The most iconic models in the history of fashion

The pull of iconic models still remains strong. Many of those who retired from the catwalks are far from forgotten and continue as a source of inspiration in the fashion industry.  They have been witness to the most exciting and important moments in the sector.

Lauren Hutton made history as the first model to sign a million dollar contract, as the face of the Revlon cosmetics brand.  She was discovered by Diana Vreeland and Richard Avedon was one of the first to photograph her.

Twiggy’s androgynous features, boyish haircut, freckles and bold false eyelashes, all helped turn her into one of the first supermodels in the world. She was recognised by her extroverted looks, and never left her wicker basket bag behind. She just happened to be discovered while working in a hair salon. Her success continues today.

The supermodels of the 90’s, which included Elle Macpherson, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Helena Christensen, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, marked a milestone in the fashion industry. This was the golden age for these models who broke the mould with their spectacular beauty.  Even today, more than 3 decades later, their photos continue to grace magazine covers. All of them have appeared on the catwalks, have been the image for the most exclusive brands and have posed for the most well-known photographers. Peter Lindbergh photographed them in group portraits on various occasions. The fashion industry experienced a before and after with this group of supermodels. Many of them participated in the fashion show tribute for Gianni Versace in 2017.

In Spain, the most successful models have been Inés Sastre and Judit Mascó.  Sastre became a household name in 1996 when she took over from Isabella Rossellini as the face for the Trésor perfume by Lancôme.  Before that, she had won the Elite Model Look World Final in Paris. Mascó, meanwhile, skyrocketed to fame in 1990 when she appeared as the cover model on the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.  A year later she was on the cover of the American edition of Vogue, the first Spanish woman to do so. Both Sastre and Mascó have modelled for some of the most prestigious firms and have been photographed by the greatest fashion photographers.

In recent years, Cara Delevingne, who was featured in a DKNY campaign, has been recognised for a series of images in which she wore a colourful look and a green shopper bag. Her popularity was key at the beginning of the 2000’s.

All of these models remain in the collective memory and form an important part of the history of fashion. They are friends of fashion designers and many of their children are now models, too. Theirs are the faces which come to mind most in this demanding and often undervalued profession.