THE END OF AN ERA

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. Whats that you ask? That is the definition of a supermodel. In the 1970's models became more prominent as their names became more and more recognizable to the general public. Women such as Janice Dickinson, Cheryl Tiegs, and Christie Brinkley were among the few who truly rose to fame through modeling.

By the 1980's models were becoming even more prominent, they included such beauties as Claudia Schiffer, Elle Macpherson, and Cindy Crawford. These women were all fixtures on the covers of fashion magazines and print ads making them incredibly famous household names and also incredibly exclusive because there were no others like them. The "era of the supermodel" then arrived in the 1990's with Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Christy Turlington. A very famous model out of the 90's who is still causing controversy today is Kate Moss. She was just a teenager in the 90's with her slim hips and accentuated cheek bones but her very thin appearance became know as the "waif" or "heroin chic" look which was extremely "in" during the 90's.

Since then the supermodel era has faded, very few models today are household names mostly because of the increased use of actresses, singers, and other celebrities on the cover of magazines and promoting different products. While there still are the few supermodels nowadays such as Gisele Bundchen, Adriana Lima, Heidi Klum, Karolina Kurkova, Tyra Banks, and Alessandra Ambrosio, it is not like it was years ago when supermodels were seen on the cover of every magazine and every ad. Also the supermodels of today are not donning that 90's "heroin chic" look which is actually quite relieving. Some models have been so "scary skinny" that they have died in the past few years because of it. Although the 90's supermodel trend has faded, the unhealthy, unsafe look of models has changed for the better as well.





Christie Turlington



Cindy Crawford



Kate Moss



Alessandra Ambrosio