Coco Rocha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Coco Rocha
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Rocha in 2012
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| Born |
Mikhaila Rocha
September 10, 1988 |
| Spouse(s) |
James Conran
(m. 2010) |
| Children | 3 |
| Modeling information | |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Hair color | Brown |
| Eye color | Blue |
| Agency |
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Mikhaila "Coco" Rocha, born on September 10, 1988, is a famous Canadian model. She is known for being one of the first "digital" supermodels. Coco is also recognized for speaking up for younger models in the fashion world. She helped write the book Study of Pose in 2014. Coco Rocha is also the founder of the Coco Rocha Model Camp. She is a co-owner of the Nomad Management Modeling Agency. In 2025, Coco Rocha was announced as the host of the new Project Runway Canada show on Crave.
Contents
About Coco Rocha
Her Early Life
Coco Rocha was born Mikhaila Rocha in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She grew up in Richmond, British Columbia. She went to Hugh McRoberts Secondary School there. Her family works in the airline industry. Coco has two siblings. Her family background includes Irish and Ukrainian heritage.
Becoming a Model
First Steps in Modeling
In 2002, Coco Rocha was at an Irish dance competition. An agent named Charles Stuart noticed her. He asked if she would think about modeling. Before this, Coco had never considered a career in modeling. When she first started, she didn't know much about fashion.
Coco first spent time modeling in Asia. There, she would pose for many different outfits each day. She then returned to New York. She signed a special contract with photographer Steven Meisel. This contract listed the clients she could and could not work with. Coco later said this was "one of the craziest times in my career."
Rising to Fame
Coco Rocha became known for using social media early in her career. She earned the nickname "Queen of Pose." This was because of her amazing skill and creativity in posing for photos. In April 2006, she appeared on the cover of Vogue Italia. This was a special photoshoot by Steven Meisel.
The next year, in March 2006, she walked in many fashion shows. These included shows for famous designers like Anna Sui and Marc Jacobs. Backstage at the Anna Sui show, she met supermodel Naomi Campbell. Naomi told Coco she was her "new favourite model." During Paris Fashion Week, Coco walked for other top designers.
In February 2007, Coco Rocha opened Jean Paul Gaultier's fashion show. She famously Irish-danced down the runway. American Vogue magazine called this the "Coco Moment." They suggested it showed the fashion world missed "supermodels." In May 2007, Coco was featured on the cover of US Vogue. She was named one of the "World's Next Top Models" alongside other rising stars.
Magazine Covers and Campaigns
Coco Rocha has appeared on the covers of many major fashion magazines. These include different international editions of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. She has also been featured in Flare, Fashion, and Time Style & Design.
She has been the face of many advertising campaigns. These include brands like Versace, Chanel, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, and Yves Saint Laurent. She has also worked with Calvin Klein, Rimmel, Hermès, and L'Oréal Paris.
In July 2010, Coco was featured daily on the Vogue website. In August, she appeared on a billboard in Times Square. This was for an ad campaign with Marie Claire magazine. In 2011, she was the face of a special Coca-Cola light campaign. This was designed by Karl Lagerfeld.
Coco Rocha was the first high-fashion model photographed by the Lytro Camera in July 2011. This camera takes "living pictures." This means you can adjust the focus and zoom after the photo is taken. In 2012, she appeared in a commercial for White House Black Market. She was featured tap-dancing in the ad.
On Screen and TV
Coco Rocha appeared in The September Issue. This was a 2009 documentary about American Vogue magazine.
In 2009, she was a guest judge on season 2 of Project Runway Canada. Contestants had to design a dress for her to wear. She hosted the white carpet event for the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. On October 19, 2011, she was a guest judge on America's Next Top Model. The show's host, Tyra Banks, called her "The Queen of Posing."
Coco Rocha was one of three coach/judges on the first season of The Face. This was a reality show on the Oxygen network in 2013. In 2015, she appeared on Australia's Next Top Model. She also returned as a guest judge on season 14.
In 2022, Coco Rocha was a guest judge on season 19. Designers created an evening dress for her to model. She also appeared as a guest judge on season 17 and season 18. In 2025, Coco Rocha was announced as the host of the new Project Runway Canada reboot.
