At the New Edit, we adore supermodels. It is no secret that I, Daniel the editor-in-chief, finds them endlessly fascinating, beautiful, and seem to have a timeless quality. FACES OF A GENERATION: A Model's World was originally a book idea I had. Something I was going to chronicle, from the origins of modelling designer fashion in the late 19th century, through to the creation of the so-called 'supermodel' term, through to today. It was going to focus also on the photographers that have been instrumental in helping make these women in a certain image - an image/idea that has captured the public's imagination for decades. But, I thought it would be, personally, more interesting to focus more on posting about them as little stories in themselves, and focus a series of blog posts on them.
(The supermodel phenomenon of the 1990's reunited for the Versace Spring 2018 show, in memory of their friend and designer Gianni. Showing that they still got it and they still look great 30 years on From left to right: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Claudia Schiffer, Donatella, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, and Helena Christensen)
Each decade generally brings a new sense of style, when new fashions emerge, old trends return, and there is a handful of women who become the icons of a new wave of dressing, a new manner in how women present themselves. This is the SUPERMODEL.
The purpose and power of the supermodel has always been underestimated, even in the 1980's and going into the 1990's they became Billboard fantasies, monopolized the television and the tabloids, as well transcending magazines into films and celebrity status. But, if you were to ask a person on the street what these supermodels were particularity famous for, or the things they have done, most wouldn't be able to tell you. It can be looked at in different ways, that it is liberating and great that today's supermodel are so accessible and everywhere you turn, but also sad that the mystique of their lives, the very enigmatic quality that the golden age of models had is sort of gone now.
The more generalized term of 'model' can be applied to a variety of people who model a certain look, product or clothing, whereas the supermodel, to me, is a woman who transcends all that, who is able to take on the world... one stiletto at a time. Today, their influence has reached almost celestial heights, with the likes of Gigi and her sister Bella Hadid, Cara Delavigne, Karlie Kloss, and Kendall Jenner are now household names. They have millions of people following them. Whenever their name is mentioned, everybody turns and talks. They are worth millions, and that is just in public appearances, let alone being the muses of designers, product placements, movie deals, or chat show interviews.
This notion, however, of being something girls and other women can look up to, the whole idea of a supermodel who crosses over fashion into something else is nothing new. It has been going for almost a 100 years.
The Twelve Most Photographed Models, as taken by Irving Penn in 1947 in New York which is now displayed at the National Portrait Gallery. The models were:
Meg Mundy, Marilyn Ambrose, Helen Bennett, Dana Jenney, Betty McLaughlen, Lisa Fonssagrives - Penns Wife, Lily Carlson, Elizabeth Gibbons, Muriel Maxwell, Kay Hernan, Andrea Johnson, and Dorian Leigh. These are just some of the supermodels we shall be discussing on this series of blog posts and the masters who took their images.
The actual idea and concept of the supermodel started in the 1930's. Prior to this, fashion and couture hit the world stage with the likes of Worth, Poiret and Chanel, where there was an endless conveyor-belt of women who modeled for them, but none of them seemed to grasp the public's imagination. it was only royalty of various European nations who became part of the celebrity ideal, and wore these designers to glamorous balls and premieres. Nonetheless, the actual job of the supermodel was born in the 1930's with one particular woman - Lisa Fonssagrives. As photographed here, (above) in the 12 Most Photographed Models of their time by her future husband Irving Penn, she became the epitome of grace, sophistication and elegance. She shall be our first focus in these posts, why not start where it all began?
As mentioned, in this series of posts we shall focus on the supermodels themselves, in particular certain women whom have changed the industry and became something more than just a clothes mannequin - they became icons. To start the series off we shall be going back to the 1930's with Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn and those who followed her, such as Muriel Maxwell and Meg Mundy. It was then, in war-time, where there seemed to be an influx of more supermodels gracing the covers of every magazine, the likes of Dorian Leigh, Anita Colby (the highest paid at the time) and Carmen Dell'Orefice - all of them made a name for themselves. At a time where rashioning was strict and peoples lives would never be the same again, these models and the likes of Vogue, were a sort of escapism for many women, away from the front line of working. Something that adds to their character and mystery.
However, it was the 1950's that really saw them take over the world. The likes of icons such as Dovima, Jean Patchett, Anne St. Marie and Sunny Harnett, took the note of being beautiful but making it iconic as the faces of their own generation. For me, they epitomized the glamour and elegance of the era that is sadly lost to time. But if you want to see how supermodel's became part of popular culture, true household name status, then look no further than the the 1960's.
Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton and Pattie Boyd, all became THE FACE of the Swinging 60's, against a backdrop of The Beatles, Mini-skirts, the pill and the Mods! This was the decade to be seen, and the social revolution that took place in the UK, alongside the fashion, space race, and music, these supermodels were the leaders of the swinging pack.
Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton and Pattie Boyd, all became THE FACE of the Swinging 60's, against a backdrop of The Beatles, Mini-skirts, the pill and the Mods! This was the decade to be seen, and the social revolution that took place in the UK, alongside the fashion, space race, and music, these supermodels were the leaders of the swinging pack.
(From left to right: Twiggy, Jean 'The Shrimp' Shrimpton, and Pattie Boyd. All of whom helped make London and the UK in the 1960's the place to be.)
In the 1970's, the decade bought a new wave of models, coinciding with the emancipation of women in the work place, an era of Studio 54 and Foxy Brown, and the political upheaval of the country. It was the likes of Jerry Hall, Lauren Hutton and Patti Hansen whom all became pin ups for a sexy new age of freedom and liberal openness. Though some may look back and see the 1970's as the era of sex, and yes sex sells, but, for me it was also an era of change, where history was made with the likes of Iman and Beverley Johnson making it acceptable to have black women on the front cover of magazines.
