Every decade can be epitomized by a single “It Girl” whose beauty, style, and grace captivated the masses. Long before Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid had millions of followers, these women were at the forefront of fashion, serving as muses of style for everyone, from teenagers to high fashion photographers.
The old school “It Girls,” the original supermodels, were a little bit different than the ones today. From breaking down barriers to just shaking things up, each “It Girl” left her footprint in the fashion industry. Let’s take a look at the legendary icons who set the stage for today’s supermodels!
Lauren Hutton
‘70s bombshell Lauren Hutton was initially dismissed by talent agents because of the gap between her two front teeth. But Lauren disregarded her critics and went on to flaunt her “imperfection.” She was eventually signed by Revlon in 1973, which was the biggest contract in history at the time, and became one of the highest-paid supermodels at the height of her career.
Hutton continued to flaunt her signature gap and has even continued to model well into her seventies. She has most recently appeared in campaigns for H&M and Alexander Wang and even walked for Bottega Veneta at the 2016 New York Fashion Week.
Janice Dickinson
As a teenager, Janice Dickinson won a modeling competition and then set off for NYC, in hopes of making it as a model. By 1978, Dickinson was earning a whopping $2,000 a day in modeling contracts. The world now knows her as the self-proclaimed “world’s first supermodel,” and she has graced the cover of Vogue 37 times (including international covers).
Even at the age of 65, she has maintained a high profile in the fashion industry. Dickinson appeared a judge for several seasons of Tyra Bank’s hit TV show, America’s Next Top Model, and released a number of memoirs about her “wild days” as a supermodel.
