![Gisele Bundchen2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Gisele_Bundchen2.jpg)
A supermodel, also spelled super-model or super model, is a highly paid
fashion model
A model is a person with a role either to promote, display or advertise commercial products (notably fashion clothing in fashion shows) or to serve as a visual aid for people who are creating works of art or to pose for photography. Thoug ...
who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in ''
haute couture
''Haute couture'' (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design that is constructed by hand from start-to-finish. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, Paris became th ...
'' and commercial modeling. The term ''supermodel'' became prominent in the
popular culture
Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a ...
of the 1990s.
Supermodels usually work for prominent
fashion design
Fashion design is the Art (skill), art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction and natural beauty to clothing and its Fashion accessory, accessories. It is influenced by culture and different trends, and has varied over time and plac ...
ers and
clothing brands
Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural ...
. They may have multimillion-dollar contracts, endorsements, and campaigns. Supermodels have branded themselves as household names and worldwide recognition is associated with their modeling careers.
They have been on the covers of leading fashion magazines.
Claudia Schiffer
Claudia Maria Schiffer (; born 25 August 1970) is a German model and actress based in the United Kingdom. She rose to fame in the 1990s as one of the world's most successful models, attaining supermodel status. In her early career, she was compa ...
stated in 2007 that, "In order to become a supermodel one must be on all the covers all over the world at the same time so that people can recognise the girls."
History
Origins
An early use of the term ''supermodel'' appeared in 1891, in an interview with artist
Henry Stacy Marks
Henry Stacy Marks (13 September 1829 – 9 January 1898) was a British artist who took a particular interest in Shakespearean and medieval themes in his early career and later in decorative art depicting birds and ornithologists as well as lan ...
for ''
The Strand Magazine
''The Strand Magazine'' was a monthly British magazine founded by George Newnes, composed of short fiction and general interest articles. It was published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950, running to 711 issues, though the ...
'', in which Marks told journalist Harry How, "A good many models are addicted to drink, and, after sitting a while, will suddenly go to sleep. Then I have had what I call the 'super' model. You know the sort of man; he goes in for theatrical effect ..." On 6 October 1942, a writer named Judith Cass had used the term ''super model'' for her article in the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'', which headlined "Super Models Are Signed for Fashion Show". Later in 1943, an agent named Clyde Matthew Dessner used the term in a "how-to" book about modeling, entitled ''So You Want to Be a Model!'', in which Dessner wrote, "She will be a super-model, but the girl in her will be like the girl in you—quite ordinary, but ambitious and eager for personal development."
According to ''Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women'' by
Michael Gross, the term ''supermodel'' was first used by Dessner in the 1940s. In 1947,
anthropologist
An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...
Harold Sterling Gladwin wrote "supermodel" in his book ''Men Out of Asia''. In 1949, ''
Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan may refer to:
Food and drink
* Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo"
History
* Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953
Hotels and resorts
* Cosmopoli ...
'' magazine referred to
Anita Colby
Anita Colby (born Anita Counihan; August 5, 1914– March 27, 1992) was an American model, actress, and business consultant.
Biography
Colby was born Anita Counihan, the daughter of Margaret Anne McCarthy and the cartoonist Daniel Francis " ...
, the highest paid model at the time, as a "super model": "She's been super model, super movie saleswoman, and top brass at
Selznick and
Paramount
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
." On 18 October 1959, Vancouver's ''Chinatown News'' described Susan Chew as a "super model".
![Lisa Fonssagrives at Paddington Station, London, 1951](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Lisa_Fonssagrives_at_Paddington_Station%2C_London%2C_1951.jpg)
The term ''supermodel'' had also been used several times in the media in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1965, the encyclopedic guide ''American Jurisprudence Trials'' used the term "super model" ("...at issue was patient's belief that her husband was having an affair with a super model"). On 21 March 1967, ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' referred to
Twiggy
Dame Lesley Lawson (''née'' Hornby; born 19 September 1949) is an English model, actress, and singer, widely known by the nickname Twiggy. She was a British cultural icon and a prominent teenaged model during the swinging '60s in London.
...
as a supermodel;
the February 1968 article of ''
Glamour
Glamour may refer to:
Arts
Film
* ''Glamour'' (1931 film), a British film
* ''Glamour'' (1934 film), an American film
* ''Glamour'' (2000 film), a Hungarian film
Writing
* ''Glamour'' (magazine), a magazine for women
* ''The Glamour ...
'' listed all 19 "supermodels"; ''
The Chicago Daily Defender'' wrote "New York Designer Turns Super Model" in January 1970; ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' and the ''
Mansfield News Journal
The ''Mansfield News Journal'' is a daily newspaper based in Mansfield, Ohio, that serves Richland, Ashland and Crawford counties, as well as parts of Morrow, Knox and Huron
Huron may refer to:
People
* Wyandot people (or Wendat), indigeno ...
'' used the term in 1971; and in 1974, both the ''Chicago Tribune'' and ''
The Advocate'' used the term "supermodel" in their articles.
[BarryPopik.co]
Supermodel
25 July 2004 American
''Vogue'' used the term "super-model" to describe
Jean Shrimpton
Jean Rosemary Shrimpton (born 7 November 1942) is an English model and actress. She was an icon of Swinging London and is considered to be one of the world's first supermodels.
She appeared on numerous magazine covers including ''Vogue,'' ''Har ...
in the 15 October 1965 edition, and "supermodel" on the cover page to describe
Margaux Hemingway
Margaux Louise Hemingway (born Margot Louise Hemingway; February 16, 1954 – July 1, 1996) was an American fashion model and actress. She gained success as a supermodel in the mid-1970s, appearing on the covers of magazines including ''Cosmopo ...
in the 1 September 1975 edition. Hemingway was again described as a "supermodel" in the 25 July 1977 edition of ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
''.
''
Jet'' also described
Beverly Johnson
Beverly Ann Johnson (born October 13, 1952) is an American model, actress, singer, and businesswoman. Johnson rose to fame when she became the first African-American model to appear on the cover of American ''Vogue'' in August 1974. In 1975, Jo ...
as a "supermodel" in the 22 December 1977 edition.
Model
Janice Dickinson
Janice Doreen Dickinson (born February 16, 1955)As per Dickinson in NNDB aJanice Dickinson profilegives February 15, 1955, noting, "Although Dickinson has maintained in several interviews and her autobiography ''No Lifeguard on Duty'' that she ...
has incorrectly stated that she coined the term ''supermodel'' in 1979, as a compound of
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
and model.
[Dickinson, Janice]
Instinct Magazine: Janice Dickinson
Archived fro
1 June 2006. InstinctMagazine.com. Retrieved 9 June 2009. During an interview with ''
Entertainment Tonight
''Entertainment Tonight'' (or simply ''ET'') is an American Broadcast syndication, first-run syndicated news broadcasting news magazine, newsmagazine program that is distributed by CBS Media Ventures throughout the United States and owned by Para ...
'', Dickinson stated that her agent, Monique Pilar of
Elite Model Management
Elite Model Management (MM) refers to two independent chain modeling agencies that originated as one in Paris, France in 1972 with subsequent locations in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London and Toronto. In 2004, the agencies in New York, Miami, ...
, asked her, "Janice, who do you think you are, Superman?" She replied, "No ... I'm a supermodel, honey, and you will refer to me as a supermodel and you will start a supermodel division." Dickinson also claims to have been the first supermodel.
Lisa Fonssagrives Lisa or LISA may refer to:
People
People with the mononym
* Lisa Lisa (born 1967), American actress and lead singer of the Cult Jam
* Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA", Japanese singer and producer
* Lisa Komine (born 1978), J ...
is widely considered to have been the world's first supermodel, with a career that began in the 1930s.
She was in most of the major fashion magazines and general interest magazines from the 1930s to the 1950s, including ''
Town & Country'', ''
Life
Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...
'', ''Vogue'', the original ''
Vanity Fair'', ''
Harper's Bazaar
''Harper's Bazaar'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. It was first published in New York City on November 2, 1867, as the weekly ''Harper's Bazar''. ''Harper's Bazaar'' is published by Hearst and considers itself to be the st ...
