Super September
Super September
By: Abby Fulmar
Thirty-three years after the ground-breaking Vogue cover that established them as the world’s first supermodels, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, and Naomi Campbell — collectively known as “The Supers” — have reunited for the cover of Vogue’s September 2023 issue. Appropriately named “The Greatest of All Time,” the September publication honors the women known for defying the odds and maintaining their relevance in an industry known for its fierce competition and fickle standards. To better understand what makes these four women so “super,” it is important to recognize their impacts on both cultural and social reform.
Naomi Campbell grew up in south London to professional dancer and Jamaican immigrant Valerie Morris. Campbell never met her biological father, acquiring her last name from her mother’s second marriage. At only 15 years old, she was scouted on the street by the head of the Synchro Model Agency, and by her 16th birthday she landed the cover of British Elle. She would go on to be British Vogue’s first Black cover girl since 1966. Even after facing harsh racial discrimination, Campbell persevered, becoming the first Black woman to appear on the cover of French Vogue and American Vogue’s September issue (known for being the biggest issue of the year).
Christy Turlington was born in Walnut Creek, California, and grew up traveling the world with her American pilot father and Salvadoran flight attendant mother. Turlington was discovered in Miami by a local photographer at the age of 14 and began modeling soon after. Turlington has been described by American Vogue’s former creative director Grace Coddington as "the most beautiful woman in the world," and has modeled for brands such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Maybelline, although some of her biggest impacts have come from her humanitarian ventures. In 2010, Turlington founded the non-profit Every Mother Counts in hopes of making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother, and continues to be a major voice in the fight for reproductive rights.
Cindy Crawford is from the small town of DeKalb, Illinois. She was presented with her first modeling opportunity when a local boutique hired her to promote their new clothing line. She continued to do small gigs and even landed the cover of the DeKalb Nite Weekly, a local lifestyle magazine. After studying at Northwestern University for one semester, Crawford dropped out to pursue modeling full-time. She moved to New York City in 1986 and signed with Elite New York. Since the mid-80s, Crawford has been featured on more than 1,000 magazine covers, walked for top designers, and was the face of brands like Pepsi and Revlon. Along with these accomplishments, her willingness to embrace her trademark mole continues to inspire many to accept and love their unique qualities.
Linda Evangelista was raised in St. Catharines, Canada by working-class, Italian immigrant parents. Evangelista took courses through a modeling school at the age of 12. Much like Crawford, she became well-known around her hometown due to her modeling abilities, prompting her to participate in the Miss Teen Niagara beauty pageant at the age of 16. Though she did not win, she caught the eye of a representative from Elite Model Management and began professionally modeling after moving to New York City a few years later. Throughout her career, Evangelista would become the muse of photographer Steven Meisel and highly respected designers Karl Lagerfeld and Gianni Versace. She is one of the first editorial models to successfully transition to runway modeling, and has been dubbed as the “chameleon” due to her adaptability and longevity in her profession.
Through events which can only be explained as fate, The Supers began their careers in the 1980s just as the world was on the cusp of a major cultural shift. Critiques were rising regarding the significant lack of diversity in the fashion industry, and people were bored of the maximalist, unnatural look of models prevalent during this period. Consequently, by the end of the decade, the confidence and individuality radiating from the four rising stars took them to unprecedented heights.
When photographer Peter Lindbergh was tasked with casting and photographing the January 1990 cover for British Vogue, he decided to highlight the rapidly changing industry by choosing a diverse group of fresh faces. Shot in black and white with minimal makeup and styling, the cover perfectly portrayed the qualities one must possess to become a “super” model. It reinforced that cover girls no longer had to be from a certain social class, country, or race, nor did they have to consistently dress to the nines. People wanted to see models with relatability and depth, and that is exactly what Campbell, Turlington, Crawford, Evangelista, and the late Tatjana Patitz provided.
There is no denying that September 2023 is the month of The Supers. Along with their cover, the original supermodels have returned to the catwalk, closing the Vogue World 2023 Show at London Fashion Week. Walking hand in hand, they showcased their unbreakable bond and the impact they all continue to leave today. To learn more about The Supers and their decades long friendship, you can catch their upcoming four-part documentary The Super Models airing on Apple TV+ September 20.
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