From Twiggy to Tyra Banks, here is the most iconic supermodel the year you were born
Erin McDowell,Gabbi Shaw
Gisele Bündchen is known as one of the world's most iconic supermodels, as well as one of the highest-paid models during the 2000s.AP
- From Twiggy to Adriana Lima, supermodels throughout history have been known for their killer catwalks and incredible style.
- We rounded up the world's most famous models from the years 1950 to 2005 and identified the year in which they were arguably at the top of their game.
- The iconic poster of Farrah Fawcett in her red swimsuit is the best-selling poster ever, while Linda Evangelista is one of the most accomplished models of all time, with more than 700 covers to her name.
Throughout the years, the face of the modeling industry has changed.
Today, more plus-size and diverse models are walking the runway than ever before, signaling how the body-positivity movement has impacted fashion.
We decided to look back at some of the most famous models throughout history and the impact they had on the industry. We also determined the year in which they were arguably at the top of their game.
From Twiggy in the '60s to Gisele Bündchen in the '90s and 2000s, these models have certainly left their mark.
1950: Jean Patchett was a leading model throughout the 1940s and 1950s.
Jean Patchett.
John Rawlings/Condé Nast via Getty Images
She was said to have defined the era when it came to beauty.
1951: Mary Jane Russell appeared on the cover of many issues of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, despite being shorter than other models at only 5 feet 6 inches.
Mary Jane Russell.
Genevieve Naylor/Corbis via Getty Images
Source: The New York Times
1952: Georgia Hamilton appeared on the cover of Life magazine.
Georgia Hamilton.
Ted Croner/Condé Nast via Getty Images
She was a popular fashion model during the 1940s and 1950s.
1953: Cherry Nelms was one of the favorite muses of photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe.
Cherry Nelms.
Horst P. Horst/Conde Nast via Getty Images
She was a top model during the 1950s.
1954: Sunny Harnett was a model frequently photographed by Richard Avedon during the height of her modeling career in the mid-1950s.
Sunny Harnett.
Joseph Leombruno/Condé Nast via Getty Images
1955: Dovima was a well-known American model during the 1950s and even appeared as a model in the Audrey Hepburn film, "Funny Face."
Dovima.
Anthony Calvacca/New York Post Archives via Getty Images
A Richard Avedon photograph of Dovima with elephants at a Paris circus in 1955 is one of the most famous fashion photographs of all time.
Source: Time 100 Photos
1956: Evelyn Tripp was well known during the 1950s and 1960s — especially for her remarkably high cheekbones.
Evelyn Tripp.
Karen Radkai/Conde Nast via Getty Images
Source: The New York Times
1957: Suzy Parker was an American actress and model. She was reportedly the first model to earn $100,000 per year, which would be $922,000 today.
Suzy Parker.
John Rawlings/Condé Nast via Getty Images
Source: Vanity Fair
1958: Marilyn Monroe is one of the best-known actresses of all time, but she also modeled throughout her life.
Marilyn Monroe.
Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images
Source: Insider
1959: Dolores Hawkins was a singer and model who appeared on a number of magazine covers during the late 1950s.
Dolores Hawkins.
Stephen Colhoun/Condé Nast via Getty Images
She appeared on Glamour, Vogue, and Mademoiselle.
1960: Sondra Peterson was so popular during her career that she was featured in the May 1960 issue of Seventeen in an article titled, "How to Look Like Sondra Peterson."
Sondra Peterson.
Horst P. Horst/Conde Nast via Getty Images
Source: Model History
1961: Dorothy McGowan appeared on the covers of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, and Glamour during the 1960s.
Dorothy McGowan.
Vogue/Conde Nast
She was also photographed by Richard Avedon.
1962: Brigitte Bardot was an actress and part-time model who gained fame for portraying more sexualized characters during the height of the sexual revolution.
Brigitte Bardot.
Hulton Archive via Getty Images
Source: Biography
1963: The daughter of a German resistance fighter, Veruschka reportedly used modeling as a way to escape her tumultuous childhood.
Veruschka.
