Super-model
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A supermodel is a highly paid
fashion model A model is a person with a role either to display commercial products (notably fashion clothing in fashion shows) or to serve as an artist's model. Modelling ("modeling" in American English) entails using one's body to represent someone ...
who has a worldwide reputation and background in ''
haute couture (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design. The term ''haute couture'' generally refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the ...
'' and commercial modeling. The term became popular in the 1990s. Supermodels usually work for prominent
fashion design Fashion design is the art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction, and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories. It is influenced by diverse cultures and different trends and has varied over time and place. "A fashion design ...
ers and
clothing brands Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...
. 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, Lady Vaughn (; born 25 August 1970) is a German model and actress. She rose to fame in the 1990s as one of the world's most successful models, attaining supermodel status. Born in Rheinberg, Germany, she initially asp ...
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 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 an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'', 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 1949, ''
Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Internationalism * World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship * Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community * Cosmopolitan ...
'' 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 Selznick is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Albie Selznick (born 1959), American film and television actor *Brian Selznick (born 1966), American author and illustrator of children's books *David O. Selznick (1902–1965), Ameri ...
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. **Paramount Picture ...
." On 18 October 1959, Vancouver's ''Chinatown News'' described Susan Chew as a "super model". 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'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' referred to
Twiggy Dame Lesley Lawson (''née'' Hornby; born 19 September 1949), widely known by the nickname Twiggy, is an English model, actress, and singer. She was a Culture of the United Kingdom, British cultural icon and a prominent teenage model during th ...
as a supermodel; the February 1968 article of '' 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'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' and the ''
Mansfield News Journal The ''Mansfield News Journal'' is an American daily newspaper based in Mansfield, Ohio. It serves Richland, Ashland and Crawford counties, as well as parts of Morrow, Knox and Huron counties in the north central part of the state. Histo ...
'' used the term in 1971; and in 1974, both the ''Chicago Tribune'' and ''
The Advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. The Advocate, The Advocates or Advocate may also refer to: Magazines * The Advocate (magazine), ''The Advocate'' (magazine), an LGBT magazine based in the United States * ''The Harvard 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,'' ''H ...
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. The granddaughter of writer Ernest Hemingway, she gained independent fame as a supermodel in the 1970s, appear ...
in the 1 September 1975 edition. Hemingway was again described as a "supermodel" in the 25 July 1977 edition of ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
''. '' 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 Black model to appear on the cover of American '' Vogue'' in August 1974, after Donyale Luna w ...
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 created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
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 Par ...
'', Dickinson stated that her agent, Monique Pilar of
Elite Model Management Elite Model Management (MM) is a modeling agency that originated in Paris in 1972. In 2004, the agencies in New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, and Toronto separated and formed Elite Model Management North America. Elite MM is a subsidiary of El ...
, 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 Fonssagrives (born Lisa Birgitta Bernstone; 17 May 1911 – 4 February 1992) was a Swedish model, dancer, sculptor, and photographer. She is widely credited with having been the first supermodel. Biography Lisa Fonssagrives was born Lisa Bi ...
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, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...
'', ''Vogue'', the original '' Vanity Fair'', ''
Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' (stylized as ''Harper's BAZAAR'') is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. Bazaar has been published in New York City since November 2, 1867, originally as a weekly publication entitled ''Harper's Bazar''."Corporat ...
'', and ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
''.
Evelyn Nesbit Florence Evelyn Nesbit (December 25, 1884 or 1885 – January 17, 1967) was an American model (person), artists' model, chorus girl, and actress. She is best known for her career in New York City, as well as her husband, railroad scion Har ...
(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,'' ''H ...
(early 1960s), and
Gia Carangi Gia Marie Carangi (January 29, 1960November 18, 1986) was an American supermodel, considered by some to be the first supermodel. In 2023, Harpers Bazaar ranked her 15th among the greatest supermodels in the 1980s. She was featured on the cover o ...
(late 1970s). Dutch-born model
Wilhelmina Cooper Wilhelmina Gertrud Frieda Cooper (née Behmenburg; 11 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 Adria'', a fashion magazine for former Yugoslav countries ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ' ...
'', 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 modeling and talent agency headquartered in New York City, New York. The company also has offices in Los Angeles, Miami and London. Founded in 1967 by Wilhelmina C ...
modeling and talent agency in 1967.


