And Tyra Banks' arrival to the modeling world caused a stir in Naomi Campbell, which led to a years-long feud between the two.
During the '90s, Naomi was the most prominent black supermodel of that time, and appeared to feel threatened by the new African-American woman on the scene.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Tyra addressed their issue, and clarified the word 'rivalry' which was often used in reference to both she and Naomi.
'It wasn't a rivalry, and I'm very sensitive to that word because a rivalry is with two equals to me, whereas one was very dominant,' she began.
She [Naomi] was a supermodel and I was just some new girl that got on a plane from Paris, and was studying fashion in magazines at a fashion library.
'I had a very painful early days in Paris. As much as I was booking every single fashion show, people didn't know I was going home at night crying my eyes out because a woman that I was looking up to seemed like she just didn't want me to be there, and was doing everything in her power to make me go away.'
Tyra reflected on her younger self, and her thought process as a teen, versus now as an adult.
'And I didn't understand that as a young girl. Like why is she doing this? This is so evil! This is so awful. The adult me understands that she was reacting to an industry that was all about a token,' she went on to say.
'But when I came on the scene – Naomi, look out! There's a black girl that's going to take your spot...Only one spot available.'
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