kayne, Sanctuary, and others.[23]
In February 2023, Kelsey Merritt and top male model Mathieu Simoneau[24] starred together in the Calvin Klein Athletic (2023) campaign. The two modeled alongside one another showcasing the global brand's premium activewear and underwear collections. They led the promotional rollouts focusing on breathable, high-performance athleisure and classic minimalist pieces.[25]
In December 2023, Kelsey Merritt and top fashion model Samile Bermannelli[26] starred as the face of the DKNY Tech Ski campaign, which launched the brand's inaugural luxury winter capsule collection.[27] The campaign melded high-performance slope wear with New York street style. The campaign photos which was inspired by the Northern Lights were shot by fashion photographer Tom Schirmacher,[28] featuring makeup by Maud Laceppe.[29]
In August 2024, Kelsey Merritt headed the Polo Ralph Lauren × Olympics campaign capturing the preppy, athletic aesthetic of the Ralph Lauren's Olympic collection.[30] The high-profile editorial was shot by renowned fashion photographer Hans Neumann[31] in Paris, France.
Kelsey Merritt have often collaborated with renowned British fine-art photographer David Yarrow on cinematic, highly-stylized photographic campaigns. Their work together often features vintage, Wild West, or European aesthetics, with Merritt serving as the muse for several of Yarrow's major releases. Merritt's acting and modeling on Yarrow's sets are frequently highlighted by the photographer for her ability to bring grace, confidence, and a tough-yet-elegant sovereignty to the visual stories.[32][33][34][35] Yarrow also worked with several famous supermodels as his muse with the likes of Alessandra Ambrosio, Cara Delevingne, and Cindy Crawford.[36]
After more than six years with The Society Management in New York City. On June 5, 2026, IMG Models announced on their social media pages that they are now representing Kelsey Merritt, officially added to their roster of models based in New York City.[37]