1960s–1970s

In February 1968, an article in '' 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 America's first supermodel, Tiegs made multiple appearances on the covers of the ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue and ''Time'' ma ...
,
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 and ances ...
, Lisa Palmer,
Peggy Moffitt Margaret Moffitt (October 2, 1937 – August 10, 2024) was an American model and actress. During the 1960s, she worked very closely with fashion designer Rudi Gernreich, and developed a signature style that featured heavy makeup and an asymmetr ...
, Sue Murray,
Twiggy Dame Lesley Lawson (''née'' Hornby; born 19 September 1949), widely known by the nickname Twiggy, is an English model, actress, and singer. She was a Culture of the United Kingdom, British cultural icon and a prominent teenage model during th ...
,
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 often a m ...
,
Marisa Berenson Vittoria Marisa Schiaparelli Berenson (born February 15, 1947) is an American actress and former 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 ...
, Gretchen Harris, Heide Wiedeck, Irish Bianchi, Hiroko Matsumoto, 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,'' ''H ...
,
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, E ...
,
Benedetta Barzini Benedetta Barzini (born 22 September 1943 in Porto Santo Stefano)BENEDETTA BARZINI
VOGUE ...
, Claudia Duxbury and Agneta Frieberg. In the 1970s is when many consider the origination of the supermodel, some models becoming more prominent as their names became more recognizable to the general public by commercial endorsements, magazine covers,posters, securing large sums of money for cosmetic contracts, TV appearances and movie roles. ''
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 a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
'' 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. A bi ...
abandoned then-current modeling trends for its fledgling ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue 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 contract from a cosmetics company, when
Revlon Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, perfume, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it remains. Revlon was founded by brothers Charle ...
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 Adria'', a fashion magazine for former Yugoslav countries ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ' ...
'' 26 times. Naomi Sims is considered to be the first black supermodel.
Donyale Luna Peggy Ann Freeman (August 31, 1945 – May 17, 1979), known professionally as Donyale Luna, was an American model and actress who gained popularity in Western Europe during the late 1960s. Generally cited as "the first Black supermodel", Luna ...
,
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 Black model to appear on the cover of American '' Vogue'' in August 1974, after Donyale Luna w ...
and
Iman Iman, Imann, Imaan, Eman, Eiman, Imane, 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 ...
have also been referred to as the first black supermodel. 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.
Christie Brinkley Christie Lee Brinkley (née Hudson; born February 2, 1954) is an American model. Brinkley appeared on an unprecedented three consecutive covers of ''Sports Illustrated'' Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Swimsuit Issues in 1979, 1980, and 1981 ...
has the distinction of having the longest running cosmetics contract of any model in history when she represented CoverGirl for twenty five years. Anna Bayle, a Filipino-born model who rose to prominence in the 1970s, has been cited as one of the first Southeast Asian supermodels.
Donyale Luna Peggy Ann Freeman (August 31, 1945 – May 17, 1979), known professionally as Donyale Luna, was an American model and actress who gained popularity in Western Europe during the late 1960s. Generally cited as "the first Black supermodel", Luna ...
was the first black model to appear in British ''Vogue'', in March 1966. Naomi Sims, 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 that ran until 2016 and was 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 centur ...
'', 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) is an American fashion model who initially attained success in the 1960s and 1970s and was one of the first African-American models within the fashion industry to achieve prominence as a runway and print m ...
, 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, author, and editor-at-large of '' Vogue'' magazine. He was the magazine's fashion news director from 1983 to 1987, its f ...
, 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 includes the persimmon tree. A few ''Diospyros'' species, such as macassar and mun ebony, are dense enough to sink in water. Ebony is fin ...
'' magazine, and again in his 2003 memoir.