Henry Clarke/Conde Nast via Getty Images
Source: The Rake
1964: Tania Mallet is an English actress and model known for playing James Bond's love interest in the 1964 film, "Goldfinger."
Tania Mallet.
Larry Ellis/Express via Getty Images
Source: The Guardian
1965: Jean Shrimpton is regarded as one of the most notable supermodels in history.
Jean Shrimpton.
Popperfoto/Getty Images
... and as one of the most defining faces of the decade.
1966: Twiggy gained her famous nickname from her thin frame, and she quickly became a household name during the swinging '60s and mod era in London.
Twiggy.
Popperfoto/Getty Images
Source: The Guardian
1967: Pat Booth was an English model who stood out for her more "punk" look during the late '60s.
Pat Booth.
McKeown/Express/Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1968: Naomi Sims has been called the first black supermodel, largely in part to her landing the cover of Ladies Home Journal in 1968.
Naomi Sims.
AP Images
Source: The New York Times
1969: Cristina Ferrare signed with Eileen Ford when she was 20.
Cristina Ferrare.
Getty Images
She graced the covers of multiple magazines.
1970: Karen Graham was the exclusive face of Estée Lauder for 15 years. This also made her the first model to win a beauty contract, Estée or otherwise.
Karen Graham.
Bert Stern/Contributor via Getty Images
Source: Estée Lauder
1971: Before she was a musician, Grace Jones walked runways.
Grace Jones.
Keith Hamshere/Getty Images
She secured a modeling contract aged 18 and made waves after moving to Paris in 1970.
1972: Marisa Berenson appeared on the covers of Vogue and Time magazine, and Yves Saint Laurent even dubbed her the "girl of the '70s."
Marisa Berenson.
AP Images
Source: The Telegraph
1973: When Lauren Hutton signed her million-dollar contract with Revlon in 1973, it was the biggest in modeling history.
Lauren Hutton.
Bob Stone/Conde Nast via Getty Images
Source: Interview Magazine
1974: Before she was an actress, Rene Russo was a successful model who appeared on the cover of Vogue nine times.
Rene Russo.
Francesco Scavullo/Condé Nast via Getty Images
Source: Vogue
1975: Cheryl Tiegs made the cover of Sports Illustrated three times, including in 1975, which made her the "Golden Girl of the '70s."
Cheryl Tiegs.
AP Images
Source: Sports Illustrated
1976: The iconic poster of Farrah Fawcett in her red bathing suit was released in 1976. It sold 20 million copies, making it the best-selling poster of all time.
Farrah Fawcett.
AP Images
The swimsuit is now in the Smithsonian.
Source: The Chicago Tribune
1977: Jerry Hall was, and still is, a successful model and tabloid fixture. At the time, she was dating Mick Jagger and regularly seen at New York City hotspot, Studio 54.
Jerry Hall.
Art Zelin/Getty Images
Source: CR Fashion Book
1978: Patti Hansen was called the "successor to Farrah Fawcett and Cheryl Tiegs," after she landed an 81-by-24-foot billboard in Times Square for Calvin Klein.
Patti Hansen.
Arthur Elgort/Conde Nast via Getty Images
Source: People
1979: During her short life, Gia Carangi appeared on many magazine covers, including Cosmopolitan and Vogue in 1979, and was one of the first openly LGBTQ models.
Gia Carangi.
Andrea Blanch/Getty Images
Source: Dazed Digital
1980: Brooke Shields made headlines when she appeared in this controversial Calvin Klein campaign at the young age of 15.
Brooke Shields.
Calvin Klein via Us Weekly
Source: Today
1981: Iman remains a household name to this day.
Iman.
Anthony Barboza/Getty Images
She was at the height of her modeling career during the early 1980s.
1982: Renee Simonsen was chosen to represent Denmark in the 1982 Eileen Ford Supermodel contest and won.
Renee Simonsen.
Peter Carrette Archive via Getty Images
Source: Vogue
1983: Christie Brinkley was well known throughout the '70s and '80s.
Christie Brinkley.
Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Images
She was loved for her sporty, girl-next-door look.
