Supermodel

Brazillian supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

A supermodel is a highly paid fashion model in an elite group that has a worldwide reputation. According to Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women by Michael Gross, the first known use of the term was in the 1940s in a how-to book for models by an agent named Clyde Matthew Dessner. In an article in Glamour magazine in 1968, the author described Twiggy, Cheryl Tiegs, Veruschka, Jean Shrimpton and fifteen other top models as "supermodels". The term supermodel gained currency by analogy with Andy Warhol's "superstars" of the 1960s, and, like "superstardom", it has been wrongly concatenated to include almost anyone who finds steady access to work, with top designers, fashion magazines and commercial clients; uncommon in the highly volatile fashion industry.

Supermodels are top models in both high fashion and commercial modeling. Pin-up models, Playboy models, and Glamour models are not considered supermodels, because they do not have a background in high fashion couture modeling. These top models have consistent work in both high fashion and commercial at the same time. Models who've had done only one of the both, are not considered supermodels. They haven't been able to maintain an equal amount of both work at the same time.

Supermodels are household names, and thus known by their first names in the fashion industry e.g. Gisele, Naomi, Kate, Cindy, Christy, Linda, Claudia, Iman. These celebrity models receive very high pay. Their annual salaries are in the millions.

Many claim that Janice Dickinson as the first supermodel and even think she created the term in 1979. However the 1940s book by Dessner proves Dickinson did not coin the word. According to authour Michael Gross, "With all due respect to the ever-amusing Miss Dickinson, Anita Colby, Dorian Leigh, Suzy Parker, Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy were all supermodels before Janice, even if the superlative hadn't yet become popular." She has done extensive work including 37 covers of Vogue.

File:LisaFVogue.jpg

One of Lisa Fonssagrives' more than 200 covers on Vogue.

Others claim Lisa Fonssagrives to be the world's first supermodel since no one has surpassed her over 200 covers of Vogue alone. As shown on the cover to the right, Fonssagrives at the height of her career could be both sophisticated and yet a cook which every American woman could identify. It was this relationship between Fonssagrives and Vogue, with her name recognition, that would forge the importance of the magzaine in the shaping of future supermodels. She was in nearly every fashion magazine from the 1930s to the 1950s, from Town and Country, Life, Vogue, and the original Vanity Fair to the cover of Time magazine.

Supermodels are, almost by definition, sex symbols. Supermodels are globally famous, and often parlay their celebrity into product endorsement deals and acting careers.

Female supermodels

The term took hold in the 1980s and 1990s, but as early as the 1940s there were a number models that gained the national and international recognition to be the first "supermodels". It is true that these firsts often did not have their names known by the general public but they were easily recognized on sight from their covers on national magazines, newspapers, product advertisements, department store spokesmodels, designer muses, etc. Below they are listed by the decade in which they became known. Their careers often spanned more than one decade.

1940s

Cathee Dahmen, Dorian Leigh, Dovima, Lisa Fonssagrives, Anita Colby, Jean Patchett, are often considered the world's first renowned models. These girls were the top fashion models at the time.

1950s

The supermodels of the 1950s were Tippi Hedren, Suzy Parker,Lily Carlson, Ruth Newman, Sunny Harnett, and Deloris Hawkins. [1]

1960s

The 60s were known as the "Swinging London". The top supermodels were Lesley Hornby aka Twiggy, Peggy Moffitt, Naomi Sims, Donyale Luna, Colleen Corby, Molly Corby, Jean Shrimpton , Dayle Haddon, Veruschka, Agneta Freiberg, Linda Morand, Cybill Shephard, Terry Reno, Wilhelmina, Angela Howard , Penelope Tree, Bethann Hardison, Lauren Hutton, and Celia Hammond. The most iconic of this group was Twiggy, whose look & style became "The Face of '66", according to the Daily Express.