1980s

In October 1981, ''
Life Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...
'' cited
Shelley Hack Shelley Marie Hack (born July 6, 1947) is an American actress, model, producer, and political activist. 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 ...
, Lauren Hutton, and
Iman Iman, Imann, Imaan, Eman, Eiman, Imane, 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 ...
for
Revlon Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, perfume, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it remains. Revlon was founded by brothers Charle ...
, Margaux Hemingway for Fabergé,
Karen Graham Karen Ann Graham is an American former model from the 1970s and the 1980s and fly-fishing expert. For fifteen years, she was a spokesmodel for the cosmetics company Estée Lauder. Early life Karen Graham was born in Gulfport, Mississippi in 1 ...
for Estée Lauder,
Cristina Ferrare Cynthia Cristina Ferrare (born 1950) is an American fashion model, actress, author and talk-show host. She had lead roles in several films in the late-1960s and early-1970s, including the 1968 comedy '' The Impossible Years'' and the 1972 Wester ...
for
Max Factor Max Factor is a line of cosmetics from Coty, founded in 1909 as Max Factor & Company by Maksymilian Faktorowicz. Max Factor specialized in movie make-up. Until its 1973 sale for US$500 million (approximately $ billion in 2017 dollars), Max Fa ...
, 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 l ...
by proclaiming them the "million dollar faces" of the beauty industry. These supermodels 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 Inès Marie Lætitia Églantine Isabelle de Seignard de La Fressange (; born 11 August 1957), is a French supermodel, fashion designer and perfumer. She was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1998. Biography Famil ...
was the first model to sign an exclusive modeling contract with an
haute couture (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design. The term ''haute couture'' generally refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the ...
fashion house,
Chanel Chanel ( , ) is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. It is privately owned by French brothers, Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, through the holding company Chanel Limited, established in 2018 and headquarte ...
. 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 advertis ...
s.
Catwalk A fashion show 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 fall/winter seasons. This is where ...
regulars like
Gia Carangi Gia Marie Carangi (January 29, 1960November 18, 1986) was an American supermodel, considered by some to be the first supermodel. In 2023, Harpers Bazaar ranked her 15th among the greatest supermodels in the 1980s. She was featured on the cover o ...
, Tiegs, Christie Brinkley,
Kim Alexis Kim Alexis is an American model and actress who was famous in the 1970s and 1980s. She appeared on the cover of magazines like ''Sports Illustrated'', ''Vogue'', ''Harper's Bazaar'', '' Glamour'', ''Self'' and ''Cosmopolitan''. Early life Ale ...
,
Paulina Porizkova Paulina Porizkova (; born 9 April 1965) is a fashion model and author. Born in Czechoslovakia, she moved to Sweden in 1973 and began modelling in France at the age of 15. In 1984, Porizkova became the first Central European woman to appear on th ...
,
Yasmin Le Bon Yasmin Le Bon (née Parvaneh) is an English model. She was one of the highest-earning models during the 1980s and is married to Duran Duran's lead singer Simon Le Bon. Early life Yasmin Parvaneh was born in Oxford, England, the younger child ...
,
Kathy Ireland Kathleen Marie Ireland (born March 20, 1963) is an American actress, author, entrepreneur, fashion designer, philanthropist, and former fashion model. Ireland was a supermodel in the 1980s and 1990s, initially known for appearing in 13 consecut ...
,
Brooke Shields Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress. A child model starting at the age of 11 months, Shields gained widespread notoriety at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby (1978 film), Pretty Baby ...
, and
Elle Macpherson Eleanor Nancy Macpherson ( ; ; 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 to her ...
began to endorse products with their names, as well as their faces, through the marketing of brands, such as
Diet Pepsi Diet Pepsi, also called Pepsi Light in some countries, 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-bra ...
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 automobil ...
. 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. In 1968, he launched the company that later became Calvin Klein. In addition to clothing, he has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewellery. ...
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, 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
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 (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
'
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 Adria'', a fashion magazine for former Yugoslav countries ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ' ...
'' cover of
Cindy Crawford Cynthia Ann Crawford (born February 20, 1966) is an American model. During the 1980s and 1990s, she was among the most popular supermodels and a ubiquitous presence on magazine covers and runways, as well as fashion campaigns. She subsequently ...
,
Christy Turlington Christy Nicole Turlington Burns ( Turlington; born January 2, 1969) is an American fashion model. She initially attracted fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a supermodel. She represented Calvin Klein's Eternity campaign in 1989 and aga ...
,
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 t ...
,
Naomi Campbell Naomi Elaine Campbell (born 22 May 1970) is a British supermodel. Beginning her career at the age of eight, Campbell was one of six models of her generation declared supermodels by the fashion industry and the international press. She was th ...
, and
Tatjana Patitz Tatjana Patitz (25 May 1966 – 11 January 2023) was a German fashion model. She achieved international prominence in the 1980s and 1990s representing fashion designers on runways and in magazines such as ''Elle (magazine), Elle'', ''Harper's B ...
, 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 phot ...
, 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-songwriter and record producer. Regarded as a pop culture icon, he is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling rec ...
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 English singer-songwriter George Michael, and released by Columbia Records in October 1990. The 90" added to the end of the title is to prevent conf ...