Writing and Digital Work
Coco Rocha wrote the introduction for Canadian fashion reporter Jeanne Beker's book Struttin It!. This book is about the modeling profession. In March 2011, she launched her own website. It featured nearly 10,000 pictures from her modeling career.
In April 2012, Coco Rocha became the first high-fashion model. She had over one million followers on the social media platform Google+. In 2014, she released the book Study of Pose. She created this book with photographer Steven Sebring. It is like an encyclopedia with 1000 different poses. Coco modeled all of them.
Helping Other Models
Model Camp and Agency Work
In June 2016, Coco Rocha became a manager and owner at Nomad Mgmt Modeling Agency. She also served as the brand director. In this role, she helps models plan their careers. The agency works with models like Soo Joo Park and Jourdana Phillips. She also helped open the agency's first office outside the US, in Vietnam.
Coco Rocha used to train models privately. She helped models like Kendall and Kylie Jenner. This gave her the idea for a model camp. In July 2018, she opened the Coco Rocha Model Camp. It is a large property that can house about a dozen students. The program teaches students about the modeling industry. Coco has also taught this program at Harvard University.
Supporting Creators Online
Coco Rocha and her husband are investors and advisors for two web3 platforms. These are P00ls and FLYP. These platforms help artists and fashion creators connect with their fans. They use social tokens, which are like special digital currencies. These tokens help creators earn money from their brand.
Standing Up for What's Right
Coco Rocha is one of the few models who has spoken out. She has talked about unhealthy body standards in the modeling industry. In a letter to The New York Times, she wrote about how wrong it is. She questioned why fashion would make models look unhealthily thin. She believes fashion should make the human form look beautiful, not harm it. She shared that people in the industry told her to lose more weight. They said the popular look at the time was very thin, even if it was unhealthy.
In June 2011, Coco partnered with Jacob, a Canadian fashion retailer. They created a "Photoshop-free" campaign. She hoped this would balance the trend of too much digital editing of models.
On October 11, 2011, Coco Rocha appeared on Anderson. This was a daytime television show. She said that models are often scouted too young. They are then pressured to stay thin and act unnaturally. This happens even when they are still minors.
On November 1, 2011, she launched Coco Rocha for Senhoa. This was a collection of jewelry. It was made with Senhoa, an organization helping people in Cambodia who had experienced very difficult situations. Coco designed seven unique pieces. Survivors handcrafted them. All the money raised went directly to the Senhoa program. To help, Coco brought in other models like Chanel Iman and Behati Prinsloo.
Coco also worked with The Model Alliance. She helped improve protection laws for young models in New York State. She pointed out that models did not have the same safety as other young people in entertainment. New labor protections were then put in place to help prevent problems.
Awards and Honors
In October 2010, Coco Rocha received Marie Claire's Prix d'Excellence. She was named their model of the year. In November 2010, Seventeen magazine gave her the Seventeen Body Peace award. Coco had written articles for the magazine about girls' body image and self-esteem. On February 14, 2011, she won the Elle Style award for 'Model of the Year'. Boy George presented this award in London.
On June 16, 2011, Coco Rocha and her husband, James Conran, received awards. These were for their charity work at the Pay It Fashion Forward event. In 2012, Vogue Paris named her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s.
On February 1, 2014, Coco Rocha won the "Model of the Year Award." This was at the Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards in Toronto. On April 24, 2014, she received the prestigious Vienna Fashion Award. She was honored as a Style Icon. In 2019, she received the Identities Leadership in the Arts Award at Harvard University.
In 2022, Coco Rocha received the Fashion Pioneer Award. This was from the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization. The award was given at the United Nations. It recognized her as a leader and innovator in her field.
Her Family Life
Coco Rocha has been a devoted Jehovah's Witness since she was a child. In a 2013 interview, she said she still takes part in their practice of preaching door-to-door. She calls herself "a Christian first and a model second." Because of her faith, she avoids posing with cigarettes, nationalistic symbols, or religious icons.
Coco Rocha married artist James Conran on June 9, 2010. They have three children. Their daughter, Ioni James Conran, was born on March 28, 2015. Their son, Iver Eames Conran, was born on April 20, 2018. Their second daughter, Iley Ryn Conran, was born on November 22, 2020.
Images for kids
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Rocha modeling for Louis Vuitton (2010)
See also
In Spanish: Coco Rocha para niños