This new idea of making these beautiful women the face of an idea, the sort of mascot for a new way of living was reflected in the pages of Vogue, Time, and Harper's Bazaar and paved a way for the new era of supermodels - in the tacky and glitzy 1980's. The names synonymous with this era were: Brooke Shields, Cindy Crawford, Christie Blinkley and Janice Dickinson, whom all carried on the legacy of making themselves part of the national identity of the countries they came from. It was the influx of American Consumerism which took hold in the 1950's, but in the 1980's became something of a monster - all coincided with making the supermodel, herself, an icon of glamour.
This new idea of making these beautiful women the face of an idea, the sort of mascot for a new way of living was reflected in the pages of Vogue, Time, and Harper's Bazaar and paved a way for the new era of supermodels - in the tacky and glitzy 1980's. The names synonymous with this era were: Brooke Shields, Cindy Crawford, Christie Blinkley and Janice Dickinson, whom all carried on the legacy of making themselves part of the national identity of the countries they came from. It was the influx of American Consumerism which took hold in the 1950's, but in the 1980's became something of a monster - all coincided with making the supermodel, herself, an icon of glamour.
(From left to right: Jerry Hall, Lauren Hutton and Patti Hansen, the cool blondes of the 1970's, whom became sexual pin ups for men but inspirations for women across the world. They helped make modelling and fashion transcend its somewhat exclusive industry into the households of the public, as they dated rock stars, appeared in films, and advertised popular brands from Revlon to Pepsi.)
It was the 1990's that really saw the true home of the supermodels and the world they created. Helped by master photographers such as Peter Lindbergh, Herb Ritts, Steven Meisel and Patrick Demarchelier, the models of this decade were on the lips of everybody. You couldn't go anywhere without seeing them. Not only did they strut the catwalks of Paris, London and New York, they entered our homes in the form of television and the tabloids, as many partied and became friends with celebrities of their day.
The most iconic of these collaborations was when George Michael asked a few girls to appear in his Freedom '90 music video - something that ended in what is now a chic and poignant tribute to him, even though he wasn't even in the video himself. Those he picked were The Versace Girls (named due to their closeness and being muses to the Italian designer) Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Tatjana Patitz, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista - each unique in their own way but came together to create a sense of chicness that was both mysterious yet attainable.
(The iconic image by Peter Lindbergh for Vogue in 1990 (and one of my all time favourites), that cemented the new generation of models. From left to right: Naomi Campell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford.)
We hadn't seen such a phenomenon as we did in the 1990's with these girls. They became more famous than the actual designers they wore. Overshadowing even the film stars they married (you know who I mean). There was a shift in fashion and aesthetics in this decade, as George Michael's Freedom girls were the glamorous few, there was this new surge of 'heroin chic' which became popular. The most famous now being Kate Moss, who seemed to reign supreme from the 1990's even now, as she features regularly on fashion magazines at the age of 44.
In the 2000's there was another new wave of models who became iconic in their own right, such as Giselle Bundchen, Heidi Klum, and Elle McPherson, but the early 2000's saw the rise of celebrity and singers/actresses become the models of their day. A shift occured when the likes of young American's in the vein of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and even rap stars like Lil' Kim and Eve, became cover stars and endorsement dreams for big brands. Supermodels seemed to sadly fade in the background.
But move on ten years, it is now, that has seen a rise in the new wave of supermodels/celebrities/philanthropists/actresses etc... (exhausted yet?) Yes, for today's millennial computer age, a supermodel unfortunately can't just put on a Dior dress and that be it. Now, they have to appear either on reality shows (Real Housewives, sssh) or big budget DC films (Suicide Squad anyone?).
As mentioned before, they do now have to have something unique and that big break, be it in music, film or TV, isn't always the be all or end all. They have to have a quirk or something that makes them transcend above modelling and acting, to another level. Be it, Cara Delavigne's thick eyebrows or Gig Hadid's relationship with Zayn Malick, supermodels today now have to be more commercial than ever before. What is great about the age of modelling today, is that there is also a new revolution sweeping the fashion world, and it is becoming far more acceptable to include mixed race supermodels such as Adwoa Aboah and even "plus size" supermodels like Ashley Garaham, are now regulars on magazine covers and advertising the everyday woman's clothes.
(From left to right: Hayley Baldwin, Bella Hadid, Cara Delavigne, Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid - the faces of countless cosmetic companies, stars of television and blockbuster films, girlfriends to boy band members, the list goes on with how they have influenced today's popular culture.)
Like I said, it is under very much under-estimated how these womens names are synonymous with pop culture and helped change the way we sometimes look at the world, especially in the fashions. They even help us with daily life, if you look hard enough to see it. If its not their Instagram posts influencing what you wear or how you take your own photos, it is their modelling a mascara you must go out and buy, or their face in a music video that makes you go download that song and listen to it endlessly. Supermodel's have always influenced our daily lives, even in the smallest details and sometimes in a big way - such as myself.
I shall be focusing each post on one certain supermodel whom I believe has done all the above. I want to not only charter their lives in brief detail, but also the way they have been perceived in popular culture, and my personal favourite photos of them. There will also be posts too on some of the more lesser known supermodels who have unfortunately faded into obscurity. Something we have researched as part of our Instagram, remembering models and photographers whom most have forgotten about.
So stay tuned for more. Keep up to date by checking out and following our Instagram at: @newedituk
Words by Daniel, Editor in Chief.