'', and ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
''.
Evelyn Nesbit
Evelyn Nesbit (born Florence Evelyn Nesbit; December 25, 1884 or 1885 – January 17, 1967) was an American artists' model, chorus girl, and actress. She is best known for her years as a young woman in New York City, particularly her invo ...
(with a career launched around 1900) and
Dorian Leigh
Dorian Elizabeth Leigh Parker (April 23, 1917 – July 7, 2008), known professionally as Dorian Leigh, was an American model and one of the earliest modeling icons of the fashion industry. She is considered one of the first supermodels, and was w ...
(her career launched in 1944) have also been called the world's first supermodel, as well as
Jean Shrimpton
Jean Rosemary Shrimpton (born 7 November 1942) is an English model and actress. She was an icon of Swinging London and is considered to be one of the world's first supermodels.
She appeared on numerous magazine covers including ''Vogue,'' ''Har ...
(early 1960s), and
Gia Carangi
Gia Marie Carangi (January 29, 1960November 18, 1986) was an American model, considered by many to be the first supermodel. She was featured on the cover of many magazines, including multiple editions of ''Vogue'' and ''Cosmopolitan'', and appea ...
(late 1970s).
Dutch-born model,
Wilhelmina Cooper
Wilhelmina Gertrud Frieda Cooper (née Behmenburg; 1 May 1939 – 1 March 1980) was a Dutch-American model who began with Ford Models, and at the peak of her success, founded her own agency, Wilhelmina Models, in New York City in 1967. Retriev ...
, holds the record for most covers on American ''
Vogue
Vogue may refer to:
Business
* ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine
** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine
** ''Vogue China'', ...
'', appearing 27 or 28 times throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Cooper would go on to found
Wilhelmina Models
Wilhelmina International Inc. (NASDAQ: WHLM), formerly Wilhelmina Models, is a full service modeling and talent agency headquartered in New York City, United States. The company also has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami. Founded in 196 ...
modeling and talent agency in 1967.
1960s–1970s
In February 1968, an article in ''
Glamour
Glamour may refer to:
Arts
Film
* ''Glamour'' (1931 film), a British film
* ''Glamour'' (1934 film), an American film
* ''Glamour'' (2000 film), a Hungarian film
Writing
* ''Glamour'' (magazine), a magazine for women
* ''The Glamour ...
'' described 19 models as "supermodels":
Cheryl Tiegs
Cheryl Rae Tiegs (born September 25, 1947) is an American model and fashion designer. Frequently described as the first American supermodel, Tiegs is best known for her multiple appearances on the covers of the ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit I ...
,
Veruschka
Vera Lehndorff (German: Vera Anna Gottliebe Gräfin von Lehndorff; born 14 May 1939), known professionally as Veruschka, is a German aristocrat, model, actress and artist. She is considered the "first German supermodel.“
Early life
von Lehn ...
, Lisa Palmer,
Peggy Moffitt
Margaret Anne "Peggy" Moffitt (born May 14, 1940) is a former American Fashion model, model and actress. During the 1960s, she worked very closely with fashion designer Rudi Gernreich, and developed a signature style that featured heavy makeup an ...
, Sue Murray,
Twiggy
Dame Lesley Lawson (''née'' Hornby; born 19 September 1949) is an English model, actress, and singer, widely known by the nickname Twiggy. She was a British cultural icon and a prominent teenaged model during the swinging '60s in London.
...
,
Sunny Harnett
Annemarie Margot Elfreda "Sunny" Harnett (1924 – May 1987) was an American model, actress, and casting director. She can be found in fashion magazines throughout the 1950s — including frequently on the cover of ''Vogue'' — and was oft ...
,
Marisa Berenson
Vittoria Marisa Schiaparelli Berenson (born February 15, 1947) is an American actress and model. She appeared on the front covers of ''Vogue'' and ''Time'', and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as N ...
, Gretchen Harris, Heide Wiedeck, Irish Bianchi,
Hiroko Matsumoto
was a Japanese model, first Japanese model who worked in Paris, from 1960, to the late 1960s, considered to be a first Japanese supermodel.
Biography
Pierre Cardin met and fell in love with Matsumoto in 1960 during a trip to Japan. She would ev ...
, Anne de Zogheb, Kathy Carpenter,
Jean Shrimpton
Jean Rosemary Shrimpton (born 7 November 1942) is an English model and actress. She was an icon of Swinging London and is considered to be one of the world's first supermodels.
She appeared on numerous magazine covers including ''Vogue,'' ''Har ...
,
Jean Patchett
Jean Ward Patchett Auer (February 16, 1926 – January 22, 2002) was a leading American fashion model of the late 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s. She was among the best known models of that era, which included Dovima, Dorian Leigh, Suzy Parker, Ev ...
,
Benedetta Barzini
Benedetta Barzini (born 22 September 1943 in Porto Santo Stefano)[BENEDETTA BARZINI](_blank)
VOGUE ...
, Claudia Duxbury and
Agneta Frieberg
Agneta Marianne Bengtsdotter Frieberg (2 June 1945 – 10 May 1971) was a Swedish fashion model and activist. She was known for her extensive editorial and commercial appearances throughout the 1960s, resulting in a decade-long career under the ...
.
In the 1970s, some models became more prominent as their names became more recognizable to the general public. ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' editor
Jule Campbell
Jule Campbell ( – November 19, 2022) was an American magazine editor. She was the founding editor of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She joined ''Sports Illustrated'' in the 1960s after beginning her career at ''Glamour (magazine), Glamour ...
abandoned then-current modeling trends for its fledgling ''
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
The ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue is published annually by American magazine ''Sports Illustrated'' and features female fashion models, celebrities and athletes wearing swimwear in various locales around the world. The highly coveted cov ...
'' by photographing "bigger and healthier" California models,
and captioning the photographs with their names, turning many of them into household names and establishing the swimsuit issue as a cornerstone of supermodel status.
[
In 1973, ]Lauren Hutton
Lauren Hutton (born Mary Laurence Hutton; November 17, 1943) is an American model and actress. Born and raised in the southern United States, Hutton relocated to New York City in her early adulthood to begin a modeling career. Though she was ini ...
became the first model to receive a huge contract from a cosmetics company, when Revlon
Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it still remains. Revlon was founded by brothe ...
hired her to sell their Ultima line. She has also appeared on the cover of ''Vogue
Vogue may refer to:
Business
* ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine
** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine
** ''Vogue China'', ...
'' 26 times. Iman
Iman, Imann, Imaan, Eman, Emaan, or Imman may refer to:
Places
* Iman, Iran, a village in Kalashi District, Kermanshah Province
* The Iman River, the former name of the Bolshaya Ussurka River, a tributary of the Ussuri River in Russia's Primors ...
is considered to have been the first supermodel of color in North America.
In 1975, Margaux Hemingway landed a then-unprecedented million-dollar contract as the face of Fabergé's Babe perfume and the same year, appeared on the cover of ''Time'' magazine, labelled as one of the "New Beauties", giving further name recognition to fashion models.
Anna Bayle
Anna Bayle ( Tagalog: Open_back_unrounded_vowel">ɑ Open_back_unrounded_vowel">ɑDenti-alveolar_nasal">n Open_back_unrounded_vowel">ɑDenti-alveolar_nasal">nOpen_back_unrounded_vowel">ɑ_ Open_back_unrounded_vowel">ɑDenti-alveolar_nasal">nOpen_ ...
, a Filipino-born model was known for her "Anna Bayle Walk".
Donyale Luna
Peggy Ann Freeman (August 31, 1945 – May 17, 1979), known professionally as Donyale Luna, was an American supermodel and actress who gained popularity in Western Europe during the late 1960s. Generally cited as "the first Black supermodel" ...
was the first black model to appear in British ''Vogue'', in March 1966. Naomi Sims
Naomi Ruth Sims (March 30, 1948 – August 1, 2009) was an American model, businesswoman, and author, She was the first African-American model to appear on the cover of ''Ladies' Home Journal'', which occurred in November 1968, and is widely cr ...
