Edit in JSFiddle

var ContactModel = Backbone.Model.extend({ //extend Backbone.Model
    defaults: {firstName : 'no first name yet',lastName : 'no last name yet'}
});

var contactData = [
    {firstName: 'John',lastName: 'Doe',phone: '1-111-1111'}, 
    {firstName: 'Jane',lastName: 'Doe',phone: '2-222-2222'}
];

//create a collection from model constructor and data
var contacts = new Backbone.Collection(contactData,{model:ContactModel});

console.log(contacts.models); //logs array containing models