", directed by
David Fincher David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American film director. Often described as one of the preeminent directors of his generation, David Fincher filmography, his films, of which most are psychological thrillers, have collectiv ...
. 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'', a ...
taken by
Herb Ritts Herbert Ritts Jr. (August 13, 1952 – December 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 b ...
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, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'', 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", but the term has been used to describe the pioneering supermodels before them that paved the way and started the path to prominence, both publicly and professionally, such as Lauren Hutton, Beverly Johnson, Cheryl Tiegs, Christie Brinkley, Pat Cleveland and others. In 1991, Turlington signed a contract with
Maybelline Maybelline New York (formerly The Maybelline Company and Mabelline and Co.), trading as and commonly known as simply Maybelline ( ), is an American multinational cosmetics, skin care, perfume, and personal care company, based in New York City. ...
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 also called Kaiser Karl (; 10 September 1933 – 19 February 2019) was a German fashion designer, photographer, and creative director. Lagerfeld began his career in fashion in the 1950s, working for several top fashion hous ...
to ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'', 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 ...
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 continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'', French ''Vogue'', British ''Vogue'', and the September issue of American ''Vogue'', traditionally the biggest and most important issue of the year. Campbell, Crawford, Evangelista, Turlington and Patitz 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 an English model. Arriving towards 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 t ...
, 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-American media executive, who has been serving as editor-in-chief of '' Vogue'' since 1988. Wintour has also served as global chief content officer of Condé Nast since 2020, where she o ...
, who said, "Those girls were so fabulous for fashion and totally reflected that time ...
hey 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 ...
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 is a Canadian former fashion model. Ghauri is known for her walk also quoted as the "walk of life" by Tyra Banks. Being Pakistani, she is one of the first woman of South Asian descent to appear on the cover of ''Vogue''. Early ...
, and
Karen Mulder Karen Mulder (born 1 June 1968 or 1970) is a Dutch fashion model. She is known for her work with Versace, Dior, and Chanel during the 1980s and 1990s. Mulder was featured on the cover of ''Vogue'' and was also a Victoria's Secret model, making ...
, 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 model, television personality, producer, writer, and actress. Born in Inglewood, California, she began her career as a model at the age of 15 and was the first Black A ...
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
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 model 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, and he ...
,
Stella Tennant Stella Tennant (17 December 1970 – 22 December 2020) was a British model and fashion designer, who rose to fame in the early 1990s and had a career that spanned almost 30 years. From an unconventional aristocratic family, she worked with Hel ...
,
Laetitia Casta Laetitia Marie Laure Casta (; born 11 May 1978)FMD profile
Retrieved 4 December 2009.
is a ...
,
Eva Herzigová Eva Herzigová (; born 10 March 1973) is a Czech model and actress. Her career took a major turn in 1994 when she became the face of the Wonderbra campaign. The famous "Hello Boys" ad became iconic and contributed to her worldwide popularity. He ...
,
Carla Bruni Carla Bruni-Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (born Carla Gilberta Bruni Tedeschi; ; 23 December 1967) is an Italian and French singer, songwriter and fashion model who served as the List of spouses or partners of the president of France, first lady of Fran ...
,
Tatiana Sorokko Tatiana Sorokko (née Ilyushkina; , tr. ; born 26 December 1971) is a Russian-born American model, fashion journalist, and haute couture collector. She walked the runways for the world's most prominent designers and fashion houses, appeared ...
, 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 17 American '' Vogue'' covers in February 1993. During the 1990s, Valletta reached the status of su ...
,
Shalom Harlow Shalom Harlow (born December 5, 1973) is a Canadian model and actress. She began her career in the early 1990s, and by the end of the decade was at supermodel status. In 2007, Forbes listed her as thirteenth in the list of the World's Top-Earning ...
,
Nadja Auermann Nadja Auermann (born 19 March 1971) is a German model and actress. She was once stated by the Guinness Book of Records to have the longest legs of any model in the world. Biography In 1989, Auermann was discovered in a cafe in Berlin and signed ...
,
Helena Christensen Helena Christensen (born 25 December 1968) is a Danish fashion model. She is a former Victoria's Secret Angel, co-founder and original creative director for ''Nylon'' magazine, and she is a supporter of funding for breast cancer organizations an ...
,
Patricia Velásquez Patricia Carola Velásquez Semprún (born 31 January 1971) is a Venezuelan actress, model, and philanthropist. As an actress, she is best known for her portrayal of Anck-su-namun in the 1999 film '' The Mummy'' and its 2001 sequel '' The Mummy ...
,
Adriana Karembeu Adriana, also spelled Adrianna, is a Latin name and feminine form of Adrian. It originates from present day Italy and Spain. Translations *Arabic: أدريان * Belarusian: Адрыяна (Adryjana) * Bulgarian: Адриана (Adriana) *Chines ...
,
Valeria Mazza Valeria Raquel Mazza (, ; born 17 February 1972) is an Argentine model and businesswoman. Mazza rose to prominence in the 1990s and became a household name after appearing on the cover of the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' of 1996 Biograph ...
and later,
Milla Jovovich Milica Bogdanovna Jovović; ; ( ; born December 17, 1975), known professionally as Milla Jovovich (), is an American actress and former fashion model. Her starring roles in numerous science fiction film, science-fiction and action films led th ...
.