1984: Carol Alt appeared on over 500 magazine covers throughout the 1980s, including Vogue, Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia, Mademoiselle, Elle, and Cosmopolitan.
Carol Alt.
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Source: New York Post
1985: In 1974, Beverly Johnson became the first black woman to appear on the cover of Vogue. By the mid-1980s, she was a household name.
Beverly Johnson.
Anthony Barboza/Getty Images
Source: Vogue
1986: Janice Dickinson has been called the first official supermodel after she coined the phrase during an interview.
Janice Dickinson.
Harry Langdon/Getty Images
Source: The Balance Careers
1987: Elle Macpherson solidified her place as an icon after appearing for the second time on the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue in 1987.
Elle Macpherson.
Ron Galella/Contributor via Getty Images
She's famously known as "The Body."
1988: Paulina Porizkova made headlines after signing what was then the highest-paying modeling contract, a $6 million-a-year contract as the face of Estée Lauder.
Paulina Porizkova.
Marty Lederhandler/AP Images
Source: Marly Rusoff Literary Agency
1989: Kathy Ireland's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover remains one of the magazine's most-sold issues to date.
Kathy Ireland.
Screenshot via YouTube
It was taken in 1989.
1990: Christy Turlington shot to fame after appearing in Calvin Klein's Eternity campaign the year before.
Christy Turlington.
Peter Kramer/AP Images
Source: Elle
1991: Kate Moss marked a change in the industry with her waifish look.
Kate Moss.
Chrystyna Czajkowsky/AP Images
She remains one of the world's most recognizable models.
1992: Cindy Crawford became one of the most popular models of the '80s and '90s.
Cindy Crawford.
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
1993: Fabio Lanzoni was the world's highest-paid male model in 1993. He made millions of dollars per year is most famous for on the covers of many romance novels.
Fabio Lanzoni.
George Nikitin/AP Images
Source: New York Times
1994: Claudia Schiffer became a household name after working on a 1994 Chanel campaign.
Claudia Schiffer.
Peter Mueller/Reuters
Source: Dazed Digital
1995: Linda Evangelista is one of the most accomplished models of all time, and has appeared on more than 700 magazine covers throughout her career.
Linda Evangelista.
Simon Kwong/Reuters
Source: CR Fashion Book
1996: Tyra Banks made history as the first black model to be on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover alongside Valeria Mazza.
Tyra Banks.
Reuters
The next year, she would be the first African American model to land a solo cover.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
1997: Karen Mulder appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition in 1997.
Karen Mulder.
Adam Nadel/AP Images
Source: Sports Illustrated
1998: Naomi Campbell was one of the most in-demand models of the '90s, as well as the highest-paid black model throughout much of the decade.
Naomi Campbell.
Reuters
Source: Forbes
1999: Heidi Klum cemented her "it girl" status after being featured in the New York Time's "A Night Out With" column in 1999.
Heidi Klum.
Jeff Christensen/Reuters
Source: The New York Times
2000: Gisele Bündchen is known as one of the world's most iconic supermodels.
Gisele Bundchen.
AP Images
She was also one of the highest-paid models during the 2000s.
2001: Adriana Lima was one of the most popular models on the runway by 2001.
Adriana Lima.
Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect via Getty Images
She appeared in her first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 1999.
2002: Vogue Paris dedicated an entire issue to Liya Kebede.
Liya Kebede.
Arthur Elgort/Conde Nast via Getty Images
Source: Daily Mail
2003: Gemma Ward met Miuccia Prada at the designer's request and made her Prada runway debut that season.
Gemma Ward.
Lionel Cironneau/AP Images
Source: W Magazine
2004: Natalia Vodianova appeared on her first American Vogue cover in 2004 alongside Gisele Bündchen and Daria Werbowy as one of the models regarded by Anna Wintour as "the future of the business."
Natalia Vodianova.
Reuters
Source: Vogue
2005: Alessandra Ambrosio wowed the world by walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion show as a bona fide "Angel," a year after her debut in the televised program.
Alessandra Ambrosio.
Fred Prouser/Reuters
Source: Vogue
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