17 Iconic Models That Changed the Fashion World With Their Appearance

Most people perceive models as soulless dolls with empty eyes, who, like programmed robots, walk the catwalk and demonstrate clothes. But in fact, many world-famous models became famous and became true legends of the fashion world not only thanks to their pretty faces, chiseled figures and parading in clothes from famous designers, but also because of what is inside - the core and charisma that led them on the right path to fame and recognition.

The future model came up with the beautiful name Dovima in childhood. She took the first syllables of her full name - Dorothy Virginia Margaret Juba - and created a sonorous pseudonym. This is how she signed her drawings. Due to rheumatism, she had to spend eight years in bed, but at 18, doctors finally declared her healthy. After that, she began working as a candy seller and simultaneously studying at an art school.

One day, a model scout spotted her near an elevator, and her career took off. Dovima became the face of such magazines as Glamour, Vogue, and Harper's Bazaar. Her mysterious look, thin waist, and amazing ability to transform herself captivated the world. She made a particularly strong impression on Christiano Dior. The most famous photo of the model was "Dovima with Elephants," taken by Richard Avedon.

In 1959, while shooting for Harper's Bazaar, Dovima suddenly decided to end her career. She simply told Avedon, "This is my last shoot." After working for the day, she calmly left the modeling business.

Dorian Leigh showed seriousness and intelligence from childhood. She graduated from school at the age of 15 and then received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. During World War II, she participated in the development of aircraft wing designs. Later, fate led her to an advertising agency, where she worked as a copywriter.

Dorian entered the modeling business at the age of 27, already being a mother of two children. Her first job was the cover of Harper's Bazaar - an achievement that many models could only dream of. But for her, this was only the beginning. Despite her short stature - only 165 cm - she was photographed for all the leading fashion magazines. At 35, she became the face of the cosmetics brand Revlon.

In 1980, Dorian published an autobiography called The Girl Who Could Do It All. She died in 2008, outliving two of her five children.

Verushka is a shining example of a woman who created herself. She has become a true living legend. This year, her autobiography was published, which attracted the attention of not only fashionistas, but also all connoisseurs of quality literature. Her amazing stories could impress even Salvador Dali, the famous mystifier.

At first, her career under her real name Vera von Lehndorff did not work out, but the mysterious pseudonym Verushka immediately caught the public's attention. Having come up with a unique legend for herself, she quickly became a star. Her unusual face, tall stature (183 centimeters!) and secretive nature, which were previously perceived as disadvantages, she turned into her main advantages. To this she added amazing flexibility and charisma.

In front of the camera, Vera knew how to transform herself: she became another person or even an object. For the sake of filming, she had to turn into stone, an animal, male rappers, and sometimes she completely merged with the walls, mimicking the world around her.

Before becoming a legend of Swinging London and meeting photographer David Bailey, Jean Shrimpton hardly ever appeared in magazines. She only appeared in advertisements, for example, for corn. Even after becoming a star and gracing the covers of all the major fashion magazines, Jean remained simple and charming. She did not like to dress up, preferring to knit sweaters with her own hands. Once she caused a sensation by appearing at the races without stockings, gloves and a hat, which was considered a real scandal at the time. Fans, thanks to her funny surname, affectionately nicknamed her Shrimp.

Naomi Sims is considered the first black supermodel. She faced difficulties at the beginning of her career: racial prejudices were very strong at that time. Modeling agencies and magazines refused to work with her because of her skin color. However, Naomi did not give up. She convinced photographer Gosta Peterson to shoot her for the cover of the New York Times Magazine fashion supplement. After this breakthrough, she was finally recognized in the industry.

Naomi began appearing on the covers of major publications such as Cosmopolitan and Life. However, in 1973, she became disillusioned with the modeling business and decided to leave the profession.

The famous stick-like girl Lesley Hornby, known to everyone as Twiggy, set the fashion for thinness, short haircuts, huge eyes and eyelashes resembling spider legs in the distant 60s. She became a symbol of her time and remains a role model even for modern girls striving for a thin figure. It is not for nothing that anorexia is sometimes called Twiggy syndrome.

However, Leslie herself did not consider herself beautiful at all before meeting the hairdresser Leonardo, who "discovered" her and made her the face of his beauty salon. Her thinness, which became her calling card, brought her a lot of suffering. The model finished her career in 1970, having worked for only five bright years. Nevertheless, she remains a fashion icon to this day.

Nothing in Donielle's childhood indicated her future success. Neither her ordinary name Peggy Ann Freeman, nor her difficult family situation - her mother, who killed her drinking husband, saw only a modest future for her daughter, such as a career as a nurse. But the girl ran away to the big city, changed her name and became a real star.

In 1966, she made history as the first black model on the cover of Vogue. The authoritative Time magazine even dubbed this year The Luna Year.

American Lauren Hutton was the first to turn a gap between her teeth into her unique feature. Today we admire Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Lara Stone, but in the past, agents insisted that Lauren correct this “flaw.” However, she refused — and she was right. Soon she was noticed by Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor of American Vogue, which marked the beginning of the model’s long collaboration with the magazine.

