Supermodel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A supermodel is a highly-paid top fashion model who is known world-wide for consistent and concurrent modeling work in haute couture and commercial modeling, usually for top fashion designers and labels, such as Chanel, Prada, and Gucci [citation needed].
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[edit] Origins of the term
Although Janice Dickinson has been known to credit herself as being the first supermodel, Lisa Fonssagrives is considered by most in the industry to actually fill that position.[1][2] Fonssagrives was in most of the major fashion and general interest magazines from the 1930s to the 1950s, including Town & Country, Life, Vogue, the original Vanity Fair, and Time.
In 1968, an article in Glamour described Twiggy, Cheryl Tiegs, Veruschka, Jean Shrimpton and fifteen other top models as "supermodels". The term supermodel gained currency in the 1960s by analogy with Andy Warhol's "Superstars".
[edit] The "rise" of the supermodel
In the 1970s, some models became more prominent as their names became more recognizable to the general public. These models included Janice Dickinson, who claims to have coined the term "supermodel", Cheryl Tiegs, Iman Abdulmajid and Christie Brinkley [citation needed].
The prominence of supermodels increased in the 1980s, with models such as Claudia Schiffer, Paulina Porizkova, Elle Macpherson, and Cindy Crawford [citation needed]. By the 1990s, which has been called "era of the supermodels" [citation needed], supermodels were prominient in the media. During this period, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington were highly-visible models. [3] Beverly Peele graced over 250 magazine covers and was first black model on the cover of Mademoiselle Magazine in 1989.
In the 1990s, Kate Moss, a teenager with slim hips, prominent cheekbones, and small breasts, became a popular model [citation needed]. Moss's appearance came to be called the "waif" or "heroin chic" look, which was prominent during the later 1990s.
[edit] The so-called "end" of the supermodel era
Since the mid-90s, those supermodels' popularity have supposedly faded. The decline of the supermodel era may be nigh, due to the increased use of actresses, pop singers, or other celebrities on the covers of fashion magazines and ad campaigns. [4] [5]
A number of prominent models of the late 1990s and early 21st century are decidedly referred to as supermodels, including Laetitia Casta, Linda Evangelista, Gisele Bündchen, Heidi Klum, Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford, Rachel Hunter, Karolina Kurkova, Petra Nemcova, Tyra Banks, Adriana Lima, Daniela Pestova, Veronica Varekova, Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks and Kate Moss [citation needed].
A new fashion icon rose in the 2000s. Australia's Gemma Ward's baby doll-like look inspired a new "craze" in modeling. Fashion designer Lazaro Hernandez tells Teen Vogue (Feb. 06), "She looked like no one else at the time. She was this alien, and fashion is always looking for newness." Her look became the popular new look among models.[6]
It has inspired a new generation of baby doll-like models such as Vlada Roslyakova, Heather Marks, Devon Aoki, Lisa Cant, Lily Cole, Carol Trentini, and Jessica Stam [citation needed].
Right now, the industry's top working models include Tyra Banks, Alessandra Ambrosio, Gemma Ward, Daria Werbowy, Malgosia Bela, Julia Stegner, Iselin Steiro, Mariacarla Boscono, Isabeli Fontana, Omahyra Mota, Doutzen Kroes, Natasha Poly, Caroline Trentini, Sasha Pivovarova, Jessica Stam, Elise Crombez, and Izabel Goulart [citation needed]. In recent months, there has been a lot of talk about the comeback of the "supermodel", with some of these top models in mind [citation needed].
[edit] Male supermodels
Some male models have been referred to as supermodels, such as Marcus Schenkenberg, Andrew Stetson, Tyson Beckford, Bruno Santos,Travis Fimmel, Massimiliano Neri, Michael Gandolfi, Mark Vanderloo, Alex Lundqvist, Michael Bergin, Will Chalker. However, male models do not have the publicity outlet of magazine and newspaper appearances as a "Cover Boy".
[edit] See also
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[edit] References
- ^ The First Supermodel
- ^ The World's First Supermodel
- ^ We Three Queens by Alex Williams, New York online retrieved July 7, 2006
- ^ Not Just Another Pretty Face: The End of the Supermodel Era by Hilary Rowland, Hilary Magazine online retrieved July 7, 2006
- ^ Death of the Supermodels by C. L. Johnson, Urban Models October 21, 2002 online retrieved July 13, 2006
- ^ "Who's that Girl?", "Teen Vogue February 2006 [1] retrieved August 17, 2006
