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PROTAGONIST / CHERCHEZ LA FEMME

ho is the fairest of them all? Snow White’s counted in pay cheques, but in likes. An example is given by sisters
stepmother’s mirror would be hard Gigi and Bella Hadid, daughters of a Palestinian immigrant to the
pressed, nowadays, to answer this ques- USA and social media stars: Tommy Hilfiger has decided to launch
tion on the spot, should it train its eyes on a capsule collection co-signed with Gigi to be sold mainly online.
W the world of fashion and models. Naomi or Gi- How, then, can we compare the beauties of yesterday with the phe-
gi? Bella or Cindy? Emily, Giselle or Carla? Let us consider, for ex- nomena of today? Let us bring a little bit of order. In 1989, the pho-
ample, the most recent Fashion Week in Milan from last September tographer Peter Lindbergh gathered in New York, for a single shot,
(the next one will begin on 21 February), which featured all these the top five models of the moment: Linda Evangelista, Naomi Camp-
names, between catwalks, parties and galas, and the grand finale, the bell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Tatjana Patitz. That
eco-friendly ‘green carpet’ organized at Teatro alla Scala, animated by photo became the cover of the January 1990 issue of Vogue UK and
beautiful people of yesterday and today. And yet, there is not much carved out its own niche in history.
eco-friendliness in that which the top models trample with their diz- Since then, those girls have been identified as the Supermodels,
zyingly high heels and gazelle-like legs. The green is that of dollars. and with the addition of Kate Moss, the legendary group of the Big
Those pocketed last year by the Brazilian Gisele Bündchen, for ex- Six was born. They were then legitimized by Gianni Versace, and,
ample, amount to 30.5 million, according to Forbes which placed her in fact, the supermodels reunited in Milan to celebrate the twen-
at the top of its ranking of highest earners. The ‘poor cousin’ of the tieth anniversary of the designer’s death, wearing gold dresses de-
group is Kate Moss: only five million dollars. But these numbers, by signed by his sister Donatella for the grand finale of the défilé. The
now, are part of an outdated world. Success, and beauty, are no longer supermodels of the day, who also included France’s future première DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY IMAGES FOR HARPER’S BAZAAR

VENTURELLI/WIREIMAGE

Top of page, reunited in Milan for the fashion show-tribute to Versace 20 years after Gianni’s death, five supermodels who were icons of beauty
in the ’90s: from left, Carla Bruni, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista.
Right, model and actor Emily Ratajkowski. More than 15 million people follow her on Instagram, where she often publishes provocative pictures of herself.

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