From Bethany Mota to Kim Jong-Un: Ten of the world's most powerful millennials

Millenial is a word plagued with connotations. If generation Y aren't derided for being idle, narcissistic and entitled, they are pitied for being the first generation to be poorer than their parents.

But while the majority of millennials struggle to subsist, there are those who buck the trend - the power millennials, if you like. Here is a selection of those millennials who, for better or worse, have exalted themselves as forces to reckoned with.

This 32-year-old could be called the 21st century’s fashion superhero. A mere five years after launching his own label, Wang was made the former creative designer of Balenciaga. Since leaving, he has gone on to team up with H&M, in a collaboration which saw 70 per cent of the stock sold just an hour after it went on sale. While other fashion houses erratically rise and fall, Wang’s own brand has grown exponentially. Rising by 20 per cent every year. To put it simply, the man has built an empire and now seems to be, well, everywhere. Supported by Anna Wintour, Wang’s ascent to success exalts him as one the fashion giants of this century thus far.

Not only is Salman the deputy crown prince of Saudi Arabia, he is also the second deputy prime minister and the youngest minister of defence in the entire world. To top it off, there are rumours that the youthful prince may overtake his cousin and succeed the now 80-year-old King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

This 33-year-old millennial might look ostensibly cute and cuddly but do not be fooled. He is the dictator of one of the most feared totalitarian dictatorships in the world. If Kim isn’t on the brink of war with South Korea or ruthlessly executing family members, he is testing nuclear weapons. But in his down-time, the North Korean leader is known to enjoy gorging on steak, Cristal, and Swiss cheese, while the rest of the country is swept by famine.

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While most students were necking Nescafes and staying up all night to finish their dissertations, David Karp was busy launching Tumblr. As the creator and CEO of the easy-to-use blog, this 29-year-old’s net worth exceeds $200 million while Tumblr itself has been valued at $800 million. In stereotypical technology maverick fashion, Karp dropped out of secondary school to teach himself to code.

Equal parts activist and conceptual artist, this 26-year-old hasn't had a dull moment. The founder of anti-Putin rock group Pussy Riot, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova was sentenced to two years in prison in August of 2012 and convicted of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” following a performance in Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Through their protests, Tolokonnikova and her fellow Pussy Riot cohorts have drawn the world’s attention to the repressive actions of the Russian government. In 2014 she became the co-winner of the Hannah Arendt Prize for Political Thought and more recently she joined Vice as a columnist.

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An entrepreneur extraordinaire, the reality TV star, model and businesswoman has created her own empire. The queen of famous-for-being-famous, Kardashian-West made an estimated $28 million in 2014. Documenting the most intimate details of her life, the 35-year-old has exerted her influence via a relentless stream of “internet-breaking” selfies.

But this business acumen is by no means a new thing. As a child Kardashian-West took out a loan from her father, Robert Kardashian, and bought five pairs of designer Manolo Blahnik shoes which cost $750 a pair and resold them on eBay for a staggering $2,500 each, raking in a nice profit. In her own words, “ambitious is my middle name”.

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This rising star joined the Portuguesa Santista youth club in 1999 and had become one of the most highly regarded young talents in the country within a few years. The 24-year-old Brazilian captain and Barcelona footballer is known for his humorous, and at times offbeat, forays onto Instagram. According to Forbes, his total earnings were $31m last year, a figure which will no doubt increase as his career goes on.

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As one of Bollywood’s highest-paid actresses, this 33-year-old is inarguably one of the most popular and high-profile celebrities in India. Chopra might be less well known in the West but on the subcontinent, she is a national icon. A former Miss World, she presented an award at this year’s Oscars. Having received myriad accolades, she has been granted the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award by the Government of India in 2016. A self-proclaimed feminist, Chopra has been vocal about her political inclinations and is a Unicef national ambassador for India. It should come as no surprise then that she has been named as one of the probable contenders for Time magazine’s latest annual list of the most influential people in the world.

At the age of 21, Mhairi Black is the youngest MP in parliament by a very, very long way. In fact, when elected back in May 2015, she was the youngest MP to be elected to the House of Commons since 1667. A member of the Scottish National Party, Black has frequently been outspoken about sexism and social affairs. In her now infamous first speech in the House of Commons, she staged a powerful attack on the chancellor for slashing housing benefit for young people.

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Bethany Mota

Being a so-called YouTube sensation might not be most people’s idea of a traditionally successful career path but in today’s world, there is no denying the sheer reach the stars of these virtual parallel universes have. Take Bethany Mota, who began making web videos when she was just 13-years-old. Taken out of school and the victim of cyberbullying, the Californian adolescent has garnered a following of 9.8 million on YouTube for her make-up tutorials and do-it-yourself videos. She has even interviewed Barack Obama as part of an initiative to branch out to a wider audience. The multi-millionaire is estimated to make $40,000 a month for her videos.