The model's model. Valletta was the face of the 1990s minimalist movement—Calvin Klein, Jil Sander, Prada. She had a striking, intelligent look that signaled the shift from boobs-and-butts to sophistication.

The Danish sensualist. Christensen was the muse for the 1990s Victoria's Secret catalog but with a European edge. Her iconic "instant" photo for Out of the Storm is one of the most famous fashion images ever shot.

The Dutch doll. A former Miss Netherlands, Mulder was the perfect "Versace girl" of the early 90s. She was part of the original "Dutchesses of Fashion" alongside Yasmine Le Bon.

The Canadian-Palestinian goddess. Ghauri had an impossibly curvy waist-to-hip ratio. She was the only real threat to Naomi Campbell on the runways of Chanel and Versace in the early 1990s.

When fashion historians discuss the they are generally referring to two distinct phenomena: the revolutionary models of the 1970s and 1980s (the 7s) who walked for Yves Saint Laurent, followed immediately by the "Top 17" elite supermodels of the late 1980s and early 1990s who became global pop culture names.