Susan Holmes

Susan Elizabeth Holmes McKagan (born May 5, 1972) is an American model, media personality, and fashion designer, and author who rose to prominence during the supermodel era of the early 1990s.

Early life Susan Holmes was born in Bowling Green, Ohio, where her father was a professor and her mother was an English teacher. She moved to San Diego when she was 9, and began modeling locally in high school. She was discovered at 16 by photographer Marco Glaviano while she was visiting New York City. He approached her at a restaurant and arranged a meeting with Ford Models. She has walked runways for designers including Versace, Valentino, Karl Lagerfeld, Prada, Chanel, and Victoria's Secret, and has featured in campaigns for brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, and Guess.

In September 2025, Holmes returned to the runway for Christian Siriano SS26 as part of New York Fashion Week, which was praised for "rewriting what longevity looks like in an industry obsessed with the next new face." When she couldn't model during her first pregnancy, Holmes began designing swimsuits and launched her brand in 1997. Her clothing designs have appeared on TvLand's "She's Got The Look".

Media Holmes’ early acting credits include the 1992 movie Inferno alongside Kate Moss among other models, and the music video for Velvet Revolver's "Fall To Pieces". In 2008, Holmes was a creative director for a shoot alongside Russell James, celebrity guest judge and mentor/designer to the aspiring models wearing her swimwear on America's Next Top Model (Cycle 11 - You’re Beautiful, Now Change) alongside Tyra Banks. Holmes was featured on E!'s reality docuseries series Married to Rock which debuted on November 7, 2010, and followed Holmes alongside other rock musician spouses Etty Farrell and Josie Stevens. In January 2020 Holmes was a guest on the Rachael Ray Show where she prepared her vegan dog treats recipe and promoted her book The Velvet Rose. Holmes appeared as herself in the 2013 documentary Isolated and the 2024 mockumentary Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties.

Susan and her husband Duff McKagan co-host the weekly radio show "Three Chords and The Truth" on the SiriusXM station Ozzy's Boneyard.

Writing In 2019, Holmes released her debut novel The Velvet Rose. In writing the novel, Holmes looked to capture the "extraordinary 90’s era where fashion and music collided in such a historical and vibrant way" from the perspective of a female protagonist in the "male-dominated rock world".

Activism Susan has spoken out against fur, appearing in the PETA ad campaign "Ink, Not Mink" alongside Duff McKagan.

In 2012, Holmes co-hosted the Surfrider Foundation's International Surfing Day web-a-thon.

In 2017, Holmes walked the catwalk for designer Francesco Scognamiglio at Life Ball in Vienna, organized by the nonprofit organization AIDS LIFE.

In 2018, Holmes was an ambassador for the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games held in Seattle.

Holmes donates a portion of proceeds from the sales of her book The Velvet Rose to the MusiCares Foundation.

Susan primarily resides in Seattle, but has homes in Los Angeles, San Diego and Maui.