, who is sometimes regarded as the first black supermodel, became the first African American to feature on the cover of ''Ladies' Home Journal
''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States. In 18 ...
'', in 1968. The first African American model to be on the cover of American ''Vogue'' was Beverly Johnson in 1974. Pat Cleveland
Patricia Cleveland (born June 23, 1950)[The History Makers](_blank)
August 14, 2014. Retrieved March ...
, another prominent African-American model, has also been described as one of the first black supermodels, in particular by former editor-at-large for American ''Vogue'' André Leon Talley
André Leon Talley (October 16, 1948 – January 18, 2022) was an American fashion journalist, stylist, creative director, and editor-at-large of ''Vogue'' magazine. He was the magazine's fashion news director from 1983 to 1987, its first Africa ...
, in an article for the June 1980 issue of ''Ebony
Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus ''Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when pol ...
'' magazine, and again in his 2003 memoir.
1980s
In October 1981, ''Life
Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...
'' cited Shelley Hack
Shelley Marie Hack (born July 6, 1947) is an American actress, model and producer. She is best known as the face of Revlon's Charlie perfume from the mid-1970s until the early 1980s, and for her role as Tiffany Welles in the fourth season of '' ...
, Lauren Hutton, and Iman
Iman, Imann, Imaan, Eman, Emaan, or Imman may refer to:
Places
* Iman, Iran, a village in Kalashi District, Kermanshah Province
* The Iman River, the former name of the Bolshaya Ussurka River, a tributary of the Ussuri River in Russia's Primors ...
for Revlon
Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it still remains. Revlon was founded by brothe ...
, Margaux Hemingway for Fabergé, Karen Graham
Early life
Karen Graham was born in Gulfport, Mississippi in 1945.
Career
After college, Graham moved to New York City to pursue a career as a French-language high school teacher.
In 1969, Graham met model agency owner Eileen Ford via a chan ...
for Estee Lauder, Cristina Ferrare
Cynthia Cristina Ferrare (born 1950) is an American former fashion model, actress, author and talk-show host. She had lead roles in several films in the late-1960s and early-1970s, including the comedy '' The Impossible Years'' and the Western f ...
for Max Factor
Max Factor is a line of cosmetics from Coty, Inc. It was founded in 1909 as Max Factor & Company by Max Factor, Sr., Maksymilian Faktorowicz.
Max Factor specialized in movie make-up. Until its 1973 sale for US$500 million (approximately $ billio ...
, and Cheryl Tiegs for CoverGirl
CoverGirl is an American cosmetics brand founded in Maryland, United States, by the Noxzema Chemical Company. It was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 1989 and later acquired by Coty, Inc. in 2016. The Noxell Company advertised this cosmetics li ...
by proclaiming them the "million dollar faces" of the beauty industry. These models, who negotiated previously unheard of lucrative and exclusive deals with the giant cosmetics companies, were instantly recognizable, and their names became well known to the general public.
In the early 1980s, Inès de La Fressange
Ines or INES may refer to:
People
* Ines (name), a feminine given name, also written as Inés or Inês
* Saint Ines or Agnes (), Roman virgin–martyr
* Eda-Ines Etti (stage name: ''Ines''; born 1981), Estonian singer
Places
* Doña Ines, a volca ...
was the first model to sign an exclusive modeling contract with an haute couture
''Haute couture'' (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design that is constructed by hand from start-to-finish. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, Paris became th ...
fashion house, Chanel
Chanel ( , ) is a French high-end luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. Chanel specializes in women's ready-to-wear, luxury goods, and accessories and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear. Chanel is ...
. During the early 1980s, fashion designers began advertising on television and billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
s. Catwalk
A fashion show ( French ''défilé de mode'') is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during a fashion week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the Spring/Summer and Fa ...
regulars like Gia Carangi
Gia Marie Carangi (January 29, 1960November 18, 1986) was an American model, considered by many to be the first supermodel. She was featured on the cover of many magazines, including multiple editions of ''Vogue'' and ''Cosmopolitan'', and appea ...
, Tiegs, Christie Brinkley, Kim Alexis
Kim Marie Alexis (born July 15, 1960) is an American supermodel and actress who was famous in the 1970s and 80s. She appeared on the cover of magazines like ''Sports Illustrated'', Vogue (magazine), ''Vogue'', ''Harper's Bazaar'', ''Glamour (mag ...
, Paulina Porizkova
Paulina Porizkova (born Pavlína Pořízková, ; 9 April 1965) is a Swedish model. Born in Czechoslovakia and raised in Sweden, Porizkova became the first Central European woman to appear on the cover of the ''Sports Illustrated'' swimsuit issu ...
, Yasmin Le Bon
Yasmin Le Bon (née Parvaneh; born 29 October 1964) is an English model. She was one of the highest-earning models during the 1980s and is also known for being the wife of pop star Simon Le Bon.
Early life
Yasmin Parvaneh was born in Oxford, E ...
, Kathy Ireland
Kathleen Marie Ireland (born March 20, 1963) is an American author, entrepreneur, fashion designer, philanthropist, and former fashion model. Ireland was a supermodel in the 1980s and 1990s, initially known for appearing in 13 consecutive ''Spo ...
, Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and model. She was initially a child model and gained critical acclaim at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby'' (1978). She continued to model into ...
, Carol Alt
Carol Ann Alt (born December 1, 1960) is an American model and actress.
Early life
Alt was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, the daughter of Muriel, an airline employee and model, and Anthony Alt, a fire chief in the Bronx. She was noticed w ...
, and Elle Macpherson
Eleanor Nancy Macpherson (; née Gow; born ) is an Australian model, businesswoman, television host, and actress.
She is known for her record five cover appearances for the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' beginning in the 1980s, leading ...
began to endorse products with their names, as well as their faces, through the marketing of brands, such as Diet Pepsi
Diet Pepsi is a diet carbonated cola soft drink produced by PepsiCo, introduced in 1964 as a variant of Pepsi with no sugar. First test marketed in 1963 under the name Patio Diet Cola, it was re-branded as ''Diet Pepsi'' the following year, becom ...
and Ford trucks
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobile ...
. In 1980, 14-year-old Shields was the youngest fashion model ever to appear on the cover of ''Vogue''. Later that same year, Shields appeared in controversial print and TV ads for Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and ...
jeans. The TV ad included her saying the famous tagline, "You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing." Brooke Shields' ads would help catapult Klein's career to super-designer status.
As the models began to embrace old-style glamour
Glamour may refer to:
Arts
Film
* ''Glamour'' (1931 film), a British film
* ''Glamour'' (1934 film), an American film
* ''Glamour'' (2000 film), a Hungarian film
Writing
* ''Glamour'' (magazine), a magazine for women
* ''The Glamour ...
, they were starting to replace film stars as symbols of luxury and wealth. In this regard, supermodels were viewed not so much as individuals but as images.[1980s: Fashion: Supermodels](_blank)
bookrags.com. Retrieved 23 July 2007.
1990s
By the 1990s, the supermodel became increasingly prominent in the media.["We Three Queens" by Alex Williams, '']New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
'
online
retrieved 7 July 2006 The title became tantamount to superstar
A superstar is someone who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent, or successful in their field. Celebrities referred to as "superstars" may include individuals who work as actors, musicians, athletes, and other media-based profe ...
, to signify a supermodel's fame having risen simply from "personality". Supermodels did talk shows, were cited in gossip columns, partied at the trendiest nightspots, landed movie roles, inspired franchises, dated or married film stars, and earned themselves millions. Fame empowered them to take charge of their careers, to market themselves, and to command higher fees.
The new era began in 1990, with the era-defining British ''Vogue
Vogue may refer to:
Business
* ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine
** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine
** ''Vogue China'', ...
'' cover of Cindy Crawford
Cynthia Ann Crawford (born February 20, 1966) is an American model, actress and television personality. During the 1980s and 1990s, she was among the most popular supermodels and a ubiquitous presence on magazine covers, runways, as well as fash ...
, Christy Turlington
Christy Nicole Turlington Burns (born January 2, 1969) is an American model and humanitarian. She represented Calvin Klein (fashion house), Calvin Klein's Eternity campaign in 1989 and again in 2014, and also represents Maybelline. Turlington w ...
