Karen Jill Elson (born 14 January 1979) is an English model, singer-songwriter and guitarist.
Elson was born in Oldham, Greater Manchester, and attended North Chadderton School as a child, with her twin sister, filmmaker Kate Elson.
She began working as a model as a teenager and was discovered at age 16 by Debra Burns, the owner of Boss Model Management in Manchester. Elson's success came when Steven Meisel shot her for the cover of Italian Vogue on her 18th birthday. She has worked with most of the world's major fashion photographers and fashion designers, including Arthur Elgort, Bruce Weber, Mario Testino, Peter Lindbergh, Mert and Marcus, Steven Klein, Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Meisel, Ellen Von Unwerth. She has walked the runways of many top designers including Marc Jacobs (which she did while pregnant), Jean-Paul Gaultier, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, YSL, Alexander McQueen, Dior and Gucci. She has appeared in international campaigns for dozens of designers including Yves Saint Laurent, Jean Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Christian Dior, Burberry and Chanel.