Best Supermodels Of All Time: Top Runway Stars
Forget about runway royalty and mere catwalk conquerors. We’re diving headfirst into the realm of legendary faces, the women who redefined beauty, shattered expectations and became synonymous with a golden age of fashion. Imagine electrifying gazes that launched a thousand editorials, limbs that redefined grace on the world’s grandest stages, and personalities that transcended the glossy pages to ignite cultural conversations. These are the titans of the runway, the women who transformed modeling from a fleeting trend to a cultural force, and today, we celebrate their enduring legacy. So, buckle up, fashion mavens, because we’re about to unveil the stories behind the best supermodels of all time, the women who dared to rewrite the rules of beauty and carve their names in the pantheon of fashion history.
Becoming a successful fashion model takes a lot of hard work, as you can’t just get by on your looks these days. It takes gumption, attitude, and a style all your own to land big contracts, launch clothing, makeup, or perfume campaigns, and gain the coveted label of “supermodel.” Some models even strive to achieve unhealthy beauty standards. In fact, a study reveals how four in five models today are underweight and use risky methods to get that way.
And while there will always be debate about the role supermodels play in our broader society, as one study shows seeing models makes some women feel insecure about their bodies, there’s no doubt that they’re here to stay. While beauty standards, and fashion trends in general, will change as the years go on, there will surely be famous models who will come to define each era.
With so many beautiful women trying their hand at modeling over the years, it’s a big ask to come up with a short list of the greats. StudyFinds was up to the task, as we went to 10 expert sites to come up with a list of the best supermodels of all time.
Cindy Crawford
Rising to fame in the ’80s and ’90s, she’s perhaps the best supermodel of all time. With an unforgettable, iconic look and one of the most successful careers in the industry, she’ll be hard to beat for the foreseeable future.
“What do you get if you combine extreme beauty, a world-famous mole, and a razor-sharp business mind? … As one of the original late 1980s/ early 1990s supermodels, Crawford has graced the cover of almost every fashion magazine worth its salt, as well as walking the catwalk at every major fashion event in the world,” writes Money Inc.
“As one of the original Big Six supermodels of the 1990s, her distinctive beauty mark, big hair and sultriness made Cindy stand out,” states Independent. “At a time when heroin-chic was en Vogue, Crawford’s gorgeous curves landed lucrative deals with Revlon and Pepsi that made her a household name, and she became one of the most commercially successful models. However, that didn’t mean high fashion houses weren’t interested – she straddled both worlds, walking the runways for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel and Versace.”
“Big hair, strong brows, athletic body. Hang on, have we forgotten something? Oh yes. The most famous mole OF ALL TIME,” writes Money Inc. “Brains and business acumen. She nearly ended up as a chemical engineer and invented the celebrity workout video with her famous ‘Cindy Crawford: Shape Your Body’ exercise series, raking in a fortune in the process.”
Gisele Bündchen
“A Brazilian beauty who has become one of the highest-earning models of all time. Bündchen was a Victoria’s Secret Angel, has graced the cover of more than 1,000 magazines, and has several merchandising partnerships, and she’s also known for her charity work and environmental activism – she’s the Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme.”
“Gisele Bündchen is known as one of the world’s most iconic supermodels,” states Insider. “She was also one of the highest-paid models during the 2000s.
“Since 2004, Bündchen has been among the highest-paid models in the world, and as of 2007 was the 16th richest woman in the entertainment industry,” writes Ranker. “Bündchen pioneered the ‘horse walk,’ a stomping movement created when a model picks her knees up high and kicks her feet out in front.”
According to The Outlet, “She has been credited with ending the heroin chic era of modeling in 1999 and replacing it with her signature curvy, tanned look.”
Kate Moss
This English model was discovered at age 14 while with her family on holiday, and her super thin figure and deadpan expression made her the face of heroin-chic high fashion. Aside from modeling, she’s been a contributing fashion editor for British Vogue and she has her own clothing line. “Kate Moss marked a change in the industry with her waifish look,” writes Insider. “She remains one of the world’s most recognizable models.”
“Not fitting the mold of supers who came before her at only 5 ft 6, the wafer thin Ms Moss defined the heroin-chic look and spawned the renaissance of 90s grunge,” notes Independent. “Since then she has graced many a runway, appeared in countless editorials, and became a style icon, all with an attitude and mystery which has kept the multi-faceted model at the top of her game.” Marie Claire calls her “The ultimate muse.” “She rarely speaks, but that’s OK because all other significant cultural voices do it for her. An 18-carat statue of her worth £1.5m created in 2008 for the British Museum was the largest gold statue created since Ancient Egyptian times, a painting of her by Lucian Freud was sold for £3.9 million in 2005, and she’s inspired every fashion photographer from Corinne Day to Mario Testino.”
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