During Coperni’s show at Paris Fashion Week, in 2022, the American model Bella Hadid was spray painted into a real-life dress. This iconic moment markets not only the end of the show but also the entire week around the fashion industry.
Isabella Khairiah Hadid achieved the nomination for “Model of the Year” in 2016 and is now speculated to be the next Supermodel of the contemporary fashion industry. As the daughter of the former model Yolanda Hadid, Bella has received several criticisms for being one of the world’s most famous “nepotism babies”. Despite several attempts from the media to belittle her work, Bella Hadid has made her presence officially known and recognized in the Coperni show this year.
The model walked onto a platform wearing heels and underwear as Coperni’s team spread material at her which, when in contact with the skin, can create an entire outfit. The modern creation generated thousands of positive comments on the internet and has brought a lot of attention not only to the brand but also, and mostly, to the model.
According to UK models, there is a determined difference between regular models and supermodels. A Supermodel would have much higher pay and recognition than a regular model in addition to their own big mark in the fashion industry. Since the 1930s, several models have been determined by Supermodels by agencies, brands, and the public. Nevertheless, it was truly only in the 1990s that the term Supermodel became a luxurious and desired adjective.
In the course of the 90s decade, several models rose to fame such as Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Adriana Lima. Significantly, these faces made an important revolution in the modeling world; models were not only mannequins for clothes but also a fashion statement.
As a fashion statement, there must be a remarkable moment in a model’s journey that turns them into a supermodel. In spite of Coperni’s revolutionary show, several theories that Bella Hadid might become the next Supermodel of the moment have become more concrete. There are several examples of moments throughout the decades that have shaped Supermodel’s careers.
Here, we have gathered some examples of the moment of a Supermodel:
- Gisele Bündchen and Alexander McQueen, 1998
Gisele Bündchen is a Brazilian model considered to be the only Uber model in the whole world, a nomination even higher than “Supermodel”. Nevertheless, Bündchen’s life has not always been about luxury and fame. At the start of her career, Gisele was rejected by more than 30 agencies that claimed her nose was too big. However, at 18, Gisele was cast for the Spring Alexander McQueen show in 1998. The models did not have a fitting before the show and, after asking what she would wear, Gisele was told that she would have to walk topless wearing only a skirt. According to the model in an interview with Page Six Style,
Mostly, I thought about how disappointed and embarrassed my parents would be. I tried to hold back my tears, but they just kept coming down, and the black feathers glued to my lashes began coming unstuck.
Seeing how desperate the young model was, one of the makeup artists in the show painted her torse with white paint to cover her up a bit. Nevertheless, Gisele’s messy makeup look and powerful walk marked the start of her career as the most famous and well-paid supermodel of her time.
2. Naomi Campbell for Versace, 1991
Naomi Campbell was one of the most famous supermodels of the 90s along with Kate Moss. Soon, Naomi became one of Versace’s biggest muses and became the Versace poster-girl of the 90s. In a runaway show for spring/summer 1991, Naomi marked the start of her career as Versace’s top Supermodel by wearing an unforgettable graphic dress design by Gianni Versace that was later recreated by his sister, now creative director of the brand, Donatella Versace.
3. Shalom Harlow for Alexander McQueen, 1999
Although Bella Hadid’s moment was extremely unique to the modern fashion industry, several critics have drawn attention to a similar moment in Alexander McQueen’s show in 1999 when Shalom Harlow, an American model, and actress, had her dress sprayed on.
Alexander McQueen is one of the most important names in the modern fashion industry. McQueen often touches on themes related to human nature and technology creating the perfect mixture of art and an architectural representation of global issues through experimental ideas. According to Vogue Magazine, Alexander McQueen’s spring 1991 show “wasn’t a fashion show. It was performance art” and Shalon Harlow definitely had her mark in it.
4. Kate Moss for Calvin Klein, 1992
Despite being a very controversial figure in the modeling industry, Kate Moss is undeniably one of the most significant Supermodels of the 90s. However, it is impossible to talk about Moss’s career without regarding her campaign for Calvin Klein in 1992.
In the campaign, the young Kate Moss, who was only a teenager at the time, posed almost naked for the brand. In an interview for L’officel magazine, Moss talked about how she felt exposed and vulnerable at such a young age. Nevertheless, Moss’ image was sold all sound the world and initiated not only the model’s career as a Supermodel but also a new era in fashion that today many know as Grunge.
5. Cindy Crawford for Versace, 1990s
Along with Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford was known as one of Gianni Versace’s top Supermodels. The supermodel was a walking outdoor for Gianni’s exaggerated and artistic prints. In the 90s, Crawford walked for Versace in several runaway shows and became one of the decade’s most significant supermodels. The picture above shows one of the most remembered images and moments of the model’s career.
EAC PRESS 