Model Watch: Ashley Smith

Ashley Smith is a rising star on the modeling scene - she has become an increasingly popular, especially in the likes of Vogue. It might be her gap-toothed pout, her fashionably disheveled blonde curls or her slightly curvier shape that's got her noticed: but one thing is for certain, the fashion world is having an Ashley moment.

Over the last few months, Ashley, who originally hails from Texas, has been featured in magazine such as Vogue and W, as well as campaigns for Sicily and Levi's. In the last two months alone, Ashley has been in a variety of spreads for Vogue, including Vogue Turkey and Vogue Portugal.

This might be because she call pull off this season's biggest trend - 1950's glamour - with ease, but others have already hailed Ashley as the new Lara Stone, or rather, a younger, fresher Lara as one person put it. Ashley, now 19 years old, was first discovered when she attended the SXSW music festival in Texas, and says that she has often thought about fixing her the gap between her two front teeth:

"Yeah I thought about it a lot when I was little, I even went to the dentist to get it fixed, but I’ve never actually had all the money in one place to be able to do it. Now it makes me money!"

Ashley is constantly compared to Lara Stone, but she says that she feels individual:

"I don’t mind. I think she has cleared an amazing path for me! But I AM my own person and have many different things to bring to this industry. I do often want to meet her though. It’s so weird to think I know this girl that I’ve never met!"

She appeared as part of Prada's Resort showing for 2011 recently, and she cites Miuccia Prada as one of her favourite designers:

"Miuccia Prada. The last collection was absolutely amazing. I always get excited when I see the new line on the stylists' racks. I love playing the sophisticated Prada lady. I also appreciate the more rock and effortless sexy sense of an Alexander Wang piece. The shoes make me want to go kick some serious ass and look sexy as hell while doing it. Plus, his T-line is the best for these hot summer days. Nothing better!"

Ashley is much more then just a new Lara Stone - she's a new type of model - one that's less androgynous, more curvaceous, glamorous and elegant - but this isn't all, Ashley's ability to transform in front of the camera into a myriad of emotional, whimsical characters puts her head (gap-tooth and all) and shoulders above the rest. Here is a look at some of her modeling work so far.