Meet the Rihanna-Approved Model Who Wears Her Vitiligo With Pride

“Flawless.” “Ur face is so cool.” “U r special.” These are just a few of the regular comments that pepper Tia Jonsson’s Instagram account, along with a steady stream of tiny cherub emojis too numerous to recount here. If you were to mistake the California-born model for a real-life angel, you certainly wouldn’t be alone. Porcelain-complected and blue-eyed, with pillowy lips that could be described as divinely inspired, Jonsson also has a striking white streak that sprouts from her hairline and extends through her front lengths.

“It’s actually vitiligo,” the New York University international relations student explains of the autoimmune skin disorder, which she’s had since childhood, that causes patches of pigment loss along her forehead. While some may find it distressing, Jonsson—along with boundary-breaking runway stars like Winnie Harlow and Joan Severance—has always worn hers as something of a badge of honor. “I remember pulling all my hair back with butterfly clips when I was little and feeling really brave,” she recalls. That same predilection for standing out, rather than blending in, helped her secure a modeling contract with Anti-Agency and a spot in Rihanna’s debut Savage x Fenty campaign.

The sentiment has also led her to steer clear of face-transforming products, such as concealers and contouring creams, which could obscure her unique features. Instead, Jonsson credits Tata Harper’s natural moisturizers—“an indulgence,” she notes—for keeping her face camera-ready. But don’t be too quick to count her among the no makeup-makeup masses. The 21-year-old is ready and willing to embrace bold, unexpected flashes of color, like a “crazy” blue eyeshadow. “The more fun it is, the more comfortable I am with it.”