At the launch of SS 04, David Jones, Sydney
Then I thought screw it! I made scrap books of this woman from any picture of her I could get my adolescant hands onto, I can hear the laughter of my friends now! My generation was the "MTV"generation, the generation that saw pop stars use models in their film clips and make these mere models into "Super" models, and then into "over night" fashion mega stars.
Now, I wish I could say that I have had a day with Linda, but the closest I came to this, was seeing her live at the SS 04 launch for David Jones all those years ago. I did get slightly closer to her when I was working in Pitt Street Mall and saw her glide by the store I was working in. I then followed her into the strand arcade and was politely told by her "minders" that she was not to be disturbed, especially as she was shopping for antique jewellery. I told them of where I worked and that if she was passing by on her way back, I would love a wave. Guess what? I got one! I nearly wet myself and by the time I could scurry out of the store, she was gone into the distance surrounded by her "minders".
I first saw Linda in a George Michael music video, Freedom 90. From the minute I saw her mouthing the words of the song inside her jumper, I just knew that this woman was something else. Next up was and will always be my favorite music video, Too Funky, another George Michael song. She "opened" the faux runway show in this music video and was also the closing number in a feathered head piece, crawling around at the end of the catwalk.
Linda & George Michael on set of the Too Funky set
It seemed that almost over night, names like Linda, Christy, Cindy, Naomi, Kate and Nadja were the only things you needed to remember. Oh, that and which one was your favorite of course! The 90's had arrived and with it a slew of mega stars that were not actresses or singers, but models. Supermodels to be precise.
When Linda was quoted as saying "I wouldn't get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day", the media went into over drive. This tongue in cheek remark made by a recently woken Linda during a phone interview, proved to not only be a monetary wind fall for her, but also the quote she would become forever famous for.
Not that this was the only thing Linda was famous for, her most famous trademark or selling point was the amount of times she changed her hair color and cut. There was NO other model around willing to go to the lengths (no pun intended) that Linda would, where her hair was concerned. She also has been on every major magazine cover and her total covers are in the hundreds. Her work ethic and professionalism and well known with in the industry and she is also known to suffer fools gladly.
Along with being a mother to her four year old son, which I am sure is one of her greatest achievements so far, she is also an avid spokesperson for bringing awareness to HIV/AIDS research. She modelled for MAC's Viva Glam V campaign with much of the proceeds going back into research for HIV/AIDS. She has also been awarded the World Style Award by the Women's World Awards in Leipzig, Germany.
Linda for MAC, Viva Glam Campaign
For me, Linda Evangelista is not only a Supermodel, but also someone who has used her fame and beauty for causes that far outweigh any "fashion moment". Her enduring love of her work and the fact that she is always bringing something new to the industry, even at 45 years of age, is yet another mile stone in a youth obsessed society.
Linda Evangelista will always be known as a "Supermodel", but for me she is the woman who defied the "pretty" mould when it was still not the done thing. A woman who has forever changed the ideals of beauty as well as being the enduring face of fashion, a true star no matter what the trend may be.
