{{short description|American model (born 1998)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox model | honorific_prefix = | name = Salem Mitchell | honorific_suffix = | image =Salem Mitchell at WWD Style Awards 2026.jpg | image_size = | caption =Mitchell in 2026 | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1998}}<!--See WP:BLPPRIVACY before adding birth names/dates--> | birth_place = San Diego, California, US | death_date = <!-- {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|birth YYYY|birth MM|birth DD}} --> | death_place = | death_cause = | other_names = | citizenship = | alma_mater = | occupation = Model | years_active = 2017-present | known_for = | spouse = <!-- {{marriage|name|start|end}} --> | partner = <!-- unmarried life partner; use ''Name (1950–present)'' --> | children = | parents = | relatives = | height = 5 ft 6.5 in | hair_color = Brown | eye_color = Brown | agency = Freedom Models LA | module = | website = | signature = }} '''Salem Mitchell''' (born 1998<ref name="Robinson 2022">{{cite news |last=Robinson |first=Roxanne |date=March 3, 2022 |title=Stuart Vevers Talks '90s Nostalgia, 'Coach TV,' and 'RuPaul's Drag Race' With L'Officiel |url=https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/coach-stuart-vevers-spring-summer-2022-salem-mitchell-coach-tv-90s-rupauls-drag-race |work=L'Officiel |access-date=December 12, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Weinstock 2018" />) is an American model. She is known for her numerous facial freckles. Mitchell was discovered through Instagram and is currently signed to Freedom Models LA.{{r|Freedom Models}}
==Early life and education== Mitchell was born and raised in San Diego, California and is African American.<ref name="Weinstock 2018" /><ref name="Harper's Bazaar 2017">{{Cite web |author=<!--anonymous author(s)--> |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/fashion-news/news/a43064/watch-this-face-salem-mitchell/ |title=Watch This Face: Salem Mitchell |date=August 17, 2017 |website=Harper's Bazaar |language=en-GB |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927024109/https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/fashion-news/news/a43064/watch-this-face-salem-mitchell/ |archive-date=September 27, 2024 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Her grandmother is Filipino.<ref>{{Cite web |author=<!--anonymous author(s)--> |title=Salem Mitchell Would Like To Recommend A Really Affordable Lip Balm |url=https://intothegloss.com/2018/09/salem-mitchell-freckles-interview/ |date=September 17, 2018 |website=Into The Gloss |access-date=May 4, 2020}}</ref> She studied dance at San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts and graduated in 2016.<ref name="Weinstock 2018">{{Cite web |url=https://i-d.co/article/this-model-hit-back-at-trolls-who-compared-her-freckles-to-a-bruised-banana/ |title=This Model Hit Back at Trolls Who Compared Her Freckles to a Bruised Banana |last1=Weinstock |first1=Tish |date=May 21, 2018 |website=I-D |language=en-UK |access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Harper's Bazaar 2017" /> After high school she enrolled at San Diego State University to study business marketing.<ref name="Gore 2017" />
== Career ==
=== Modeling === Mitchell amassed a large following through Instagram.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carlos |first=Marjon |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/salem-mitchell-california-socal |title=It-Model Salem Mitchell Reveals How SoCal Girls Do Winter Style |website=Vogue |date=January 24, 2017 |language=en |access-date=April 1, 2019 |url-access=limited}}</ref> One day Mitchell posted a photo of herself on Twitter next to a bruised banana in response to trolls who had compared her freckles to the overripe fruit.<ref name="Weinstock 2018" /> After the photo went viral, ''Paper Magazine'' writer Maiya Toledano contacted Mitchell through Instagram and invited her to do a feature shoot.<ref name="Harper's Bazaar 2017" /> Mitchell later signed to Ford Models.<ref name="Harper's Bazaar 2017" />
Mitchell has appeared in music videos for artists such as SZA and Cardi B.<ref name="Gore 2017">{{Cite web |last=Gore |first=Sydney |url=https://nylon.com/articles/salem-mitchell-interview |title=Salem Mitchell Is The Next Model Everyone Will Be Talking About |date=February 16, 2017 |website=Nylon |language=en |access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref> She has worked with retailers including GAP, Converse, and SavagexFenty.<ref name="Weinstock 2018" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=McKenzie |first=Joi-Marie |url=https://goodmorningamerica.com/style/story/model-salem-mitchell-takes-us-inside-shooting-rihannas-55148327 |title=Model Salem Mitchell takes us inside Rihanna's Savage X Fenty campaign shoot |date=May 14, 2018 |work=Good Morning America |language=en |access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref> Her first cover was for ''Numéro Berlin''.<ref name="Harper's Bazaar 2017" /> She was asked by Beyoncé to model official apparel related to ''Lemonade''.<ref name="Bennett 2019">{{Cite web |title=Salem Mitchell Is Making The Internet A Kinder Place |url=https://www.nylon.com/model-salem-mitchell-interview-photos |last1=Bennett |first1=Willa |last2=Soloff |first2=Jasper |date=July 2, 2019 |website=Nylon |language=en |access-date=May 4, 2020}}</ref>
Mitchell is represented by Freedom Models LA.<ref name="Freedom Models">{{cite web |title=Salem |url=https://www.freedommodels.com/losangeles/curve/753-salem/ |location=Los Angeles |publisher=Freedom Models |access-date=December 12, 2025}}</ref>
=== Other work === Mitchell has been the target of cyberbullying for her freckles and was once called "ghetto" by internet commenters.<ref name="Weinstock 2018" /> A response she wrote on Instagram Stories that discussed cultural appropriation and the devaluation of Black features on African American women was covered by ''Teen Vogue''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rivas |first=Mekita |url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/model-salem-mitchell-cultural-appropriation-ghetto-response |title=Model Salem Mitchell Had the Best Response to a Person Calling Her 'Ghetto' |website=Teen Vogue |date=July 9, 2018 |language=en |access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref>
In 2019 Mitchell collaborated with Known Supply to develop an eco-friendly limited edition collection of apparel called Only Human.<ref name="Bennett 2019" /> She is an advocate for making the fashion industry more sustainable.<ref name="Bennett 2019" />
== Accolades ==
* 2019 - Nominee, Best of Social Media, Fashion, 11th Shorty Awards<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://shortyawards.com/11th/salemmitchell |title=Salem Mitchell |publisher=The Shorty Awards |access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Instagram|id=salemmitchell|name=Salem Mitchell}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Salem}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:Female models from California Category:African-American female models Category:Models from San Diego Category:21st-century African-American people Category:21st-century African-American women