Cindy Crawford

Cindy Crawford

Crawford in October 2009
Born Cynthia Ann Crawford
February 20, 1966
DeKalb, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation Model, actress, television personality
Years active 1987–present
Spouse(s) Richard Gere (m. 1991–95)
Rande Gerber (m. 1998)
Children 2

Modeling information

Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Hair color Brown
Eye color Brown
Measurements 34B"-25.5"-36" (86-65-91 cm)[2]
Website
www.cindy.com

Cynthia Ann "Cindy" Crawford (born February 20, 1966) is an American model. Her success at modeling made her an international celebrity that has led to roles in television and film, and to work as a spokesperson. In 1995, Forbes magazine named her the highest paid model on the planet.[3] She was named No. 3 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of the 90s and was named one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time" by Men's Health.[4] Crawford is known for her trademark mole just above her lip, and has appeared on hundreds of magazine covers throughout her career.

Early life

Cynthia Ann Crawford was born in DeKalb, Illinois on February 20, 1966, the daughter of Jennifer Sue Crawford-Moluf (née Walker) and John Dan Crawford.[5][6] She has two sisters, Chris and Danielle.[7] She has stated that her family has been in the U.S. for generations and that her ancestry is mostly German, English, and French.[8] By appearing in an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? in 2013, she discovered that her ancestors included English nobility and continental royal families of the Middle Ages, and that she was descended from Charlemagne.[9]

She was discovered at the age of 16 by a newspaper photographer who noticed her at work during her summer job of detasseling corn and took a picture of her. The photo and positive feedback she received were enough to convince her to take up modeling. She entered the Elite Model Management's Look of the Year contest at 17 and was the runner-up. Elite Model Management in Chicago then started representing her.

Crawford graduated from DeKalb High School in 1984, as valedictorian.[10] She won an academic scholarship to study chemical engineering at Northwestern University, which she attended for only one quarter. She dropped out in order to pursue a full-time modeling career. After working for photographer Victor Skrebneski in Chicago, Crawford moved to Manhattan in 1986 and signed with the Elite New York modeling agency.

Career

During the 1980s and 1990s, Cindy Crawford was among the most popular supermodels, and a ubiquitous presence on magazine covers, runways, and in fashion campaigns. She was repeatedly and frequently featured on the cover of many magazines, including: Vogue, W, People, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Allure. A partial count in 1998 totalled over 400 appearances.[11] Crawford also appeared in many fashion campaigns during her career, including those for Gianni Versace, Escada, Revlon, and Ink. She has also worked for Omega, Maybelline, Clairol, and Chilean retail stores Ripley (partner of Macy's).

In 1987, Crawford appeared during the opening credits of the Michael J. Fox film The Secret of My Success. Three years later, she appeared alongside top models Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz and Naomi Campbell on the cover of the January 1990 edition of British Vogue magazine. Crawford and the other four models subsequently appeared in the video for George Michael's hit "Freedom '90" later that year. Subsequently, Crawford played the lost love of Jon Bon Jovi in the video for his version of Please Come Home For Christmas and "John Taylor" in the 2011 video for Duran Duran's "Girl Panic" (featuring supermodels as the band, including Naomi Campbell as Simon Le Bon).

The red Versace dress which she wore to the 63rd Academy Awards in 1991 had a major influence on fashion, and many copies and fakes of the dress were produced.[12][13][14] In 1992, Crawford—through GoodTimes Home Video and her company Craw Daddy Productions—made an exercise video with Radu Teodorescu named Cindy Crawford: Shape Your Body; although criticised by some for being unsafe, it was hugely successful and led to two equally lucrative followups, Cindy Crawford: The Next Challenge in 1993 (again with Radu) and Cindy Crawford: A New Dimension in 2000 (the latter, made with fitness expert Kathy Kaehler and produced not long after Cindy gave birth to her first child, was aimed at new mothers getting back into shape). In 2001, Cindy also made a shorter fitness video aimed at children, Mini-Muscles with Cindy Crawford and the Fit-wits, an animated production featuring the voices of Cindy (who also appears at the beginning in live action), Radu and Kobe Bryant.

