Models are known for having a worldwide reputation and working with the top fashion designers and
clothing brands. With their superior looks and fierce catwalks, they are able to make anything look amazing. Because of this, many models are highly paid and have multimillion-dollar contracts. Their responsibility includes endorsements and campaigns. As veteran German Supermodel Claudia Schiffer has stated “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 recognize them.” (Source:
https://www.popsugar.com).
The term supermodel began to be first used during the 1960s and 1970s, an era that referred to Twiggy as a supermodel. If you have watched “Americas Next Top Model” then you have repeatedly heard model and judge Janice Dickinson claim to have become the world's first supermodel and to be the first to have coined the word by combining “superman and model.”
It wasn’t until the 1980s that models started to become “million dollar faces” by appearing in several advertisements of the beauty industry such as cosmetics brand Revlon. Models started to negotiate exclusive deals unheard of before and started to get recognize by the public for their image. Women all over the world wanted to look and feel sexy like these godly models because they appeared more like exotic images rather then plain individuals.
By the 1990’s Supermodels became very important in pop culture and started to appear billboards and on the runway doing the “catwalk.” They began to earn millions and branch off to land movie roles or have franchises of their own such as clothing lines.
During the 90s the most notable icons referred to as the original Top Five were Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, and Tatjana Patitz who appeared all over covers and were most recognized for their work with Gianni Versace.
Fast forward to the 2000s; Brazilian Models such as Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio rose to fame by appearing in swimsuit magazines and are heavily known for their high profile lingerie work as Victoria’s Secrets Angels.
Today, a new generation of models have gained fame through social media accounts such as Instagram. These models include Gigi Hadid, Hailey Baldwin, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and Cara Delevingne. Modeling has also evolved throughout time with Plus-Size Supermodels on the rise such as Ashley Graham who was the first Plus Sized Model to appear on the cover of the 2016 Sports Illustrated.
Original Versace Supermodels.
26
years later, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Helena
Christensen and Carla Bruni assemble for a catwalk tribute to Gianni
Versace, in the Donatella Versace’s Milan show.
In the early 1990s, Cindy Crawford starred in the
Pepsi advertising.
Claudia Schiffer: She has appeared on more than one thousand magazine
covers and holds the record for the model with the most magazine covers,
listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Naomi Campbell: In 1987 she appeared on the cover of British
Vogue, as that publication's first black cover girl since 1966. In 1988, she
became the first black model to appear on the cover of French Vogue.
Kate Moss: Her
collaborations with Calvin Klein brought her to fashion icon status. She is
known for her petite figure and role in size zero fashion.
Tyra Banks: The first African-American woman to be featured
on the covers of GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Adriana Lima is best known as a Victoria's Secret Angel since 1999, being their
longest-running model and named the most valuable Angel.
Alessandra Ambrosio was chosen as the first spokesmodel for the company's PINK line. She walked as an Angel from 2000 to 2017.
The new
generation of Supermodels.
Ashley Graham, the
first recognized Plus Size Supermodel.
By: VC