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 the ...
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 products, beauty retailer. Founded in 1977 by a Stanford graduate student and his wife, Roy Raymond, Roy and Gaye Raymond, the company's five lingerie stores were sold to Les Wexner i ...
, fellow Brazilians
Adriana Lima Adriana Lima (; born 12 June 1981) is a Brazilian model. She 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 model. She is known for her work with Victoria's Secret and was chosen as the first spokesmodel for the company's Pink (Victoria's Secret), PINK line. She was a Victoria's Secret A ...
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 actress. She has worked as the face of brands such as Chanel, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Valentino, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, Givenchy, and, for ten consec ...
,
Karolína Kurková Karolína Kurková (; born 28 February 1984) is a Czech model known for her work as a former Victoria's Secret Angel and '' Vogue'' cover star. Mario Testino praised the "proportions of her body and her face, as well as her energy level", which ...
,
Isabeli Fontana Isabeli Bergossi Fontana (; born 4 July 1983) is a Brazilian model. She is known for her work with brands like Victoria's Secret and has been on the cover of ''Vogue'' 58 times. ''Vogue'' Paris named her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s de ...
,
Natalia Vodianova Natalia Mikhailovna Vodianova (; born 28 February 1982), nicknamed Supernova, is a Russian supermodel and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. In 2012, she came in third on ''Forbes'' top-earning models list, estimated to have earned $8.6 ...
and
Natasha Poly Natalia Sergeevna Polevshchikova (; born 12 July 1985), known professionally as Natasha Poly, is a Russian model. Since 2004, Poly has appeared in high-fashion advertisement campaigns, magazine covers, and on runways. Poly established herself a ...
, 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 and American model, television personality, 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 Vict ...
and
Tyra Banks Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973), also known as BanX, is an American model, television personality, producer, writer, and actress. Born in Inglewood, California, she began her career as a model at the age of 15 and was the first Black A ...
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. It was created by Eli Holzman and was hosted by Heidi Klum from 2004 to 2017. It has a varied airi ...
'' and ''
Germany's Next Topmodel ''Germany's Next Topmodel'' (often abbreviated as ''GNTM'') is a German reality television series based on the concept introduced by Tyra Banks with ''America's Next Top Model''. The competition is hosted by Heidi Klum, who also serves as the ...
'', 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 "Victoria's Secret#Victoria's Secret Angels, Angels" multi-year, multimillion-dollar contracts. Vogue (magazine), American ''Vogue'' dubbed ten models (Doutzen Kroes, Agyness Deyn, Hilary Rhoda, Raquel Zimmermann, Coco Rocha, Lily Donaldson, Chanel Iman, Sasha Pivovarova, Caroline Trentini and Jessica Stam) 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 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, Cara Delevingne, Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid and Kaia Gerber. 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. Modeling is one of the only industries that sees a gender gap leaning towards women. Women earn up to 75% more than men in the modeling industry. The highest paid models in the world in 2022, the American female model Kendall Jenner earned $40 million while the American male model Sean O'Pry, Sean O’Pry earned $1.5 million, only 3% of what Jenner is making. Historically, the menswear sector has gotten less financial support than the womenswear industry. In addition to that, there is only 1 male designer for every 20 female designers. Overall, the demand for female models is much greater than that for male models. Some also attribute the pay difference to the lengthier career of male models compared to female models due to the fashion industry’s dismissive attitude towards older women. Study has shown that there has been an annual 17.4% increase in men’s clothing online from 2010-2015. The men’s apparel segment amounts to US$568.9 billion in 2023 and the market is expected to grow annually by 2.9%. Compared to 2014, the men’s apparel market in 2023 has grown by 28%. According to Euromonitor, demand for men’s clothing has even been growing 0.2% faster than that of women’s. In recent years, there have also been separate men’s fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, New York City, New York, and London. Studies have shown that this can be attributed to more men being found to begin to care more about fashion and beauty and the social media savvy male models / celebrities, like Lucky Blue Smith, Jason Morgan, and David Gandy.