, Linda Evangelista
Linda Evangelista (; born May 10, 1965) is a Canadian fashion model. She is regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential models of all time, and has been featured on over 700 magazine covers. Evangelista is primarily known for being ...
, Naomi Campbell
Naomi Elaine Campbell (born 22 May 1970) is an English model, actress, singer, and businesswoman. She began her career at the age of 15, and established herself amongst the most recognisable and in-demand models of the past four decades. Cam ...
, and Tatjana Patitz
Tatjana Patitz (born 25 March 1966) is a German model and actress who achieved international prominence in the 1980s and 1990s representing fashion designers on runways and in magazines such as ''Elle'', ''Harper's Bazaar'', and ''Vogue''. Patitz ...
, photographed by Peter Lindbergh
Peter Lindbergh (born Peter Brodbeck; 23 November 1944 – 3 September 2019) was a German fashion photographer and film director.
He had studied arts in Berlin and Krefeld, and exhibited his works before graduation. In 1971, he turned to photo ...
, which created such an impression on the fashion world that they came to embody the term "supermodel". Each model had gradually attained fame since the mid-1980s and was now among the industry's top stars. Selected by Lindbergh for the January cover of ''Vogue'', the cover inspired singer George Michael
George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the MTV generation and is one of the best-selling musici ...
to cast the same five models in the music video for his song, "Freedom! '90
"Freedom! '90" (also known simply as "Freedom!") is a song written, produced, and performed by George Michael, and released on Columbia Records in 1990. The "'90" added to the end of the title is to prevent confusion with a hit by Michael's for ...
", directed by David Fincher
David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American film director. His films, mostly psychological thrillers and biographical dramas, have received 40 nominations at the Academy Awards, including three for him as Best Director. Fin ...
. The other photograph that captured this new generation of fashion models is the black and white nude of Crawford, Patitz, Campbell and Stephanie Seymour
Stephanie Michelle Seymour (born July 23, 1968) is an American model and actress. During the 1980s and 1990s, she was one of the most popular supermodels, being featured in the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' and the cover of ''Vogue'', ...
taken by Herb Ritts
Herbert Ritts Jr. (August 13, 1952December 26, 2002) was an American fashion photographer and director known for his photographs of celebrities, models, and other cultural figures throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His work concentrated on black a ...
that originally ran in the May 1989 issue of ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'', until a variation of this image which included Turlington was released in the 1990s, only after a contract exclusively binding her to Calvin Klein expired - thereby publicly revealing the now iconic image "Stephanie, Cindy, Christy, Tatjana, Naomi, Hollywood 1989." Lindbergh's and Ritts' group images helped each model attain worldwide fame by sharing covers of all the international editions of ''Vogue'', walking the catwalks for the world's top designers, and becoming known by their first names alone.
Today, Campbell, Crawford, Evangelista, Patitz and Turlington are regarded as the "Original Supermodels".
In 1991, Turlington signed a contract with Maybelline
Maybelline New York (formerly The Maybelline Company and Mabelline and Co.), trading as Maybelline ( ), is an American multinational cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care company, based in New York City. It was founded in Chicago ...
that paid her $800,000 for twelve days' work each year. Four years later, Claudia Schiffer reportedly earned $12 million for her various modeling assignments. Authorities, ranging from Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Otto Lagerfeld (; 10 September 1933 – 19 February 2019) was a German fashion designer, creative director, artist and photographer.
He was known as the creative director of the French fashion house Chanel, a position held from 1983 ...
to ''Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'', had declared the supermodels more glamorous than movie stars.
Campbell, Evangelista and Turlington became known as ''The Trinity'', a term first used by photographer Steven Meisel
Steven Meisel (born June 5, 1954) is an American fashion photographer, who obtained popularity and critical acclaim with his work in ''Vogue'' and ''Vogue Italia'' as well as his photographs of friend Madonna in her 1992 book, ''Sex''. He is n ...
and noted by journalist Michael Gross. Evangelista was known as the "Chameleon", for her ability to transform her look and reinvent herself. Turlington was known as the "insurance model", saying "clients know that if they hire me, nothing will go wrong". Campbell was the first black model to appear on the front covers of ''Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'', French ''Vogue'', British ''Vogue'', and the September issue of American ''Vogue'', traditionally the biggest and most important issue of the year.
Campbell, Crawford, Evangelista, Patitz and Turlington were the original group to be regarded as "The Big Five" supermodels of the 1990s. The term "The Big Five" was later used to describe Campbell, Crawford, Evangelista, Turlington and Claudia Schiffer, and with the addition of Kate Moss
Katherine Ann Moss (born 16 January 1974) is a British model. Arriving at the end of the "supermodel era", Moss rose to fame in the early 1990s as part of the heroin chic fashion trend. Her collaborations with Calvin Klein brought her to fas ...
, they became known as "the Big Six". It was Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and Kate Moss who appeared together in the highest budgeted advertising campaign of all time, starring the original supermodels ($4.5 million USD in 1992, adjusted for inflation in 2021, $8.5 million USD)) and resulted in a now iconic television commercial for the Vauxhall Corsa automobile.
In the 2006 book ''In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine'' ( Rizzoli), the editors cite the "original supermodels" and Schiffer when quoting ''Vogue'' Magazine Editor-In-Chief, Anna Wintour
Dame Anna Wintour (; born 3 November 1949) is a British journalist based in New York City who has served as editor-in-Chief of ''Vogue'' since 1988 and Global Chief Content Officer for Condé Nast since 2020; she is also the artistic directo ...
, who said, "Those girls were so fabulous for fashion and totally reflected that time ... hey
Hey or Hey! may refer to:
Music
* Hey (band), a Polish rock band
Albums
* ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014
* ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980
* ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
were like movie stars." The editors name famous models from previous decades, but explain that, "None of them attained the fame and worldwide renown bestowed on Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz, Stephanie Seymour, Claudia Schiffer, Yasmeen Ghauri
Yasmeen Ghauri ( ur, {{Nastaliq, ; born March 23, 1971) is a Canadian former model.
Early life and career
Ghauri was born in Montreal to a German mother and a Pakistani father. Ghauri had a difficult childhood due to being bullied at school by ...
, and Karen Mulder
Karen Mulder (born 1 June 1970) is a Dutch model and singer. She is well known for her work with Versace, Dior, and Chanel as a supermodel during the 1990s. Mulder repeatedly was featured on the cover of ''Vogue'' and was also a Victoria's Secr ...
, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These models burst out beyond the pages of the magazines. Many became the faces of cosmetics brands and perfumes, had their own television programs and physical-fitness videos, and their own lines of lingerie ... Their lives, activities, influences, and images were the subjects of all types of sociological and historical analysis." Tyra Banks
Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973), also known as BanX, is an American television personality, model, producer, writer, and actress. Born in Inglewood, California, she began her career as a model at the age of 15, and was the first Africa ...
had begun her career as a model, booking a record-breaking 25 shows in 1991, during her breakout year. She achieved Supermodel status, and rivaled Naomi Campbell as the top Black model in the world.
In the mid-1990s, the initial era of the supermodel ended and a new era for the supermodel began driven by heroin chic
Heroin chic is a style popularized in early-1990s fashion and characterized by pale skin, dark circles underneath the eyes, emaciated features, androgyny and stringy hair—all traits associated with abuse of heroin or other drugs. American sup ...
. By the late 1990s, actresses, pop singers, and other entertainment celebrities began gradually replacing models on fashion magazine covers and ad campaigns.[''Death of the Supermodels'' by C. L. Johnson, ''Urban Models'' 21 October 200]
online
Retrieved 13 July 2006 The pendulum of limelight left many models in anonymity. A popular "conspiracy theory" explaining the supermodel's disappearance is that designers and fashion editors grew weary of the "I won't get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day" attitude and made sure no small group of models would ever again have the power of the Big Six.
''Time''. Retrieved 23 July 2007.
