Two Eastern Iowa natives walk the runway in New York, European fashion shows

By Clare Murphy, The Gazette

Two Eastern Iowa natives are headed for supermodel status, and they owe much of their success to a fellow Eastern Iowan. 

Alanna Arrington, 17, from Cedar Rapids, and Jay Wright, from Iowa City, have walked the runway this year for some of the biggest names in fashion, including Diane von Furstenberg, Topshop, Mulberry, Boss Hugo Boss and Preen by Thorton Bregazzi. 

Both models were discovered by scouts Mary and Jeff Clarke, owners of Mother Model Management. Mary Clarke, who grew up in Cedar Rapids, started out doing fashion shows at Westdale Mall. In 1997, Clarke discovered Ashton Kutcher at the Airliner in Iowa City, and convinced him to enter the Fresh Face of Iowa modeling contest, which he won. That same year, she met Jeff, and in 2001, they moved their agency to St. Louis, Mo.

Among the models the Clarkes discovered in St. Louis was Karlie Kloss, the current the face of L'Oreal Paris and Topshop's spring/summer line. The Clarkes still come to Iowa five or six times a year. Mary Clarke said they continue to find great talent here, such as Arrington and Wright.

Alanna Arrington w/ the #DVF squad!MOTHER MODEL MANAGEMENT on Monday, February 15, 2016

Alanna Arrington w/ the #DVF squad!

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Wright has modeled for high fashion labels such as Marc Jacobs and Jil Sander, and Arrington was quickly signed to Next Management after appearances in New York and London fashion weeks.

'I've gotten the opportunity to walk and work with some of the most amazing designers and people, and all I can do is smile, because nothing is better than that,' Arrington told Vogue.