All Babes are Wolves: Supermodel Legends

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Supermodel Legends

Cindy, Stephanie, Claudia, Naomi, Linda and Christy

by Mario Testino, Vanity Fair 2008

As my Blog readers know, I grew up in the supermodel era, back when Linda Evangelista wouldn't "get out of bed" for less than $10,000, they strutted for Gianni Versace and appeared in George Michael's iconic 'Freedom' video in 1990. I even had to try the Fashion Cafe in London (they had curiously great fries - which was about all I could afford in 1998).

Stephanie, Cindy, Christy, Tatjana and Naomi

by Herb Ritts, 1989

Very few models have come close to the beauty and the enigma of the originals - Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell (dubbed 'The Trinity), Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and Stephanie Seymour. Also to be included in this rarified group should be Helena Christensen, Tatjana Patiz, Kristin McMenamy, Nadja Auermann, Yasmin LeBon, Carla Bruni, Eva Herzigova and Amber Valetta. Nowadays there are few models who could be bestowed with the same honour. Perhaps Gisele, and now Cara Delevingne who is fast tracked to being a force to be reckoned with. Time will tell. "Gisele Bündchen—with her curvaceous figure, $35 million annual income, and sex-symbol boyfriends (Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Brady)—is probably the only true supermodel around today. On the other hand, as Stephanie Seymour points out, the term has become so overused in the new century that now everybody’s a supermodel. “It’s very embarrassing,” she says, “when you meet, like, a Russian prostitute, and she says she’s a supermodel. And you’re like, ‘Hey, me too!’” (A League of their Own, Vanity Fair).

I never would have imagined that 30 years later, we would still be seeing those famous faces gracing campaigns and editorials - and looking amazing! Naomi just closed Diane von Furstenberg at New York Fashion Week, and as E New correspondent Alicia Quarels put it "She was like 'Listen kiddoes, this is how you do it', because nobody can walk like Naomi, right? She came out like 'I'm not playing', I love it!" Sure, they may have had a few tweaks here and there, but you cannot deny those naturally stunning features or that bone structure! Check out these shots from 2012-13.

Kate Moss - Age 39