Diversity and inclusion in the male modeling industry

Sterling St. Jacques is considered the first black male supermodel. St. Jacques was featured in ''Vogue'' and photographed by Horst P. Horst in the 1970s. His modeling career took off after he was discovered by Hubert de Givenchy to dance down the runway at a fashion show in 1976. In 1976, St. Jacques told ''Sepia (magazine), Sepia'' magazine: "I think it’s a mistake that many black male models have felt the need to put forward a macho image like that because the fashion market is too limited to have much success using it. I've shown that black men can be macho-looking while at the same time have grace and smoothness. I'm proud to make black people see they can be doing this kind of work." In 1994, Ralph Lauren Polo, Polo’s sports ad shot by Bruce Weber (photographer), Bruce Weber featured Tyson Beckford, a black masculine male model. Beckford later admitted during an interview in 2014 that, "There's a huge lack of strong African American images in fashion." Beckford also noted that, "I am happy that Ralph Lauren have used guys who look similar like me after." In the summer of 2011, the Vancouver model Godfrey Gao also became Louis Vuitton, the luxury brand’s first Asian model. In 2016, IMG Models launched its Brawn division which aimed to elevate the careers of Plus-size model, plus-size male models. The first model hired under the new division is Zach Miko. Three years in, IMG has 7 models under the Brawn division. In October 2022, Steven Green, the Kansas City metropolitan area, Kansas City born fashion photographer, starred in Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty’s men underwear campaign as a plus-size model. Green reflected that, "he was not confident being his size and shirtless on the internet, but the positive feedback he got was inspiring to him."


Male model requirements

Usually, the mass majority (not all) of agencies that sign on fashion/runway male models favor a height range consisting of to . The more strict agencies set a minimum height of .


