FASHION DARLING
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90s Supermodels
"We don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day" - Linda Evangelista
1990s
The 1990s were when modeling broke open, becoming a worldwide
cultural obsession that hijacked nearly every advertising surface on the
planet. Models were no longer merely living hangers, but titans of
industry – they were hosting their own TV shows, designing their own
lines of clothing, and even making an impact behind the lens. The
concept of modeling “tribes” didn’t really exist prior to the 90s, when
Gianni Versace’s keen eye for talent landed on the Big Five –
Naomi Campbell,
Cindy Crawford,
Linda Evangelista,
Christy Turlington, and
Claudia Schiffer – whom he tapped for his
Versace Freedom ‘99 runway show. Evangelista later made a big splash by
declaring to the press, “We don’t wake up for less than
$10,000 a day,” proving that personality was a big part of
putting the ‘super’ in supermodels. The Big Five later became the Big
Six with the addition of waifish anti-model
Kate Moss. Meanwhile, Campbell, Turlington,
and Evangelista formed a “trinity” of the most popular cover models in
history. Outside of the Big Six,
Elle MacPherson – otherwise known as “The
Body” – dominated the swimwear category as the biggest Sports
Illustrated cover model of the 90s. While several of the decade’s most
prominent models have managed to hold on to modeling careers today, it
is Tyra Banks who has managed to maintain
relevance for decades due to her pivot towards television and film.