Teen Vogue's Latest Cover Models Defy Mainstream Beauty Standards

Teen Vogue just released its August 2015 covers featuring three rising stars of the modeling industry. The most striking part is that all three models are black — going against the notorious preference for white models on the runway and on the cover of magazines. What quickly caught our attention was the fact that the cover features different hairstyles and textures — we're talking slick straight, a small 'fro, and bouncy curls. These hairstyles highlight the diversity of hair and beauty among black women.

This isn't the first time a model's hairstyle has caused a buzz for Teen Vogue. In late June, Beauty and Health Director Elaine Welteroth — who also pens the August cover story — responded to online criticism the magazine received for a story featuring a biracial model with an Afrocentric hairstyle. In an open letter on the glossy's site, Welteroth defends her decision for casting a racially ambiguous model by reminding readers that "black comes in a myriad of colors and textures—all of them beautiful, all of them deserving of representation" and cites Zendaya's Oscar dreadlocks as inspiration for the story. Check out each model's cover, and catch them on newsstands on July 14.