1970s

During the 1970s more supermodels continued to rise to fame. One of the very famous supermodels during this era was Janice Dickinson, who by many, claim is the "World's First Supermodel." She has done extensive work including thirty seven covers of Vogue. She was one of the first models to push for lucrative pay. When average models earned a measly $75 dollars a day, Janice Dickinson banked in $2000 a day. When a modeling job was for couple thousand dollars, Janice demanded $20,000. Supermodels in the 70s included Anna Bayle, Janice Dickinson, Pat Cleveland, Jerry Hall, Lauren Hutton, Patti Hansen, Iman Abdulmajid, Gia Marie Carangi, Christie Brinkley, Marie Helvin, Karen Graham, Cheryl Tiegs, Norma Jean Darden, Peggy Dillard, Grace Jones, Carol Alt, and Beverly Johnson.

1980s

Many top models ruled the 80s. This was the rise of the supermodel. Supermodels of this era included Jerry Hall, Janice Dickinson, Iman, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Christie Brinkley, Gia Carangi, Kim Alexis, Beverly Johnson, Carol Alt, Rene Simonsen, Stephanie Seymour, Tatjana Patitz, Kara Young, Estelle Lefebure-Hallyday, Paulina Porizkova, Gail Elliot, Carre Otis, Veronica Webb, Karen Graham, Gail O'Neil, Carla Bruni, Marie Helvin, Elle Macpherson, Yasmin Le Bon, Michaela Bercu, Kathy Ireland, Renee Simonsen, Elaine Irwin Mellencamp, Estelle Lefebure, Lauren Hutton, and Milla Jovovich. [2]

The "Trinity" – 1990s

The high point of the supermodel era was in the 90s. The famous "Trinity" of Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington were most linked with the term. These years were known as the "era of the supermodels". They were on hundreds of magazine covers and walked for hundreds of fashion shows. The five great supermodels of the Supermodel era consisted of the Trinity, along with Claudia Schiffer and Cindy Crawford.

Other supermdoels of this era were Tyra Banks, Milla Jovovich, Yasmeen Ghauri, Beverly Peele, Bridget Hall, Helena Christensen, Karen Mulder, Brandi Quinones, Niki Taylor, Eva Herzigová, Elle Macpherson, Nadja Auermann, Shalom Harlow, Stella Tennant, Elaine Irwin Mellencamp, Meghan Douglas, Veronica Webb, Carla Bruni, Estelle Lefebure, Tatjana Patitz, Amber Valletta, Yasmin Le Bon, Daniela Peštová, Stephanie Seymour, and Kate Moss. [3]

Kate Moss and the waif look

Kate Moss

The most controversial model of the 1990s was Kate Moss. She was consistently scrutinized over her slim look and people often speculated that she was anorexic. She gave birth to the style of supermodel known in the 1990s as the "waif." This look, became common in the 2000s among high-end fashion models.

Supermodel era ends

The supermodel era ended around 1997. Many people consider Kate Moss as the last of the great supermodels. Many suggest that the supermodel era was from 1991 to 1997. Actresses began taking the jobs of fashion models. Actresses are now shown on fashion magazine covers, and even star in ad campaigns.

Supermodels of the post-supermodel era included Tatjana Patitz, Stella Tennant, Chandra North, Carolyn Murphy, Shalom Harlow, Amber Valletta, Erin O'Connor, Karen Elson, Frankie Rayder, Esther Canadas, Laetitia Casta, Elsa Benítez, Tricia Helfer, Alek Wek, Devon Aoki, Ana Hickmann, Angela Lindvall, Gemma Ward, May Anderson, Daria Werbowy, Du Juan, Frankie Rayder, Sasha Pivovarova, Carmen Kass, Mini Anden, Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Isabeli Fontana, Molly Sims, Fernanda Tavares, Karolina Kurkova, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Liya Kebede, Adriana Lima, Ines Sastre, Yasmin Le Bon, Bridget Hall, Elaine Irwin Mellencamp, Yasmeen Ghauri, Tyra Banks, and Alessandra Ambrosio.