1990s

In 1993, Italian model Fabio Lanzoni was the highest paid male model worldwide, receiving several million dollars a year doing advertisements for high-end brands like Versace. Milind Soman quickly became a supermodel in India and was one of the most popular supermodels of the world in the 90s, successfully transitioning to films and television later in life. Tyson Beckford is known for posing in a number of ads for Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren's Polo sport cologne line. Since 1990, he has been the face of Gucci and Tommy Hilfiger (company), Tommy Hilfiger, won Model of the year on VH1 Fashion award, and he has also appeared in Calvin Klein (fashion designer), Calvin Klein's campaign. Tim Boyce 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), Out'' magazine as well as campaigns for Giorgio Armani and Gianfranco Ferre.


2000s

In 2000s, Bruno Santos (model), Bruno Santos, a Brazilian model, became notorious for being the only male model selected to carry out two campaigns simultaneously for two competing fashion houses: Versace and Giorgio Armani. 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 the ...
in pants".polemiCoverraiba.com.br/
''SPECIAL EDITION: Revista de Fábio Bernardo revela que namoro trouxe modelo internacional para viver na Paraíba''
Former professional soccer player David Beckham is noted as the Underwear Model of the Century. He has modeled for worldwide ads for H&M, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Burger King, Sainsbury's, and Breitling. British model David Gandy was described as achieving "icon status" by ABC News (United States), ABC News when they featured him on ''Nightline'', stating, "As the face of Dolce & Gabbana and Lucky Jeans, Gandy is arguably one of the most successful male models ever, but he's a bit modest about that "supermodel" title."


2010s

Vogue.com ranked the "Top 10 Male Models of All Time" in September 2014; the list included Tyson Beckford, David Gandy, Brad Kroenig, Sean O'Pry, Jon Kortajarena, Marcus Schenkenberg, Mathias Lauridsen, Mark Vanderloo, Noah Mills, and Evandro Soldati. In 2013, ''Forbes'' named O'Pry the highest-paid male model.


Supermodels now

Various magazines and websites, including various international versions of: Elle (magazine), Elle,
Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' (stylized as ''Harper's BAZAAR'') is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. Bazaar has been published in New York City since November 2, 1867, originally as a weekly publication entitled ''Harper's Bazar''."Corporat ...
, and
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** '' Vogue Adria'', a fashion magazine for former Yugoslav countries ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ' ...
, have attributed the 'supermodel' title to a selection of models. The male models, include: David Gandy, Jon Kortajarena, Mathias Lauridsen, Alton Mason, and Simon Nessman. The female models, include: Vittoria Ceretti, Imaan Hammam, He Cong, Cong He, Felice Nova Noordhoff, Felice Noordhoff, Blanca Padilla, Anja Rubik, Mika Schneider, Luz Pavon, Fei Fei Sun, FeiFei Sun, Mona Tougaard, and Rianne Van Rompaey.


Plus-size

Since 2000, there has been an emergence of models known as female "Plus-size model, plus-size" top models, including Robyn Lawley, Crystal Renn, Ashley Graham, Candice Huffine, Tara Lynn, Whitney Thompson, Katya Zharkova, Denise Bidot, Sophie Dahl, Jennie Runk and Natalie Laughlin. These models have been in Catwalks, magazines, and Billboards for brands known worldwide like ''Vogue'', ''Glamour'', Levi's, Forever 21, Cover girl, Cover Girl cosmetics, Saks Fifth Avenue, GQ, GQ Magazine, and
Chanel Chanel ( , ) is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. It is privately owned by French brothers, Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, through the holding company Chanel Limited, established in 2018 and headquarte ...
. Graham had widespread amount of news coverage worldwide after ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' had her as one of the three covers of the 2016 edition.


In-between size

Camille Kostek, 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'', 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 and Chinese models Fei Fei Sun and Liu Wen. Due to the rising importance of social media and social movements such as Body positivity, third wave body positivity, the range of diversity within the industry expanded to diversity in sizes, genders and social media visibility.


See also

*
Evelyn Nesbit Florence Evelyn Nesbit (December 25, 1884 or 1885 – January 17, 1967) was an American model (person), artists' model, chorus girl, and actress. She is best known for her career in New York City, as well as her husband, railroad scion Har ...
, a widely photographed fashion model * Physical attractiveness * Self-image * Sex symbol * Superstar * ''Zoolander'', 2001 film by Ben Stiller about a supermodel


References

{{Reflist Celebrity Fashion Modeling (profession)