Fashion Models- Not just about a pretty face
Dovima, Twiggy, Naomi, Kate. When you hear these names, you not only see beautiful humans but also see a whole set of powerful spaces specific to a time, maybe the 50s or 90s. Models like these are chosen to represent a certain generation through an image.
Models and Couture were born at the same time by Charles Fredrick. The designer met his wife- Marie Vernet when she was a shawl model. They set up a shop together in 1858. He designed clothing, she modeled it. This was an uncommon practice at that time. Designers usually used wood or straw mannequins.
Marie Vernet was the first in-house mannequin until the 1870s. After her, a lot of models took this profession. It was poorly paid and considered cheap. Gradually fashion shows came into trend in the 1890s by the London fashion designer- Lucile. The advent of photography also brought a new flavor to modeling.
But the first proper supermodel was known to be Lisa Fonssagrives. Lisa had an hourglass figure and a beautiful face which was well suited for the top fashion magazines. She got popular after the so-called “New Look” of Dior. They used structured garments to mold the body into an ultrafeminine silhouette with a prominence of bust and hips. She had both- a curvy body and a superior attitude.
In the ’60s, the youth-centered cultural revolution made an entry. Out were the hourglass curves, in were fresh, young, street-influenced styles. Couture was sidelined by ready-to-wear clothes. London-born Lesly Lawson received the nickname “Twiggy” for her famous boyish, gracefully thin frame. She was only 16 when she started modeling. Twiggy experienced worldwide fame, her photo was sent into space in a time capsule.
Meanwhile, Donyale Luna was the first black model to grace the cover of Vogue in 1966. By the 70s fashion took a turn to practical choices and the stability of women. Lauren Hutton got a contract with Revlon worth $500,000- groundbreaking at that time. Margaux Hemingway, with a $1Million contract with Faberge. The rise and worth of supermodels increased due to their obvious wealth, supermodels became famous like movie stars.
Then came, Kate Moss, 5’6, with controversy about whether she was a healthy role model. Celebrities also started to take the place of models.
Today, models are a world away from Marie Vernet’s worth and that’s a good thing since the world is in a far different place now. And you can place a safe bet that the models will capture the strange beauty in the future.