The inaugural issue of George, a short lived political magazine in the 1990s, featured Crawford dressed like George Washington on the cover. In 2005, The American Society of Magazine Editors listed it as the 22nd best magazine cover of the last 40 years.[15]

Crawford is 5 feet 9 inches tall,[1] with brown hair and eyes. Her measurements are 34"-25.5"-36".[2] Crawford's trademark is a mole (or "beauty mark") above her upper lip. She is so closely associated with this physical feature that she appeared in an advertising campaign for chocolates featuring commercials wherein she "licked off" her own mole. During the beginning of her career, the mole was removed from her earlier modeling pictures, including her first Vogue cover. Her resemblance early in her career to model Gia Carangi led her to being known as "Baby Gia".[16][17]

Crawford has also been on TV and in films. From 1989 to 1995, Crawford was host of MTV's House of Style. In the early 1990s, Crawford starred in the Pepsi and Pepsi Stuff advertising.[18][19] In 1995, Crawford broke into movies as the female lead in the movie Fair Game. Her performance was panned by critics—Leonard Maltin commented "In her acting debut, supermodel Crawford makes a good jogger."[20] The film was also a financial failure, with expenses of $50 million and $11 million takings at the box office. In 2001, she costarred as part of an ensemble cast in The Simian Line. Again the film was not successful or critically acclaimed, but Crawford's acting was not criticized. She has had many lesser roles guest starring on TV and as supporting roles, often playing herself. For example, in 2000, she was one of the celebrities (along with Victoria Silvstedt, Anna Falchi and Megan Gale) playing themselves in the Italian comedy Bodyguards – Guardie del corpo. In the 1990s, Carol Shaw, her make-up artist, named a lipstick color after Crawford as a part of the Lorac Cosmetics lip-wear line.[21]

In July 1988, she posed nude for Playboy magazine in a shoot by photographer Herb Ritts.[22] In October 1998, Crawford returned to the pages of Playboy for a second nude pictorial, again taken by Ritts.[23]

Crawford has consistently ranked highly on lists of the world's sexiest people. She was ranked number 5 on Playboy's list of the 100 Sexiest Stars of the 20th century. A 1997 Shape magazine survey of 4,000 picked her as the second (after Demi Moore) most beautiful woman in the world. In 2002, Crawford was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by People magazine. In her forties, she claimed No. 26 in the 2006 Hot 100 issue of Maxim magazine.[24]

Fashion designer Michael Kors summed up her impact:

“ Cindy changed the perception of the 'sexy American girl' from classic blue eyed blonde to a more sultry brunette with brains, charm, and professionalism to spare.[25] ”

After modeling

Crawford at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.

Crawford quit full-time modeling in 2000, and now appears only occasionally in fashion magazines. She continues to provide celebrity endorsement for a variety of projects. In 2005, Crawford created a line of beauty products with Jean-Louis Sebagh called Meaningful Beauty for Guthy-Renker[26] Crawford has admitted to regularly receiving certain cosmetic procedures, including Botox and vitamin injections. She first saw a plastic surgeon at the age of 28.[27]

In 2005, Crawford launched a new line of furniture under the "Cindy Crawford Home Collection" name. The collection is manufactured by HM Richards Inc. She assisted in the creation of the line by consulting on the features, colors, or styles that fit the needs of families or reflected her own tastes.[28] She also has a furniture line with Raymour & Flanigan and launched home goods line with J. C. Penney in late 2009.[29]

Crawford returned to modeling in May 2011, appearing on the cover of the May 2011 issue of Vogue Mexico.[30]

In 2014, Crawford lead a rally promoting environmental safety at Malibu schools. The Malibu Times states that several Malibu teachers came forward with health issues in 10/13, including three with thyroid cancer. Toxic soils were reportedly found at Malibu High in 2010, with the school district failing to inform parents about the problem.[31]

Personal life

Crawford was married to actor Richard Gere from 1991 to 1995. She married former model Rande Gerber on May 29, 1998. They have two children, son Presley Walker (born July 2, 1999)[32] and daughter Kaia Gerber[33] (born September 3, 2001).[34]

The TV show Who Do You Think You Are? demonstrated that Crawford is a direct descendent of Charlemagne, her 41 times great grandfather.

