Devon Aoki

Devon Edwenna Aoki was born on August 10, 1982, in New York City. She grew up in diverse locations including New York City, Malibu, California, and London, England. Her father was Rocky Aoki, a former Olympic wrestler and founder of Benihana restaurants, and her mother is Pamela Hilburger, a jewelry designer. Devon Aoki began her modeling career at the age of 13, a pivotal moment that occurred after her godmother introduced her to model Kate Moss. By 16, Aoki had established herself as a significant presence in the fashion industry.

Her career expanded rapidly, leading to runway debuts for prominent fashion houses such as Balenciaga, Comme des Garçons, and Chanel in 1997. In 1998, at the age of 16, she succeeded Naomi Campbell as the face of the luxury brand Versace. Over the years, Aoki participated in advertising campaigns for a variety of notable brands including Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Kenzo, Hugo Boss, L’Oreal, Lancome, and Tiffany & Co. She also walked for designers like Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg, Jean Paul Gaultier, Celine, Baby Phat, and Marc Jacobs. Aoki has been featured on the covers of numerous international fashion magazines such as US’ Ocean Drive, Nylon, i-D, Interview, UK’s Wonderland, along with various international editions of Vogue and Numéro.

Beyond modeling, Aoki pursued an acting career, with her filmography including roles in action films like “2 Fast 2 Furious” (2003) as Suki, “Sin City” (2005) as Miho, “DOA: Dead or Alive” (2006) as Kasumi, and “Mutant Chronicles” (2008) as Cpl. Valerie Duval. She also appeared in “D.E.B.S.” (2004) and “War” (2007). In 2009, Aoki retired from full-time film acting to focus on her family life, marrying James Bailey in 2011 and raising four children. Despite this, she has continued to engage in select fashion projects and campaigns, maintaining her influence in the industry.