Charles Gandee, associate editor at ''Vogue'', has said that high prices and poor attitudes contributed less to the decline of the supermodel. As clothes became less flashy, designers turned to models who were less glamorous, so they wouldn't overpower the clothing. Whereas many supermodels of the previous era were American-born, their accents making for an easier transition to stardom, the majority of models began coming from non-English speaking countries and cultures, making the crossover to mainstream spokesperson and cover star difficult.[Industry Report: Elite Plus](_blank)
models.com. Retrieved 25 July 2007. However, the term continued to be applied to notable models such as Kristen McMenamy
Kristen McMenamy (born December 13, 1964) is an American supermodel known for her unconventional, androgynous appearance. Originally a long-haired redhead, she reinvented her look in the early 1990s by having her hair cut short and dyed black, an ...
, , Eva Herzigová
Eva Herzigová (born 10 March 1973) is a Czech-Italian supermodel and actress.
Early life and career
Herzigová was born in Litvínov, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), the daughter of an accountant mother and an electrician father. Growing ...
, , Tatiana Sorokko
Tatiana Sorokko (russian: Татьяна Николаевна Сорокко, pronunciation ; born 26 December 1971; née Ilyushkina) is a Russian-born American model, fashion journalist, and haute couture collector. She walked the runways for ...
, Yasmin Le Bon, Amber Valletta
Amber Evangeline Valletta (born February 9, 1974) is an American model and actress. She began her career as a fashion model, landing her first of sixteen American ''Vogue'' covers at the age of eighteen. During the 1990s, Valletta reached the st ...
, Shalom Harlow
Shalom Harlow (born December 5, 1973) is a Canadian model and actress. She began working as a fashion model in the early 1990s, achieving supermodel status by the end of the decade. In 2007, she was listed by ''Forbes'' as thirteenth in the list ...
, Nadja Auermann
Nadja Auermann (born 19 March 1971) is a German supermodel and actress. Fashion designer Valentino once commented on her physical resemblance to Marlene Dietrich. A New York Times fashion columnist, Guy Trebay, wrote of her "ice maiden visage a ...
, Helena Christensen
Helena Christensen (born 25 December 1968) is a Danish model and photographer. She is a former Victoria's Secret Angel, clothing designer and beauty queen. Christensen was also the co-founder and original creative director for ''Nylon'' magazine, ...
, Patricia Velásquez
Patricia Carola Velásquez Semprún (born 31 January 1971) is a Venezuelan actress and model. As an actress, she is known for her portrayal of Anck-su-namun in the 1999 film ''The Mummy'' and its 2001 sequel ''The Mummy Returns''.
Early life
Ve ...
, Adriana Karembeu
Adriana Sklenaříková (formerly Karembeu; born 17 September 1971) is a Slovak fashion model and actress. She is a former Guinness record holder for the longest legs among female models (at almost 1.24 m).
Early life
Sklenaříková was born ...
, Valeria Mazza
Valeria Raquel Mazza (, ; born 17 February 1972) is an Argentine supermodel and businesswoman of Italian ancestry. Mazza rose to prominence in the 1990s and became a household name after appearing on the cover of the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit ...
and later, Milla Jovovich
Milica Bogdanovna Jovovich; sr-Latn, Milica Bogdanovna Jovović; russian: Милица Богдановна Йовович; uk, Милиця Богданoвна Йовович ( ; born December 17, 1975), known professionally as Milla Jovo ...
.
2000s and present day
Emerging in the late 1990s, Gisele Bündchen
Gisele Caroline Bündchen (, , born 20 July 1980) is a Brazilian fashion model. Since 2001, she has been one of the highest-paid models in the world. In 2007, Bündchen was the 16th-richest woman in the entertainment industry and earned th ...
became the first in a wave of Brazilian models to gain popularity in the industry and with the public. With numerous covers of ''Vogue'' under her belt, including an issue that dubbed her the "Return of the ''Sexy'' Model", Bündchen was credited with ending the "heroin chic
Heroin chic is a style popularized in early-1990s fashion and characterized by pale skin, dark circles underneath the eyes, emaciated features, androgyny and stringy hair—all traits associated with abuse of heroin or other drugs. American sup ...
" era of models. Following in her footsteps by signing contracts with Victoria's Secret
Victoria's Secret is an American lingerie, clothing, and beauty retailer known for high visibility marketing and branding, starting with a popular catalog and followed by an annual fashion show with supermodels dubbed Angels. As the largest ret ...
, fellow Brazilians Adriana Lima
Adriana Lima (; born 12 June 1981) is a Brazilian model, who was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 1999 to 2018. She was the longest-running model and named "the most valuable Victoria's Secret Angel" in 2017. She is also known as a spokesmodel fo ...
and Alessandra Ambrosio
Alessandra Corine Ambrósio (; born 11 April 1981) is a Brazilian-American model. She is known for her work with Victoria's Secret and was chosen as the first spokesmodel for the company's PINK line. Ambrosio was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 20 ...
rose to prominence; however, they were unable to cross over into the world of TV, movies and talk shows as easily as their predecessors, due to their foreign accents. Not to mention other big stars of 00s era such as Carmen Kass
Carmen Kass (born 14 September 1978) is an Estonian model and former political candidate. She has worked as the face of brands such as Chanel, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Valentino, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, Givenchy, a ...
, Karolina Kurkova
Karolina may refer to:
People
*Karolina (name)
*Karolina (singer), singer/songwriter from Eilat, Israel Places
*Karolina, Łódź Voivodeship (central Poland)
*Karolina, Grodzisk Mazowiecki County in Masovian Voivodeship (east-central Poland)
*Kar ...
, Hana Soukupova
Hana or HANA may refer to:
Places Europe
* Haná, an ethnic region in Moravia, Czech Republic
* Traianoupoli, Greece, called Hana during the Ottoman period
* Hana, Norway, a borough in the city of Sandnes, Norway
West Asia
* Hana, Iran, a city ...
, Isabeli Fontana
Isabeli Bergossi Fontana (born 4 July 1983) is a Brazilian model known for her work with brands like Victoria's Secret.
Early life
Fontana was born in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, to Maribel Bergossi and Antonio Carlos Fontana. She is of Italian ...
and Natasha Poly
Natalia Sergeevna Polevshchikova (russian: Наталья Серге́евна Полевщикова; born 12 July 1985), known professionally as Natasha Poly, is a Russian supermodel. Since 2004, Poly has appeared in prominent high-fashion ad ...
, which also dominated the runways and ad campaigns along with Bündchen et al.[
Several seasons later, they were followed by Eastern Europeans, barely into their teens, pale, and "bordering on anorexic. They were too young to become movie stars or date celebrities; too skeletal to bag Victoria's Secret contracts; and a lack of English didn't bode well for a broad media career".][ The opportunities for superstardom were waning in the modeling world, and models like ]Heidi Klum
Heidi Klum (; born 1 June 1973) is a German-American model, television host, producer, and businesswoman. She appeared on the cover of the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' in 1998 and was the first German model to become a Victoria's Secre ...
and Tyra Banks
Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973), also known as BanX, is an American television personality, model, producer, writer, and actress. Born in Inglewood, California, she began her career as a model at the age of 15, and was the first Africa ...
took to television with reality shows like ''Project Runway
''Project Runway'' is an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo on December 1, 2004. The series focuses on fashion design.
The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted by time, mater ...
'' and ''Germany's Next Topmodel
''Germany's Next Topmodel'' (often abbreviated as ''GNTM'') is a German reality television series, based on a concept introduced by Tyra Banks with ''America's Next Top Model''. The competition is hosted by Heidi Klum who also serves as the le ...
'', and ''America's Next Top Model
''America's Next Top Model'' (abbreviated ''ANTM'' and ''Top Model'') is an American reality television series and interactive competition in which a number of aspiring models compete for the title of "America's Next Top Model" and a chance to b ...
'', respectively, to not only remain relevant but establish themselves as media moguls.[
Contrary to the fashion industry's celebrity trend of the previous decade, lingerie retailer Victoria's Secret continues to groom and launch young talents into supermodel status, awarding their high-profile "]Angels
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
" multi-year, multimillion-dollar contracts.[
American ''Vogue'' dubbed ten models (]Doutzen Kroes
Doutzen Kroes (, ; born 23 January 1985) is a Dutch fashion model. She began her modelling career in 2003, in the Netherlands and was quickly sent by her agency to New York where she was cast by lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret. She was a Vict ...