Activism and charity work

When Crawford was 10 years old, her younger brother Jeff—whom she continues to praise as "the fourth most influential person in my life"—died of leukemia. Since becoming a model, Crawford has made childhood leukemia a focal point of her charity work, donating proceeds of her calendars to medical research.[35] Crawford has been a long-time supporter of the pediatric oncology program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where Jeff was treated, stating that she believes he received the best care possible.[36] She is also an honorary board member of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.[37]

In 2007, she became an official supporter of the Ronald McDonald House Charities and is a member of their celebrity board, called the Friends of RMHC.[38] Crawford is on the Honorary Committee of the California Wildlife Center.[39]

Political endorsements

In 2008 Crawford endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States. In 2011, she endorsed Mitt Romney.[40]

Filmography

Films

Year Title Role
1995 Unzipped Herself
1995 Catwalk Herself
1995 Fair Game Kate McQueen
1998 54 VIP Patron
1998 Beautopia Herself
2000 Body Guards – Guardie del corpo Herself and her double
2001 The Simian Line Sandra

Videos

Year Title
1990 George Michael: Freedom 90'
1992 Cindy Crawford: Shape Your Body Workout
1993 Cindy Crawford: The Next Challenge Workout
2000 Cindy Crawford: A New Dimension
2011 Duran Duran: Girl Panic!

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1989–1995 MTV's House of Style Host
1996 Muppets Tonight! Herself Episode: "Episode 5"
1997 Frasier Dorothy (voice only) Episode: "Halloween"
1998 3rd Rock from the Sun Masha, one of the invading Venusians Episode: "36! 24! 36! Dick!"
1998 Sesame Street
1998 Elmopalooza
1998 The Secret World of... Supermodels
1998 Sex with Cindy Crawford Host TV special
2002 According to Jim Gretchen Saunders, manager of a car dealership Episode: "Cars & Chicks"
2004 Headliners and Legends: Cindy Crawford
2007 Sunrise
2009 Wizards of Waverly Place Bibi Rockford[41] Episode: "Fashion Week"
2013 Who Do You Think You Are? Herself Season 4, Episode 6
2015 Cougar Town Herself Episode: "Yer So Bad"

