Chanel Iman

Chanel says she dresses “entirely according to mood, and no two days are alike. If I’m in a punk rock mood, I try a just-rolled-out-of-bed, dark-colored thing.... If I’m happy, summery, I’ll go with Stella McCartney — bright, colorful. I always love wearing lots of jewelry — mostly bangles and charm bracelets.”  (Mark Boster / LAT)

Chanel caught the attention of Vogue editor Anna Wintour with a cheeky wink from the catwalk.  (Mark Boster / LAT)

“I like the creativity of what designers can do to the clothes,” Chanel says. “And I like how it transforms me into a person I’m normally not.”  (Mark Boster / LAT)

For many, Chanel embodies the ideal of a 21st century model: an unconventional beauty, a mix of glamour and mischief, and a quirky individual style.  (Mark Boster / LAT)

The young model mixes with some admirers during a Venice Beach photo shoot.  (Mark Boster / LAT)

Chanel at work in a Venice Beach photo shoot.  (Mark Boster / LAT)

Chanel enjoys some musicians on the boardwalk in Venice Beach.  (Mark Boster / LAT)

These days — between shoots for Vogue and Allure, walking for Marc Jacobs and Dolce & Gabbana, posing in ads for Benetton and Tommy Hilfiger — Chanel’s home base has shifted from Los Angeles to New York.  (Kirk McKoy / LAT)

Chanel on the runway in the Missoni show in Milan, Italy.  (Kirk McKoy / LAT)

“I do see some of myself in Chanel,” said Tyra Banks, who has become Chanel’s friend and mentor. “She is a driven, motivated professional and doesn’t seem to be at risk of getting caught up into the dark side of the modeling world. But, at the same time, she’s a regular kid from the same part of L.A. that I am from. Girls like Chanel don’t come by the modeling industry often.”  (Kirk McKoy / LAT)