, Agyness Deyn
Agyness Deyn (; born Laura Michelle Hollins; 16 February 1983) is an English model and actress. She is best known for her successful modelling career in the 2000s, and has been called one of the decade's top models. Since her retirement from mod ...
, Hilary Rhoda
Hilary Hollis Rhoda (born April 6, 1987) is an American model. She is perhaps best known for her work with the brand Estée Lauder and her 2009, 2010 and 2011 appearances in the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue''.
Early life
Rhoda was born ...
, Raquel Zimmermann
Raquel Zimmermann (born May 6, 1983) is a Brazilian model.
Raquel was announced as a Revlon ambassador in January 2018.
Biography
Zimmermann was born in Bom Retiro do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul.
Raquel reports that she practices the Transcendenta ...
, Coco Rocha
Mikhaila "Coco" Rocha (born September 10, 1988) is a Canadian fashion model. She is known as one of the first "digital" supermodels, and is known for her advocacy for younger models. As an author, she collaborated on the 2014 book ''Study of Pos ...
, Lily Donaldson
Lily Monica Donaldson (born 27 January 1988) is an English model.
Career
Donaldson was born in London, and educated at the Camden School for Girls, living in Kentish Town with her parents. She has a younger sister named Aurelia. She was scout ...
, Chanel Iman
Chanel Iman Robinson (formerly Shepard) (born December 1, 1990) is an American model best known for her work as a Victoria's Secret Angel. ''Vogue Paris'' declared her as one of the top 30 models of the 2000s.
Early life
Iman was born in Atla ...
, Sasha Pivovarova
Aleksandra Igorevna Pivovarova (russian: Александра Игоревна Пивоварова; born 21 January 1985), is a Russian supermodel and actress. She is best known as the longest appearing fashion model for Prada, posed for 19 ad ...
, Caroline Trentini
Caroline Aparecida Trentini (born 6 July 1987) is a Brazilian model.
Early life
Trentini was born in Panambi, Brazil. Trentini is the youngest daughter of Lourdes and Jacó Trentini, who died when she was one year old. Her older sisters are ...
and Jessica Stam
Jessica Elizabeth Stam (born 23 April 1986) is a Canadian model. She is considered to be part of the crop of models described as "doll faces". In 2007, ''Forbes'' named her fifteenth in the list of the World's 15 Top-Earning Supermodels, earning ...
) as the new crop of supermodels in their May 2007 cover story, while the likes of Christie Brinkley, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista returned to reclaim prominent contracts from celebrities and younger models.[
]
The rise of social media and so-called "nepotism
Nepotism is an advantage, privilege, or position that is granted to relatives and friends in an occupation or field. These fields may include but are not limited to, business, politics, academia, entertainment, sports, fitness, religion, an ...
babies" has seen a shift in the world of modelling from the late 2010s onwards. This means that many of today's 'supermodels' arguably took a rise to fame and were given the opportunities as they have due to their rich and famous families. Examples of these models are Kendall Jenner
Kendall Nicole Jenner (born November 3, 1995) is an American model, media personality, and socialite. She is a daughter of Kris Jenner and Caitlyn Jenner, and rose to fame in the reality television show ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians.'' Je ...
, Cara Delevigne, Bella Hadid
Isabella Khairiah Hadid (born October 9, 1996) is an American model. In 2016, she was voted "Model of the Year" by industry professionals for Models.com. Over the span of four years, Hadid has made twenty-seven appearances on international '' ...
, Gigi Hadid
Jelena Noura "Gigi" Hadid ( ; born April 23, 1995) is an American model and television personality. In November 2014, she made her debut in the Top 50 Models ranking at Models.com. In 2016, she was named International Model of the Year by the ...
and Kaia Gerber
Kaia Jordan Gerber (born September 3, 2001) is an American model and actress. She is the daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber. After starring in a series of ad campaigns for fashion brands since debuting at Fashi ...
. Despite the controversy surrounding these models and arguments that they only got their fame due to their families, they have proven to be some of the most successful models of today. In 2021, Kendall Jenner was named as the highest-paid supermodel, earning $40 million. The Hadid sisters weren't far behind, with Bella and Gigi earning $19 million and $20 million respectively.
Male supermodels
In addition to the models stated previously, a top-grossing part of the industry that tends to be overlooked is the male side of modeling. Even though women are predominantly known in the modeling industry, men also appear in advertisements for clothing, cologne, sports wear and other such accessories.
Usually, the mass majority (not all) of agencies that sign on fashion/runway male models favor a height range consisting of 5’10”-6’2″. The more strict agencies set a minimum height of 5’11”.
In 1993, Italian model Fabio Lanzoni
Fabio Lanzoni (; born March 15, 1959), known mononymously as Fabio, is an Italian-American actor, fashion model, and spokesman.
Lanzoni is known for his wide-ranging career including appearing as a romance novel cover model throughout the 1990s ...
, was the highest paid male model worldwide, getting paid several million dollars a year, doing advertisements for high-end brands like Versace
Gianni Versace S.r.l. (), usually referred to as Versace ( ), is an Italian luxury fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978 known for flashy prints and bright colors. The company produces Italian-made ready-to-wear and accessories, as w ...
.
Milind Soman
Milind Soman (born 4 November 1965) is an Indian actor, supermodel, film producer, and fitness enthusiast. He was a contestant on '' Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 3''.
Early and personal life
Soman was born on 4 November 1965 in Glasgow, ...
quickly became a supermodel in India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and was one of the most popular supermodels of the world in the 90s, successfully transitioning to films and television later in life.
In 2000s, Bruno Santos
Bruno Santos (born July 17, 1987) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently fighting in the Middleweight division of the World Series of Fighting now known as Professional Fighters League and is currently ranked as #1 contender for the belt. ...
, a Brazilian model, became notorious for being the only male model selected to carry out two campaigns simultaneously for two competing fashion houses: Versace
Gianni Versace S.r.l. (), usually referred to as Versace ( ), is an Italian luxury fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978 known for flashy prints and bright colors. The company produces Italian-made ready-to-wear and accessories, as w ...
and Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani (; born 11 July 1934) is an Italian fashion designer. He first gained notoriety working for Cerruti and then for many others, including Allegri, Bagutta and Hilton. He formed his company, Armani, in 1975, which eventually expande ...
. This earned him the nickname "Gisele Bündchen
Gisele Caroline Bündchen (, , born 20 July 1980) is a Brazilian fashion model. Since 2001, she has been one of the highest-paid models in the world. In 2007, Bündchen was the 16th-richest woman in the entertainment industry and earned th ...
in pants".[polemiCoverraiba.com.br/](_blank)
''SPECIAL EDITION: Revista de Fábio Bernardo revela que namoro trouxe modelo internacional para viver na Paraíba''
Tyson Beckford
Tyson Beckford (born December 19, 1970) is an American model and actor best known as a Ralph Lauren Polo model. He was also the host of both seasons of the Bravo program '' Make Me a Supermodel''. Beckford has been described as one of the most s ...
is known for posing in a number of ads for Ralph Lauren's Polo sport cologne line. Since 1990, he has been the face of Gucci
Gucci (, ; ) is an Italian high-end luxury fashion house based in Florence, Italy. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and branding to Coty, Inc. for fragrance ...
and Tommy Hilfiger
Thomas Jacob Hilfiger ( /hɪlˈfɪgər/; born March 24, 1951) is an American fashion designer and the founder of Tommy Hilfiger Corporation.
After starting his career by co-founding a chain of jeans/fashion stores called People's Place in upst ...
, won Model of the year on VH1 Fashion award, and he has also appeared in Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and ...
's campaign.
Tim Boyce
Timothy Shane Boyce is an American fashion and fitness model regarded as a male supermodel of the 1990s.
