Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Supermodels: A Historical Look on Iconic Supermodels from Then to Now


A look at the female supermodels then and now and what made them leave that stamp on the modelling world. 


Twiggy 
An English supermodel forever known for her large eyes, long eyelashes and thin build.


Margaux Hemingway
The granddaughter of writer Ernest Hemingway and the older sister of actress Mariel Hemingway.  She suffered from alcoholism, bulimia, epilepsy and was dyslexic.  At six feet she holds the record of the first million dollar contract with  Fabergé's Babe perfume.

Beverly Johnson
Credited for paving the way for black models by having bestowed on her the privilege of gracing the cover of American Vogue in the 70s.

Janice Dickinson
The first self-proclaimed supermodel and now owns her own modelling agency.


Lisa Fonssagrives
A Swedish supermodel who trained as a dancer.  She was born on 1911 and died in 1992.


Dorian Leigh 
Known as an intellectual - she finished high school at 15 because she preferred to take as many classes at once.  Born in 1917 she died in 2008.  


Gia Carangi 
Her life movie had been starred in by Angelina Jolie.  She died at 26 because of HIV.  

 
Jean Shrimpton 
Launched the miniskirt.  An 'unusual' model in the sixties she would wear short dresses, no hat, no stockings, no gloves and has a fascination for wearing men's watches.

Chery Tiegs 
The first favorite of Sports Illustrated as their cover girl.  


Wilhemina 
Known for her 5'11” , 38-23-36 frame, doe eyes, delicate cheekbones, dark hair and classical, aristocratic look she was the standard beauty of the 50s and 60s.  She founded Wilhelmina Models at the peak of her career.


Versuschka
Now a countess she was born on 1939.  In her peak she was earning $10,000 a day. 


Lauren Hutton 
Made the gap between the two front teeth fashionable.


Donyale Luna 
The first African-American model in Vogue.  The 1945-born model died of a drug overdose.


Iman 
The first American-Somali supermodel.  She is married to David Bowie.


Carol Alt 
The first to make her own posters and calendars.  


Christie Brinkley
The former Mrs. Billy Joel had the longest running contract with Cover Girl cosmetics.


Kim Alexis 
The only supermodel very vocal about her faith.  She is a born-again Christian.

  
Paulina Porizkova 
A Czecholovakian-born model and the first woman from Eastern Europe to have a cover on Sports Illustrated.


Elle Macpherson 
An Australian who in 2010 became the host and executive producer of Britain's Next Top Model.  Her assets is estimated to be around £60 million.


Linda Evangelista
A Canadian supermodel who is notoriously remembered for “supermodels don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day.”

 
Christy Turlington 
Would be forever remembered for her $800,000 pay for twelve days of work every year with Maybelline cosmetics in 1991.  

 
Claudia Schiffer 
A German model who first gained attention due to her resemblance to Brigette Bardot.  Her net worth is $55 million.


Cindy Crawford
A high school valedictorian she made the mole above her upper lip a supemodel asset.


Kate Moss 
A British model who is known for her waifish figure and short height.  She is barely 5'7”. 


Naomi Campbell
A black British supermodel who would forever be remembered for her violent temper that had lead her to many legal issues.



Laetitia Casta 
A French supermodel who gained notoriety when she relocated to London to escape taxes in France.


 
Eva Herzigova 
The Wonderbra girl.


Carla Bruni
Currently the first lady of France and former lover of many rockers.


Tatiana Sorokko
The “eagle-eyed iconoclast” and “fad-making model.”


Helena Christensen
The former Miss Denmark who crossed over to becoming a supermodel.


Adriana  Sklenaříková 
A Slovak supermodel who was studying to be a doctor only to give it up to become a model.  She is married to French football player Christian Karembeu.

Milla Jovovich 
The Resident Evil supermodel.


Gisele Bunchen 
“The Brazilian” who is the sixteenth richest woman in entertainment with a $150 million fortune.


Adriana Lima 
Another Brazilian who is also a Victoria's angel model and a second placer in Ford's Supermodel of the World competition.

Alessandra Ambrosio 
A Brazilian supermodel described by Tyra Banks as the “future of the modelling world.”


A German-born model who is famous for her Project Runway hosting gig.


Tyra Banks 
Host of her then show Tyra.  She is the current host and creator of America's Next Top Model. 


Karolina Kurkova
A former angel of Victoria's Secret she is praised as having the proportions of body and face that make her the next supermodel.


Miranda Kerr
The Mrs. of Orlando Bloom she is the first Australian to be a Victoria's Secret angel.


Marisa Miller 
Dubbed the “return of the great American supermodel.”


Doutzen Kroes
A Dutch Victoria's Secret angel.  In May 2009 she was fifth in the World's 15 Top-Earning Supermodels.


Hilary Rhoda
Dubbed the young Brooke Shields.


Raquel Zimmermann
A Brazilian who started modelling at 14 and who is currently the thirteenth on the Top Model Icons of All Time.


Coco Rocha
A Canadian model of Irish, Russian and Welsh descent who verbally admitted that her handlers never wanted her to be anorexic but they want her to look like one.


Jessica Stam
A Canadian supermodel with the doll face was discovered in a coffee shop.  The only girl of a family of six brothers this farm girl wanted to be a dentist.  When she won the Los Angeles Model Look Search in 2002 Steven Meisel, one of the most successful photographers of our time, cast her in every print ad campaign of his.


So far, that's about it.  

Women with the legs that never end, high cheekbones, perfect proportions...  A minute few in the long line of women who graced magazines and left their imprint long before many of us had been born.  The women who personifies beauty at its ultimate perfection that transcends generations.