’THE FANTASTIC FOUR SUPERMODELS’

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ROSE HARTMAN

Cindy, Christie, Linda and Naomi (no last names are necessary ) are the most famous models in the world. The late eighties brought the idea of the supermodels, a new celebrity archetype that moved from fashion to advertising to Hollywood, and today interest in these four has never diminished.

” The Supermodels,” a recent documentary on Apple TV, is a must for anyone interested in four extraordinary supers who, even in their 50’s, can own any look on the runway, in editorials or ads.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to shoot backstage when few photographers were interested in capturing the models metamorphosis aided and abetted by brilliant make-up artists and magical hair stylists, as well as shooting runway.

Before Cindy, Christy, Linda and Naomi glided, vamped and moved with panther like grace and enough flair to hold the attention of an audience of several hundred to a few thousand in Europe or Japan, most runway fashion models exuded little personality and were more like clothes hangers.

All that changed when the Super four started modeling. Not only did they have good looks, good bones, and the right height and weight, they understood innately what each piece of clothing can or cannot do.

Their megawatt smiles (which rarely evaporated) could convince everyone that they were the most beautiful in the world- and the most joyous. In addition, with split-second timing, they could also change their look via a tilt of the head, a rearrangement of their posture, and with an imperceptible turn, flirt with a stranger at a seaside cafe, or become elegant women who love diamonds. Like an actress in a silent film, each of these striking women were-and continue to project an indefinable aura that catapulted them from teenagers into superstar status.

What also defines them is their loyalty and caring for one another (a rare trait in the modeling world); they have also modeled In the same major designer fashion shows throughout 30 years ( Mizrahi, Anna Sui, Versace, Marc Jacobs, etc.)

Today, they’ve become artists and entrepreneurs- and as Vogue said on its latest September issue cover, ‘THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME.’

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