Boyce has worked with photographers Peter Lindbergh and Bettina Rheims in advertising campaigns for high fashion designers such as Giorgi ...
was the first openly gay high fashion male supermodel of the 1990s and is credited for increasing the profile of gay celebrities, appearing on the cover of '' Out'' magazine as well as campaigns for Giorgio Armani and Gianfranco Ferre.
Former professional football player David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham (; born 2 May 1975) is an English former professional footballer, the current president and co-owner of Inter Miami CF and co-owner of Salford City. Known for his range of passing, crossing ability and bending fr ...
is noted as the Underwear Model of the Century. He has modeled for worldwide ads for H&M, Adidas
Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...
, Calvin Klein, Burger King
Burger King (BK) is an American-based multinational chain store, chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida–based res ...
, Sainsbury's
J Sainsbury plc, trading as Sainsbury's, is the second largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, with a 14.6% share of UK supermarket sales.
Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury with a shop in Drury Lane, London, the company wa ...
, and Breitling. British model David Gandy
David James Gandy (born 19 February 1980) is an English male fashion model who began his career after winning a televised model-search competition. For several years, Gandy was the lead male model for Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana who featur ...
was described as achieving "icon status" by ABC News
ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
when they featured him on ''Nightline
''Nightline'' (or ''ABC News Nightline'') is ABC News' late-night television news program broadcast on ABC in the United States with a franchised formula to other networks and stations elsewhere in the world. Created by Roone Arledge, the progra ...
'', stating, "As the face of Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana (), also known by initials D&G, is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1985 in Legnano by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The house specializes in ready-to-wear, handbags, accessories, and cosmetic ...
and Lucky Jeans
Lucky Brand Jeans is an American denim company founded in Vernon, California in 1990 by Gene Montesano and Barry Perlman.Vanessa McGradA Lucky Pair ''Catalyst'' Spring/Summer 2008 Lucky also produces other apparel, including activewear, outerwear, ...
, Gandy is arguably one of the most successful male models ever, but he's a bit modest about that "supermodel" title."
Vogue.com
''Vogue'' is an American monthly Fashion journalism, fashion and lifestyle magazine that covers many topics, including haute couture fashion, beauty, culture, living, and Fashion show#Catwalk, runway. Based at One World Trade Center in the FiDi ...
ranked the "Top 10 Male Models of All Time" in September 2014; the list included Tyson Beckford
Tyson Beckford (born December 19, 1970) is an American model and actor best known as a Ralph Lauren Polo model. He was also the host of both seasons of the Bravo program '' Make Me a Supermodel''. Beckford has been described as one of the most s ...
, David Gandy
David James Gandy (born 19 February 1980) is an English male fashion model who began his career after winning a televised model-search competition. For several years, Gandy was the lead male model for Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana who featur ...
, Brad Kroenig
Brad Kroenig (born 23 April 1979), is an American fashion model.
Career
Brad Kroenig was raised in Oakville, Missouri. His father was an environmental engineer and his mother a legal assistant. He studied at Florida International University with ...
, Sean O'Pry
Sean Richard O'Pry (born July 5, 1989) is an American model from Kennesaw, Georgia.
Early life
O'Pry reports having Irish and unspecified Native American heritage. He has an elder brother and a younger sister. He attended North Cobb High Schoo ...
, Jon Kortajarena
Jon Kortajarena Redruello (born 19 May 1985) is a Spanish fashion model and actor. He has landed advertising campaigns for Just Cavalli, Versace, Giorgio Armani, Bally, Etro, Trussardi, Diesel, Mangano, Lagerfeld, Pepe Jeans but notably H&M ...
, Marcus Schenkenberg
Marcus Lodewijk Schenkenberg van Mierop (born 4 August 1968), known professionally as Marcus Schenkenberg, is a Swedish people, Swedish model, actor, singer, writer, and television personality.
Early life
Schenkenberg was born in Stockholm to ...
, Mathias Lauridsen
Mathias Lauridsen (born January 13, 1984) is a Danish model. He broke onto the international fashion scene debuting at Marc by Marc Jacobs in New York and Miu Miu in Paris, for the Spring 2004 collections. His consistent work for major internat ...
, Mark Vanderloo
Mark Vanderloo (born 24 April 1968 in Waddinxveen) is a Dutch model and actor. As a model, he is known for his work with Hugo Boss. As an actor, he is the face of Commander Shepard in the ''Mass Effect'' trilogy. Vanderloo is regarded as a super ...
, Noah Mills
Noah Mills (born April 26, 1983) is a Canadian model and actor. Vogue.com ranked him as one of the 'Top 10 Male Models of All Time' in September 2014. He has solidified his place as a fashion industry icon, thanks in part to his numerous Dolce & G ...
, and Evandro Soldati
Evandro Soldati (born April 17, 1985) is a Brazilian model. According to Forbes, he was the 7th most successful male model in the world in 2008.
Biography
Soldati was born in Ubá, Minas Gerais. He is of Italian descent. Evandro appears in the ...
. In 2013, ''Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'' named O'Pry the highest-paid male model.
Supermodels now
In an index for model updates and rankings American website models.com have described what they call the next generation of supermodels. Their list has included Cara Delevingne
Cara Jocelyn Delevingne ( ; born 12 August 1992) is an English model and actress. She signed with Storm Management after leaving school in 2009. Delevingne won Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2012 and 2014.
Delevingne sta ...
, Kate Upton
Katherine Elizabeth Upton (born June 10, 1992) is an American model. She first appeared in the ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue in 2011, and was the cover model for the 2012, 2013 and 2017 issues. In addition, she was the subject of the 10 ...
, Karlie Kloss
Karlie Elizabeth Kloss (born August 3, 1992) is an American fashion model. ''Vogue Paris'' declared her one of the "top 30 models of the 2000s" when she was 17.
Kloss was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 2013 until 2015; she resigned to study at ...
, Kendall Jenner
Kendall Nicole Jenner (born November 3, 1995) is an American model, media personality, and socialite. She is a daughter of Kris Jenner and Caitlyn Jenner, and rose to fame in the reality television show ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians.'' Je ...
, Gigi Hadid
Jelena Noura "Gigi" Hadid ( ; born April 23, 1995) is an American model and television personality. In November 2014, she made her debut in the Top 50 Models ranking at Models.com. In 2016, she was named International Model of the Year by the ...
, Natalia Vodianova
Natalia Mikhailovna Vodianova ( rus, Наталья Михайловна Водянова, , nɐˈtalʲjə mʲɪˈxajləvnə vədʲɪˈnovə; born 28 February 1982), nicknamed Supernova, is a Russian model, actress and United Nations Goodwill ...
, Doutzen Kroes
Doutzen Kroes (, ; born 23 January 1985) is a Dutch fashion model. She began her modelling career in 2003, in the Netherlands and was quickly sent by her agency to New York where she was cast by lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret. She was a Vict ...
, Joan Smalls
Joan Smalls Rodriguez (born July 11, 1988) is a Puerto Rican supermodel and actress. In 2011, she became the first Latina model to represent Estée Lauder cosmetics. In 2013, she entered ''Forbes'' magazine's "World's Highest-Paid Models" list ...
, Fei Fei Sun
Sun Feifei (; born March 20, 1989), commonly known as Fei Fei Sun, is a Chinese model based in New York City. She is ranked as the New Supers by Models.com. Top casting director Ashley Brokaw proclaimed Fei Fei as "an exceptional beauty " , co ...
, Adriana Lima
Adriana Lima (; born 12 June 1981) is a Brazilian model, who was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 1999 to 2018. She was the longest-running model and named "the most valuable Victoria's Secret Angel" in 2017. She is also known as a spokesmodel fo ...
, Bella Hadid
Isabella Khairiah Hadid (born October 9, 1996) is an American model. In 2016, she was voted "Model of the Year" by industry professionals for Models.com. Over the span of four years, Hadid has made twenty-seven appearances on international '' ...
, Lara Stone
Lara Catherina Stone (born 20 December 1983) is a Dutch fashion model. Stone has appeared on the covers of W and Vogue and has worked with brands like Fendi, Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, H&M, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Versace amon ...
