"Supermodels" are ten a penny these days. In 2016, Insta-famous fashion faces who've barely been around for a few seasons are elevated to supermodel status though they're undoubtedly nowhere near as deserving of the title as the originals i.e. Naomi, Claudia, Christy, Linda and Cindy. Ah, Ms Crawford. The original super transformed our perception of Miss America from a wholesome blonde, blue-eyed girl next door, to a brunette glamazon, covering every magazine under the sun multiple times and working with the most renowned names in fashion.
Today the American super, who was named the highest paid model on the planet by Forbes in 1995, and has the world's most famous beauty spot, announced that she plans to retire this year as she celebrates her 50th birthday. The mega model, whose career began over 30 years ago, at the tender age of 17, said that the next chapter of her life is not one she plans to spend in front of the camera.
"I'm sure I'll have my picture taken for 10 more years, but not as a model anymore," Crawford told United Airlines's Rhapsody magazine. "And that's OK. I've done it. I've worked with all these incredible photographers. What else do I need to do? I can't keep reinventing myself. I shouldn't have to keep proving myself. I don't want to."
In celebration of her prolific career and original supermodel status, we look back at her most iconic moments...
Playboy, July 1988
In July 1988, Cindy, aged 22, posed nude for Playboy magazine in a cover shoot with photographer Herb Ritts. A decade later, in October 1998, Crawford returned to the pages of Playboy for a second nude shoot, once again shot by Ritts, explaining: "10 years after my first Playboy appearance, I was asked to do it again. As long as I could do it with Herb, it was a no brainer. Because we had done the first shoot in black and white, we decided to do the second in colour and chose colourful Careyes, Mexico as a location."
Courtesy of Playboy
MTV House of Style, 1989 - 1995
House of Style was broadcast on MTV during the zenith of the "supermodel" era. The fashion-focused show gave us a rare insight into the lives of supermodels, as well as the designers creating the collections that they wore on the catwalk. The programme brought the world of luxury fashion straight into our living rooms, diminishing its elitism and making it light and fun with easy style tips and candid celebrity interviews.
Cindy left the show in 1995, handing over her presenting duties to models such as Molly Sims, Amber Valletta, and Shalom Harlow. But Cindy is the one we all remember, adored for her sense of humour, charm and willingness to be silly on national TV. A personal highlight is when she visited Will Smith on the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and attempted to beatbox.
Courtesy of MTV
Singing "Freedom" at the Versace Show, 1991
In 1990, Peter Lindbergh shot Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington for the cover of Vogue, inspiring George Michael to ask them to star in his music video for "Freedom! '90".
Following their star turn in the unforgettable video, Gianni Versace sent all four supers down the catwalk at his 1991 show, arm in arm, as "Freedom" blasted out on the soundtrack. A truly seminal moment in fashion history.
Photo: Rex
That Versace dress at the 1991 Oscars
In 1991, Cindy Crawford made her first public appearance with new boyfriend Richard Gere at the 63rd Academy Awards, wearing a show-stopping red Versace dress. Crawford presented the Oscar for Best Set Design alongside Susan Sarandon and the plunging, scarlet dress has gone down as one of the most sexy, jaw-dropping red carpet gowns of all time.
The dress had a significant influence on fashion, and many imitations were seen from high street to luxury labels. The fame which Crawford garnered following the appearance also boosted the profile of Gere. Crawford was married to the actor from 1991 to 1995. One of our fave celebrity unions of the '90s.
Photo: Getty
British Vogue Cover, June 1991
For British Vogue 's 75th anniversary issue, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Cindy Crawford came together for the cover shoot, captured by Herb Ritts, appearing topless and cheek-to-cheek. It doesn't get more glamorous than this powerful triumvirate of fashion icons.
Courtesy of British VogueThe Super Bowl Pepsi Advert, 1992
The ad breaks during the Super Bowl game are some of the most keenly-viewed in the TV calendar and Pepsi commercials have had a significant impact for many years. Arguably the most iconic of these is from 1992 in which Cindy Crawford, wearing an extremely '90s uniform of high-waisted blue jeans and a white tank top, stops at a vending machine to buy a can of Pepsi. However, rather than swooning over the stunning supermodel before their eyes, two nearby kids marvel at the new Pepsi can.
Chanel Couture Show, Spring 1993
At the Girls of Summer Chanel couture show in 1993, Cindy Crawford brought along her beau Richard Gere much to the delight of the preying paparazzi. For his bow, Karl Lagerfeld stepped out with his cast of supermodels including Helena Christensen, Claudia Schiffer and Crawford.
Photo: Getty
Hervé Léger Show, Spring/Summer 1995
Before the advent of the waif-like models of the late '90s and early noughties, the real supers were celebrated for their athletic bodies and sultry curves. No one looked better in the body-con silhouette of Hervé Léger than Cindy Crawford as seen here alongside Eva Herzigova and Karen Mulder.
Photo: Getty
Chanel Show, Spring/Summer 1996
Cindy in a powder blue velour Chanel bikini and shirt. Nuff said.
Photo: GettyDuran Duran's "Girl Panic" Video, 2011
In 2011 the supermodel mega crew regrouped for Duran Duran's nine-minute music video marathon "Girl Panic ". Yasmin Le Bon, Helena Christensen, Naomi Campbell, Eva Herzigova and, of course, Cindy Crawford turned rockstars as each one becomes a counterpart of the band, cavorting in hotel rooms and racing through the streets of London in a Rolls. It's very rock n roll and we like it.
Balmain Campaign, Spring/ Summer 16
Swan songs don't get better than this. Before Cindy hung up her stilettos for the last time, she appeared in this season's Balmain campaign, alongside fellow supermodels Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer. "They made fashion relevant," Balmain's designer Olivier Rousteing explained. "As relevant to pop culture as music, cinema and sport… These women are powerful, sexy, confident, glamorous. They have a unique attitude, they know how to wear my designs, how to move, they really own the clothes. They are much more than models; they are strong business women, and at the same time they have families, kids, lovers – I find this very inspiring. They have always been very modern. They are icons, living legends, superheroes."
"Since I started out as a fashion designer, one of my ultimate goals was to do a campaign with them... To say that working with these three incredible women was a dream come true is no exaggeration."
Courtesy of BalmainLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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