Without Karen Mulder There Would Be No Supermodel Squad
JUNE 9, 2016 7:58 PM
by JANELLE OKWODU
http://www.vogue.com/13444836/throwback-thursday-karen-mulder-supermodel/
Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier for Vogue, 1991
There are blonde bombshells, and then there is Karen Mulder, the Dutch beauty with sculpted features whose larger-than-life sex appeal was an essential part of ’90s pop culture. Thrust into modeling after a friend sent her photos into an Elite contest, Mulder took home the top prize for Amsterdam, and quickly moved from fresh face to snagging some of the biggest contracts of her day. Frequently compared to—and occasionally photographed as—that other icon of unattainable blonde beauty, Barbie, Mulder’s unabashedly glamorous look made her a star. High fashion loved her and designers from Karl Lagerfeld to Gianni Versace placed her on their catwalk and in campaigns, but her appeal extended into the commercial sector. As one of the first Guess girls and Victoria’s Secret models, Mulder’s face was everywhere, from billboards to cheeky television spots.
In the pages of Vogue, Mulder brought a grown-up sophistication to every editorial she was a part of. Gracing the cover nine times including the storied 100th-anniversary issue, she represented classic beauty at its finest. In the work of photographers like Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Meisel, Marc Hispard, and Peter Lindbergh, she came alive, providing not just a pretty face but an effervescent vitality. Retired from the modeling industry since 2000, Mulder has spoken out about the dangers faced by underage models and the dark side of the fashion industry. Though she’s left fashion to focus on music and performance, she resurfaces now and then for special occasions–like walking the runway for John Galliano’s Dior. Take a look back through this iconic star’s career highlights in Vogue and beyond.