, Miranda Kerr
Miranda May Kerr (; born 20 April 1983) is an Australian model and businesswoman. Kerr rose to prominence in 2007, as one of the Victoria's Secret Angels. Kerr was the first Australian Victoria's Secret model and also represented the Australia ...
, Liu Wen, Jourdan Dunn
Jourdan Sherise Dunn (born 3 August 1990) is a British model. She was discovered in Hammersmith Primark in 2006 and signed to The Squad Management in London. She began appearing on international runways in early 2007. In February 2008, she was t ...
, Liya Kebede
Liya Kebede ( am, ሊያ ከበደ; born 1 March 1978) is an Ethiopian-born model, maternal health advocate, clothing designer, and actress. She has appeared on the cover of ''Vogue'' three times.
Kebede has served as the WHO's Ambassador for M ...
, Anja Rubik
Anja Rubik (born Anna Helena Rubik; 12 June 1983)Statement on talk-show ''Kuba Wojewódzki'' (in Polish) of the 23 March 2010. is a Polish supermodel, activist, philanthropist and entrepreneur. She is one of the most prominent models of the 20th ...
, , Natasha Poly
Natalia Sergeevna Polevshchikova (russian: Наталья Серге́евна Полевщикова; born 12 July 1985), known professionally as Natasha Poly, is a Russian supermodel. Since 2004, Poly has appeared in prominent high-fashion ad ...
, and Ashley Graham.
Plus-size
Since 2000, there has been an emergence of models known as " plus-size" top models, including Robyn Lawley
Robyn Lawley (born 13 June 1989) is an Australian model.
Early life and family
Robyn was born in Girraween, New South Wales, to Chris and Janne Lawley; and has two older sisters, Shona and Jennifer. Robyn attended Macarthur Girls High School. R ...
, Crystal Renn
Crystal Renn (born June 18, 1986, in Miami, Florida) is an American model and author.
Personal life
Renn started her modeling career in high fashion at the age of 14 after being spotted by a professional scout in her hometown in Clinton, Missis ...
, Ashley Graham, Candice Huffine, Tara Lynn
Tara Lynn (born July 26, 1982) is an American plus-size model from Tacoma, Washington. She is best known as a lingerie model for plus-size clothing.
Early life
Lynn was born on July 26, 1982 in Tacoma, Washington, where she grew up.
Caree ...
, Whitney Thompson
Whitney Lee Thompson Forrester (born September 26, 1987) is an American plus-size model and is the winner of the tenth cycle of '' America's Next Top Model''.
Early life
Before her appearance on the show, Thompson worked locally in northern F ...
, Katya Zharkova
Katya Zharkova ( be, Кацярына Жаркова; born October 30, 1981) is a Belarusian plus-size model and actress.
Career
Zharkova started modeling when she was 14 years old and is considered the first plus-size model of Belarus.
Katya is ...
, Denise Bidot, Sophie Dahl
Sophie Dahl (born Sophie Holloway on 15 September 1977, later taking her mother's name for professional reasons) is an English author and former fashion model. Her first novel, ''The Man with the Dancing Eyes'', was published in 2003 followed b ...
, Jennie Runk
Jennie Runk (born November 2, 1988) is an American plus-size model. She is best known for appearing in H&M's Summer 2013 beachwear campaign, which was featured on the front page of H&M's United States website in late April 2013.
Early life
Jen ...
and Natalie Laughlin. These models have been in Catwalks, magazines, and Billboards for brands known worldwide like ''Vogue'', ''Glamour'', Levi's, Forever 21
Forever 21 is a multinational fast fashion retailer headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States. Originally founded as the store Fashion 21 in Highland Park, Los Angeles in 1984,Forever 21History & Facts, n.d. Retrieved 27 April 2014 ...
, Cover Girl
A cover girl is a woman whose photograph features on the front cover of a magazine. She may be a model, celebrity or entertainer. The term would generally not be used to describe a casual, once-off appearance by a person on the cover of a magaz ...
cosmetics, Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue (originally Saks & Company; Colloquialism, colloquially Saks) is an American Luxury goods, luxury department store chain headquartered in New York City and founded by Andrew Saks. The original store opened in the F Street and ...
, GQ Magazine
''GQ'' (formerly ''Gentlemen's Quarterly'' and ''Apparel Arts'') is an American international monthly men's magazine based in New York City and founded in 1931. The publication focuses on fashion, style, and culture for men, though articles on ...
, and Chanel
Chanel ( , ) is a French high-end luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. Chanel specializes in women's ready-to-wear, luxury goods, and accessories and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear. Chanel is ...
. Graham had widespread amount of news coverage worldwide after ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
The ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue is published annually by American magazine ''Sports Illustrated'' and features female fashion models, celebrities and athletes wearing swimwear in various locales around the world. The highly coveted cov ...
'' had her as one of the three covers of the 2016 edition.
In-between size
Camille Kostek
Camille Veronica Kostek (born February 19, 1992) is an American model, television host, and actress. She gained recognition for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue, and achieved further ...
, an "in-between size" or "middle model", landed a solo cover of the ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue in 2019 despite not being on the extreme end of the spectrum as runway size (0–2) or plus-size (10 up). Recalling her difficulty breaking out she has stated, "I was told that it was too bad that I wasn't a size 10. That plus-size is a big market right now and it's too bad I wasn't measuring bigger. My size (4/6) is considered an "in-between size," meaning I'm not a straight model nor plus model, I'm right in the middle. Regardless, she has walked the runways of New York Fashion Week and Miami Beach Swim Week.
Perception
Perception of the supermodel as an industry has been frequent inside and outside the fashion press, from complaints that women desiring this status become unhealthily thin to charges of racism of dominant racial groups of the home countries in the first decade of the twenty-first century, where the "supermodel" generally has to conform to the native majority's standard of beauty, for example Northern European standards in United States or Indian standards in India. According to fashion writer Guy Trebay of ''The New York Times'', in 2007, the "android" look was popular, a vacant stare and thin body serving, according to some fashion industry conventions, to set off the couture. This had not always been the case. In the 1970s in North America, black, heavier and "ethnic" models dominated the runways but social changes in the 1980s to the early 2000s persuaded the power players in the fashion industry to shun suggestions of "otherness".["On runways, racial diversity is out". Guy Trebay. '']International Herald Tribune
The ''International Herald Tribune'' (''IHT'') was a daily English-language newspaper published in Paris, France for international English-speaking readers. It had the aim of becoming "the world's first global newspaper" and could fairly be said ...
'', 23 October 2007. However, since the latter part of the first decade of the twenty-first century, an increasing level of racial diversity has been noted among supermodels in the American fashion scene, catering to the growing East Asian markets, including Japanese model Tao Okamoto
, known professionally as Tao, is a Japanese actress and model, who is alongside Ai Tominaga and Hiroko Matsumoto, one of the biggest models from Japan. In 2009, she was one of the faces of Ralph Lauren.
She made her film debut as the female le ...
and Chinese models Fei Fei Sun
Sun Feifei (; born March 20, 1989), commonly known as Fei Fei Sun, is a Chinese model based in New York City. She is ranked as the New Supers by Models.com. Top casting director Ashley Brokaw proclaimed Fei Fei as "an exceptional beauty " , co ...
and Liu Wen. Due to the rising importance of social media and social movements such as third wave body positivity, the range of diversity within the industry expanded to diversity in sizes, genders and social media visibility.
See also
* Physical attractiveness
Physical attractiveness is the degree to which a person's physical features are considered aesthetically pleasing or beautiful. The term often implies sexual attractiveness or desirability, but can also be distinct from either. There are many ...
* Self image
The self is an individual as the object of that individual’s own reflective consciousness. Since the ''self'' is a reference by a subject to the same subject, this reference is necessarily subjective. The sense of having a self—or ''selfhoo ...
* Sex symbol
A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive.Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor to ...
* Superstar
A superstar is someone who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent, or successful in their field. Celebrities referred to as "superstars" may include individuals who work as actors, musicians, athletes, and other media-based profe ...
* about a supermodel
References
{{Reflist
Celebrity
Fashion
Modeling (profession)