2000s

The new generation of top models includes: Adriana Lima, Alek Wek, Alessandra Ambrosio, Amber Valletta, Ana Beatriz Barros, Angela Lindvall, Carmen Kass, Caroline Trentini, Caroline Winberg, Carolyn Murphy, Cintia Dicker, Daria Werbowy, Devon Aoki, Doutzen Kroes, Du Juan, Elise Crombez, Eugenia Volodina, Gemma Ward, Gisele Bündchen, Hana Soukupova, Heather Marks, Irina Lazareanu, Isabeli Fontana,Jeisa Chiminazzo, Jessica Stam, Julia Stegner, Karen Elson, Karolina Kurkova, Kate Moss, Lily Cole, Lily Donaldson, Lisa Cant, Liya Kebede, Maggie Rizer, Marija Vujovic, Marina Perez, Morgane Dubled, Milagros Schmoll, Natalia Vodianova, Natasha Poly, Oluchi Onweagba, May Andersen, Polina Kouklina, Sasha Pivovarova, Shalom Harlow, Stella Tennant, Tiiu Kuik, Vlada Roslyakova, Yasmine Warsame and

Waif baby doll-like models

The waif/heroin chic look, was popular after Kate Moss's 1997 Calvin Klein ad campaign. Today, baby doll-like models are the popular look. Notable baby doll models include Gemma Ward, Cintia Dicker, Lisa Cant, Jessica Stam, Heather Marks, Caroline Trentini, Lily Cole, Lily Donaldson, Caroline Winberg, Polina Kouklina, Sasha Pivovarova, Natasha Poly, Vlada Roslyakova, Jeisa Chiminazzo, Julia Stegner, Raquel Zimmermann, Mariacarla Boscono and Devon Aoki.

Male supermodels

Not all supermodels are female. During the 1990s, many male models surfaced. Many claim the first male supermodel to being Marcus Schenkenberg, while the first black supermodel is Tyson Beckford. Other male supermodels include: Mark Vanderloo, Joel West, Will Chalker, Michael Bergin, Ian Webb, Travis Fimmel, Hoyt Richards, Bruno Santos, Massimiliano Neri, Larry Scott, Rafael Verga, Gabriel Aubry, Alex Lundqvist, Ludovico Benazzo, and Jason Shaw.

Firsts

• The first male supermodel was Marcus Schenkenberg and the first male black supermodel was Tyson Beckford. [4] [5]

• Tyra Banks was the first African-American model on the cover of GQ Magazine, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Magazine, and the Victoria's Secret Catalogs. Tyra appeared first on S.I., paired with Valeria Mazza, and in next year, she appeared by herself. She was also the first African-American Victoria's Secret Angel. [6]

• Donyale Luna was the first African-American model on the cover of a Vogue Magazine. She was the covergirl for U.K. Vogue Magazine.

• Beverly Johnson was the first African-American model on the cover of U.S. Vogue and French ELLE.

• Liya Kebede was the first African-American model for Estee Lauder cosmetics. [7]

• Naomi Campbell was the first black model to appear on the cover of French Vogue Magazine, British Vogue Magazine, and Time Magazine. [8]

• Lana Ogilvie was the first African-American CoverGirl model. [9]

• Naomi Sims was the first African-American model on the cover of Life Magazine and Fashion of the Times Magazine. Naomi, Donyale Luna, and Bethann Hardison were the first major African-American supermodels, who rose to fame in the 60s. [10]]

• Veronica Webb was the first African-American model to sign a major cosmetic contract with Revlon in 1992.

• Gemma Ward was the first model on the cover of Teen Vogue. [11]

• Lauren Hutton was the first model to get a makeup contract. [12] [13]

• Anna Bayle was the first major Asian supermodel. [14] [15]

Highest paid supermodels

Supermodels are the most highly paid models. Their rates begin at over US$30,000 per day and can go as high as US$50,000, compared to the average top fashion model whose rate starts at around US$10,000 per day.

Forbes Magazine has a yearly list of the top five highest paid supermodels, representing how much each earned that year. Gisele Bündchen (US$15.2 million) topped the most recent list of Brazilian models year ending June 2005. Milla Jovovich (US$10.5 million), Gisele Bündchen (US$10 million) were the top two in the Forbes 2005 & 2004 lists. Elle MacPherson held the title in 2001 with (US$38.12 million)while Cindy Crawford topped the list in 1999 and 1995. The 1997 list of highest paid supermodels the top two were Elle MacPherson (US$40.3 million) and Cindy Crawford (US$37.7 million). [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

See also

• Anorexia
• Beauty
• Body image
• Big Beautiful Woman
• Female body shape
• Human height
• Human variability
• Physical attractiveness
• Self-image
• Popular culture