Niki Taylor Returns to Runway at 50, Announces Grandmother Status

Niki Taylor, the 1990s Vogue supermodel, returned to the runway in New York City for the first time in decades at the Mott50 Edition & Coolibar Sun Safe Soirée fashion presentation. The 50-year-old revealed she and her husband, Burney Lamar, have recently become grandparents, telling New Beauty that they "need our sleep" and that they "go to bed early. It makes such a difference when you get a good night of sleep." The rooftop showcase, which also featured Puerto Rican actress Dayanara Torres, marked a high-profile return for Taylor and underscored a broader moment of renewed visibility for models who began their careers well before turning 50.

Taylor rose to fame in the early 1990s as part of a wave of supermodels that defined an era of fashion. She became a staple on glossy pages and runways, building campaigns for major brands such as L'Oréal, Gap, Versace and Jean Paul Gaultier. She earned the distinction of being the youngest person to be named one of People magazine’s Most Beautiful People, and she made history in May 1996 by gracing the covers of six magazines in the same month — Vogue, Allure, Elle, Marie Claire, Self and Shape — following her first cover for Seventeen at age 14. Her first Vogue cover came in 1990 when she was 15, making her the second-youngest model to appear on Vogue’s cover at that time.

The trajectory of Taylor’s career in the 1990s was notable not only for the breadth of her work but also for the era-defining nature of the campaigns she led. She was part of a cohort that included Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and other industry icons on major fashion campaigns and on the world’s runways. The notes reflect that she remained a sought-after figure in fashion for years, balancing appearances and brand partnerships with family life in Nashville, where she and Burney Lamar raised four children — Rex, Ciel, Hunter and Jake.

In recent interviews, Taylor has spoken about aging in a way that reflects a shift in the industry. She told Daily Mail that age is more about mindset than appearance: "As long as you feel good and healthy, you can pretty much take on anything." She has also commented on the industry’s evolving attitudes toward aging, noting that the stigma about models having a finite shelf life has begun to ease as greater diversity and longevity become part of advertising and campaigns.

Taylor’s personal life has included its share of hardship. Her sister Krissy, who was also a successful model, died in 1995 from heart disease at 17. Taylor has described how she has carried that loss with her and has sought to honor her sister through charitable work. In 2001, she survived a near-fatal car crash in Atlanta while riding in a vehicle driven by then-boyfriend Chad Renegar. Those experiences contributed to her long-standing support for charities focused on health and emergency response, including the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association.

Beyond her public prominence, Taylor has spoken about the balance between fame and family, including moments when she and Lamar collaborated on projects at home. She recently described how a CoverGirl campaign she filmed at home came together with her husband helping to shoot it, a sign of how she has integrated her personal and professional lives in recent years. Her return to the catwalk and ongoing work signal a continued influence in fashion, even as she embraces grandparenthood and life in Tennessee.

The public revival of Taylor’s career aligns with a broader reckoning within fashion about longevity and age. As the industry increasingly foregrounds stories of models who stay active well into their 40s, 50s and beyond, Taylor’s comeback offers a tangible example of how longevity can be celebrated, not sidelined. Her current balance of high-profile appearances with family duties suggests she will remain a fixture in fashion circles while continuing to champion the causes close to her heart.