Model Roseanne “Rosie” Vela

In the 70s, I worked a lot a with model, Rosie Vela. I was introduced to her as “Roseanne,” so I continue to call her Roseanne. She calls me “Red” because she remembers my red hair from 1975!! This gorgeous photo was shot by Albert Watson for Vogue and Harry King did her hair.

I worked with Roseanne almost every day of 1975. There is one issue of September Vogue, 1975, where she’s on every page. The photograph below is by Irving Penn and was taken during the sweltering, hot summer in Paris, 1975. I didn’t use any fake lashes and no eyeliner, but tons of shadow pencil and shadows. Shadows were the “thing” and liner and lashes were old hat because they looked very 1960’s. The 1970s were all about eyeshadows and blush. Harry King, hair.

This Irving Penn photograph was from the 1975 Collections in Paris and was inspired by the European magazines at the time. These were the days before air conditioning, and I don’t think Mr. Penn did another location shoot after this one. I had the right face to work with however, and Harry King styled Roseanne’s hair.

This Irving Penn photograph of Roseanne was from the same 1975, Paris trip and was used on the cover of Vogue. Again, no air conditioning, plus we flew coach next to the bathroom. Ugh! Harry King did her hair.

Vogue’s beauty department used this photograph of Roseanne from the same 1975 shoot with Irving Penn to give a makeup lesson on eyeshadow. How lucky I was to have a model with a face like hers. I’m the “Dreamer Upper” of great makeup looks. In the piece Vogue called me “Sandra.”