Back in 2017, something unexpected happened on social media. Leah Rose and Ava Marie Clements, then just seven years old, made their Instagram debut—and their stunning looks instantly captured the internet’s attention. Almost overnight, their page blew up with followers from around the globe, all captivated by the charm and beauty of the identical twins from California.
What started as a fun family idea quickly became something much bigger. Their mother, Jaqi Clements, originally created the account to share moments with family and friends. But once the photos of her daughters started gaining attention, the likes and comments began pouring in. People couldn’t get over how photogenic the girls were.
Soon, modeling agencies and big-name companies came calling. That simple account turned into a launchpad for a major career. Jaqi admitted she wasn’t very familiar with Instagram when she started it, and she had no idea just how massive it would become. Within months, their follower count skyrocketed into the hundreds of thousands—and it didn’t stop there.
Now 14 years old, Leah and Ava have grown into professional teen models with a fan base of nearly 3 million across social media. They’ve worked with top brands like Disney, Nike, and Target, becoming regulars in the world of fashion and advertising.
But their rise to fame hasn’t been without controversy.
Some critics questioned whether it was right for children to be so deeply involved in modeling at such a young age. The twins’ parents, especially their mom, have spoken openly about it. Jaqi insisted that the girls were the ones who wanted to model, and that she and her husband were just supporting their choice. Far from exploiting their daughters, the parents were investing their own time and money to help them follow their dream.
Jaqi made it clear: if her daughters ever wanted to walk away from modeling, she would back them completely.
Then, in 2019, the family faced a frightening challenge that made headlines for another reason.
Kevin Clements, the twins’ father and a swim coach, began feeling unwell. What he thought was a simple cold turned out to be something much more serious—T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma. At just 39 years old, he needed a bone marrow transplant to survive.
Once again, Leah and Ava turned to their massive online community—not for modeling this time, but to help save their dad’s life. They asked followers to get tested to see if they could be a match. The response was overwhelming.
While a perfect match was found in Kevin’s brother, Chris, thousands of followers who volunteered were added to the national donor registry, giving hope to others in similar need.
Today, Ava and Leah are much more than two pretty faces on social media. They’ve grown into confident, passionate young women who continue to model, all while keeping up with their studies, enjoying time with family, and using their platform for good. Their journey is a mix of hard work, heart, and resilience.
They’ve come a long way from that first Instagram post—and the world is watching to see what’s next for these incredible teens.
Did you follow their story from the beginning? Let us know in the comments what you think about their journey!