Lauren has appeared on the cover of Vogue more than 25 times! In 1974, she signed one of the first million-dollar modeling contracts in history with Revlon, remaining the face of the brand until she turned 40. She continues to work today: in 2008, at 68, Lauren became the face of Mango, and in 2011 she starred in an advertising campaign for H&M.

This Somali beauty was admired by Yves Saint Laurent himself, who called her the woman of his dreams. American designer Michael Kors considers her an “icon for all time.” Even the eccentric king of music, David Bowie, was enchanted by her, and they are still happily married.

It's hard to imagine, but Iman didn't even think about a modeling career once. She studied to be a political scientist and planned to build a political career. Shooting for magazines became just a way to pay for her education. She had to work hard to prove to the fashion world that she was not an uncouth ragamuffin, as many believed. For example, at the beginning of her career, the agency assigned her a translator, confident that she did not know English. In fact, Iman spoke five languages.

Now she is a successful businesswoman, founder of her own cosmetics brand for women with different skin tones, an accessories designer and even a writer.

You've probably seen the MTV show Janice the Witch Modeling School. The eccentric owner of this school was Janice Dickinson herself, the first model to openly call herself a supermodel. In the late '70s, she told Entertainment Tonight, "I'm a supermodel, honey, and you're going to call me a supermodel and create a whole new trend for supermodels!" And that's exactly what happened.

True, by the 2000s, Janice's wild character and love of plastic surgery had changed her face almost beyond recognition. Nevertheless, her name remained in the history of fashion as a symbol of innovation and audacity.

The story of Gia Carangi is probably familiar to you from the movie "Gia", where the main role was played by Angelina Jolie. Unfortunately, destinies cut short by drugs are not uncommon in the modeling business. Gia's appearance was not typical for models of that time, because then they valued cold blondes. However, her ability to transform and change images quickly led her to success.

Gia's most famous and striking work was the cover of Cosmopolitan, where she poses in a yellow swimsuit. This photo is still considered one of the most memorable in the model's career.

"Black Panther" Naomi Campbell is known around the world not only for her modeling achievements, but also for her explosive character. She throws phones, gets into fights, and then works off her punishment for public misconduct by cleaning the streets. However, we must not forget about her enormous contribution to the world of fashion - Naomi has become a true legend of the industry.

She had a harder time in the modeling business than other supermodels of the 90s. Racial discrimination in the industry at that time was still very noticeable. For example, between the first cover of British Vogue with a black model (Donielle Luna) and the second, with Naomi Campbell, 30 years passed. In order for French Vogue to agree to put Naomi on the cover, it took the help of Yves Saint Laurent. He threatened to stop working with the editors if they continued to ignore black models.

The famous slogan "Everyone is crazy about you - and you are crazy about Maybelline" appeared thanks to Christy Turlington. And really, how can you not admire her? Her contract with the cosmetic brand was one of the most expensive in the 90s: for 12 filming days a year, she received 800 thousand dollars.

Christie has appeared on more than 500 covers and collaborated with many fashion houses. But her best friend was Calvin Klein. For many years, she starred in their advertising campaigns, and in 2013, she again became the main model of the brand. Since the "supermodel era", as the 90s are called, neither Christie's face nor her figure, despite her age, have changed much.

"The girl with the mole above her upper lip" - this is what Cindy was called at the beginning of her modeling career, it was the mole that was and remains her main identifying mark. Although neither the parents of the future supermodel nor her sisters could have imagined that Cindy would become famous out of the entire family of beauties, because she was considered an ugly duckling in the family. But at 16, the girl was noticed by a photographer of a local newspaper, and at 17 she was already a model for the star agency Elite. At the beginning of her career, Cindy was called Baby Gia, compared to Gia Carangi - but she turned out to be more prudent and is now alive and well, raising children and doing charity work.

The beautiful blonde Claudia Schiffer seems to have borrowed her image from Brigitte Bardot - although Claudia's film career was not as exciting, and she only starred in one famous film, "Love Actually". But Claudia Schiffer's modeling career worked out perfectly: in a nightclub she met the director of the Metropolitan modeling agency, then moved to Paris, appeared on the cover of ELLE, started working with Chanel - and off it went.

Linda Evangelista's career began in childhood, when little Linda participated in children's beauty contests - and her main start was the Miss Teenage Niagara 1988 contest. There, the young "Miss Niagara" was noticed, and soon she moved to New York, became friends with photographer Peter Lindbergh and got her famous short haircut. She has more than 600 magazine covers to her credit, and she still continues to be photographed, although not as often.

In the 90s, the appearance of Kate Moss changed the fashion world. Against the backdrop of the luxurious, tall supermodels of the time, she looked fragile, exhausted, and even too ordinary - not at all like "goddesses" like Evangelista or Schiffer. However, her irregular facial features, piercing gaze, short stature, and thin figure became a symbol of a new era. It was with Kate that the fashion for androgyny and heroin chic began. The Calvin Klein advertising campaign with a young Moss has long been iconic.

Today, Kate still walks the runway, but only for her old designer friends, such as Marc Jacobs or Donatella Versace. She continues to shoot for magazines, tries herself in music, creates successful collections for Topshop and is involved in many other projects. A talented person, as we know, is talented in everything.