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Supermodel Cindy". People 39 (17). May 3, 1993.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Profile Storm Models web site
  3. ↑ Cindy Crawford Biography. askmen.com. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
  4. ↑ "The 100 Hottest Women of All-Time". Men's Health. 2011. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  5. ↑ "A sweet and sour party at Fashion Week". Newsday. September 9, 2009. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
  6. ↑ "Cynthia Ann Crawford". geneall.net. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Sole Mates". People (magazine). June 15, 1998.
  8. ↑ "Twitter/CindyCrawford". June 4, 2010.
  9. ↑ Mike Parker, Cindy Crawford has royal blood: SUPERMODEL Cindy Crawford has learnt that she is related to the Emperor Charlemagne dated 1 September 2013 at express.co.uk, accessed 2 February 2014
  10. ↑ "13 Famous Valedictorians". MSN Encarta. Archived from the original on October 31, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Television; 'Sex With Cindy'; TV special explores the sexual state of the union", by Harvey Solomon, Boston Herald, September 22, 1998, p. 56
  12. ↑ "Un' epoca nel segno di Versace". Corriere della Sera. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  13. ↑ Chace, Reeve (October 2003). The Complete Book of Oscar Fashion: Variety's 75 Years of Glamour on the Red Carpet. Reed Press. ISBN 978-1-59429-001-5. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  14. ↑ Urmee Khan (October 9, 2008). "Liz Hurley 'safety pin' dress voted the greatest dress". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  15. ↑ "ASME's Top 40 Magazine Covers of the Last 40 Years", American Society of Magazine Editors, October 17, 2005
  16. ↑ "Voguepedia: Gia Carangi". Vogue.com. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  17. ↑ Gross, Michael (October 30, 1989). "The Face". New York Magazine (New York Media, LLC) 22 (43): 39. ISSN 0028-7369. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Ads and History – Highlights". Pepsi.com. March 31, 1999. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
  19. ↑ "11 Best Super Bowl Ads Ever". Entertainment Weekly. February 5, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
  20. ↑ "Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide", by Leonard Maltin, p. 433
  21. ↑ "Look book: celeb makeup artists told us the tricks they use to get stars looking amazing. (Now you can steal their secrets, baby!)". CosmoGirl!. November 1, 2003. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Cindy Crawford", Playboy. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
  23. ↑ Rush, George et al. "IT BARES REPEATING: CINDY IS NUDE AGAIN!", Daily News (online), August 27, 1998.
  24. ↑ Cindy Crawford of 2006 Hot 100 on Maxim.com
  25. ↑ "George Clooney steps in to defend Cindy Crawford's husband against sexual harassment claims", by Sara Nelson, Daily Mail, May 5, 2009
  26. ↑ "Cindy Crawford on Beauty, Fitness, and Eating Healthy". Harpers Bazaar, October 23, 2014.
  27. ↑ Simpson, Richard. "Cindy Crawford: 'My 11 years of cosmetic surgery'". Daily Mail, August 24, 2006. Retrieved May 15, 2009.
  28. ↑ Johnson, Morieka V. "Q&A / CINDY CRAWFORD: Furniture line has 'a lot of me in it'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 15, 2008.
  29. ↑ Sivaraman, Aarthi. "J.C. Penney to Launch Cindy Crawford Home Goods Line". Reuters, April 3, 2009. Retrieved May 14, 2009.
  30. ↑ "Cindy Crawford Tries Pantsless Trend On Vogue Mexico Cover".
  31. ↑ "Cindy Crawford Leads Rally Fighting Environmental Safety in Malibu".
  32. ↑ Anne-Marie O'Neill (July 19, 1999). "Cindy's Joy". People. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  33. ↑ Creeden, Molly (December 8, 2014). "Meet Cindy Crawford's Daughter Kaia Gerber, A 13-Year-Old Who's About to Become the Next Big Thing". Teen Vogue (Yahoo). Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Babies of 2001". Hello. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  35. ↑ Smith, Nicole. "Crawford raises questions, awareness for leukemia society". Direct Marketing News, October 25, 2006. Retrieved May 14, 2009.
  36. ↑ Cindy Crawford's Heartfelt July 4th Weekend, People, July 7, 2008. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  37. ↑ MMRF Honorary Board, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Retrieved May 14, 2009.
  38. ↑ "Celebrity Friends of RMHC". McDonald's Corporation.
  39. ↑ "California Wildlife Center to host 'party of the decade'". The Malibu Times, July 30, 2008. Retrieved May 14, 2009.
  40. ↑ Gavin, Patrick (May 17, 2011). "Politico 'Cindy Crawford Flip-Flops for Mitt Romney'". Politico. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  41. ↑ "Exclusive! Cindy Crawford: 'Wizards of Waverly' Place Made Me Famous With My Kids'". hollywoodlife. March 24, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2012.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cindy Crawford.
Preceded by
none		 Host of House of Style
1989–1995 		Succeeded by
Amber Valletta and Shalom Harlow
Preceded by
Nick Nolte		 People's Sexiest Couple Alive
(shared with Richard Gere)
1993 		Succeeded by
Brad Pitt
(no award given in 1994)