The Stars of Vogue: From fallen angels to eternal light, where are they now?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Tatjana Patitz, one of the original supermodels, tragically died aged 56 on Wednesday, January 11, following a brief battle with vicious breast cancer. The saddening death of the supermodel came as a shock to the fashion sphere and brought many back to the time when she dominated the industry with other glamorous faces including, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer, and Cindy Crawford.
The iconic supermodels of the ‘90s were undoubtedly a rage for the fashion world. They not just ruled the glamor industry but also created an amalgamation of luxury and aspiration that most fashion enthusiasts still look up to. From strutting down the runways of prestigious fashion houses to playing muses to renowned designers, the ‘90s powerhouses captivatingly carved a legacy of their own. Nearly three decades later, these models' impact on fashion and beauty can still be felt.
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But, while the essence of their work is still in the air of the fashion sphere, the former '90s style sensations have disappeared from the glam light. For many the end of their career came with the struggle of finding work, however, some fell off the grid after plaguing with scandal and controversy in later years. Ahead is a look at what the most famous supermodels of the '90s are up to these days.
Naomi Campbell
Campbell, 52, from London, England, began her career at the age of 15 when she was noticed by the head of Synchro, during a regular shopping spree. She soon landed her first cover - 'British Elle' - just ahead of her 16th birthday. She broke down modeling barriers and become the first Black model to appear on the cover of Time magazine, French Vogue, and Russian Vogue. She was also the first Black British model to appear on the cover of British Vogue, according to Insider.
The model later tried her hands at acting and appeared in the Fox drama 'Empire' from 2015 to 2018. She also served as a coach and judge on two seasons of the show ‘The Face’. These days, the former supermodel is busy lending her voice to causes she cares about and being a mom to her 19-month-old daughter. Talking about her love life, she has been linked to a slew of famous faces like U2 bassist Adam Clayton, actors Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, Formula One racer Flavio Briatore, rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs, and R&B singer Usher, however, she appears to be single currently.
Linda Evangelista
Featured on over 700 magazine covers, the Canadian beauty is one of the top supermodels from the 1990s. Evangelista started her modeling career as a teen in her hometown after she took part in the Miss Teen Niagara beauty pageant where she caught the attention of someone from Elite Model Management. By the age of 19, Linda was already a supermodel and dominated the industry. Within three years, she had graced the cover of Vogue, married a photographer, and sparked a new hairstyle trend with her signature cropped look.
Knowing her worth, she once told Variety that she doesn't "get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day." In 2021, Evangelista once again made headlines when she sued CoolSculpting's parent company, Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc., for $50 million in damages after she was diagnosed with Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia. She settled the case in 2022.
Linda was married to the head of Elite Model Management's Paris office, Gerald Marie, from 1987 to 1993. She was also linked to actor Kyle MacLachlan and French football player Fabien Barthez over the years. Evangelista is a mother to son Augustin, whom she shares with ex Francois-Henri Pinault.
Christy Turlington
The 54-year-old, Turlington, found a career in modeling as a teen when a local photographer spotted her during a trip to Miami. At the age of 18, she moved to New York City to pursue modeling as a full-time career. To name a few, Turlington appeared in magazines like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Marie Claire, L'Officiel, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Allure, as well as advertising campaigns for Calvin Klein, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Jacobs, Prada, Valentino, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, and Maybelline.
She also starred in George Michael's ‘Freedom!’ music video alongside Patitz, Evangelista, Crawford, and other popular models at the time. Even after so many years, Christy has still a shiny part of the fashion industry. The 54-year-old recently served as one of the cover girls for W Magazine's 50th Anniversary issue and was a model for Louis Vuitton's collaboration with Yayoi Kusama. On the personal front, she married actor Edward Burns in 2003, and together, they welcomed two children - daughter Grace in 2003 and son Finn in 2006.
Claudia Schiffer
Schiffer, 52, was originally found by the head of the Metropolitan Model Agency at a nightclub when she was 17. She then left high school to become a model and got signed by the agency before landing her first cover later that year in Elle magazine. In the coming years, Schiffer became the face of several campaigns for Guess and was chosen by Karl Lagerfield to become the new face of Chanel.
She also walked in runway shows for Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Fendi, Michael Kors, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Valentino. In honor of her 50th birthday, Schiffer was immortalized as a Barbie in August 2022. She tied the knot with English film director Matthew Vaughn in 2002, and they welcomed a son, Caspar in 2003, and two daughters, Clementine in 2004 and Cosima in 2010.
Cindy Crawford
From Pepsi to Revlon, Crawford was the face of everything in the '90s. She started her career by modeling for a local store during high school and she then appeared in her town's weekly magazine. Crawford soon got signed by a small modeling agency, which later became a part of Elite Model Management. During her prime time, the 56-year-old graced the cover of magazines like Vogue, W, People, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Allure, reportedly appearing in more than 500 publications by 1998. In 1988 and 1998, she also posed nude for Playboy magazine.
The former supermodel stepped down from her career in 2000. However, Crawford still appears in numerous campaigns. In 2019, she ventured into the world of restaurants when she purchased a Hollywood deli called Nate 'n Al with her husband, Rande Gerber. The modeling legacy of the supermodel is currently being handled by her 21-year-old daughter Kaia, whom she shares with her husband Render Gerber. The couple, who tied the knot in 1998, are also parents to son Presley, born in 1999.
Yasmeen Ghauri
The Canadian native, Ghauri, 51, started her career at the age of 15 when the artistic director of Platine Coiffure discovered her as an employee at McDonald's. She decided to opt for modeling as a full-time career and moved to New York, where she finally found her true success. In 1991, she landed her first magazine cover, Elle, before featuring in Elton John's music video for the song ‘Sacrifice’.
Ghauri then became the face of Chanel, Jill Sander, Christian Dior, Valentino, Hermes, Lanvin, and Anne Klein, and walked for Gianni Versace, Helmut Lang, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Victoria's Secret. However, her career didn’t last long as she retired from modeling in 1997 to start her family. Ghauri married lawyer Ralph Bernstein, and together, they welcomed two children, a daughter, named Maia, and a son, named Victor. The family resides in Bedford, New York. While she doesn't do modeling anymore, she often rejoices career by sharing throwback pictures on her Instagram.
Karen Mulder
Mulder, 52, started her modeling career at the age of 15 when she got signed by Elite Paris after securing second position in Elite Model Management's Look of the Year contest. She then strutted the runway for big brands like Valentino, Yves, Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix, Versace, and Giorgio Armani. Mulder's first on-cover appearance came with Vogue in 1991. During the '90s, she also modeled for Victoria's Secret, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Revlon, and Chanel, among others. She even got her own doll in collaboration with Hasbro.
However, in 2000, Mulder announced she was retiring from modeling. She then pursued other endeavors, like acting and music, instead. But sadly, her acting career didn’t take off as her modeling career did. In the early 2000s, Mulder made a shocking allegation when she revealed she had been raped by various members of Elite Model Management.
In 2002, she even attempted to take her own life. A neighbor ended up finding Mulder passed out on the floor of her Paris apartment, and she was rushed to the hospital, where she spent a day in coma. Mulder again sparked nasty controversies in 2009 when it was reported that she had been arrested in Paris for allegedly threatening to attack her plastic surgeon. It is not known what the outcome of the charges was.
Mulder married French photographer Rene Bosne in 1988, when she was only 20, but they split in 1993. She soon moved on to share a relationship with a real estate developer named Jean-Yves Le Fur. The couple, however, decided to split in 1997. She welcomed a daughter, named Anna, in 2006, but it is unclear who the father is.