What Makes a Supermodel?

[sepia]

Yeah you're right, but I still think they might consider it, even if for the fans' sake. Some were willing to do the "When Supermodels Ruled the World" special. I think they like the fact nostalgia over their era is growing.

 

[Mr-Dale]

Guys, please keep this thread on the question as posed in the title. And also, let's keep it a bit civil instead of going back and forth the whole time on the same subject (you know what I mean) Thank you.

 

[Nicole wen]

definitely Fernanda Tavares is the REAL SUPERMODEL!
beyond doubt

 

[eword]

If Brad Pitt dumped Angelina Jolie and started dating Daria, would she be famous? You bet. Would that make her a supermodel? No way.

what about angelina jolie dumping brad pitt and starting to date daria?

 

[OMIFAN9]

what about angelina jolie dumping brad pitt and starting to date daria?

Everything is hilarious on page 6, especially the post by eword.

 

[Nicole wen]

what about angelina jolie dumping brad pitt and starting to date daria?

yeah! A.J. loves both men and women

 

[happycanadian]

IMO, in order to be a Supermodel, a person must have success in both the high fashion world (meaning, multiple covers of relavent magazines, ie Vogue, Bazaar, W, etc) AND commercial contracts, (ie: Victoria's Secret, Sports Illustrated, Cosmetic companies). Beyond that, however, these women need to be internationally recognized, and must also have some measure of tabloid presence and pop culture recognition.

Thus, the ORIGINAL Supermodels, and the ones whom the word was coined after, are: Naomi, Christy, Cindy, Linda, & Claudia (though I would add to this group Stephanie Seymour and Eva Herzigova, since they've each had long, successful careers in both commercial and high fashion, as well as public recognition).
The reason why it was made such a big deal, is because those girls were all HUGE at the same time. Working from that same definition, there have been models since then who are also deserving of the title, though they are not the ORIGINALS.

These women would be: Gisele, Kate Moss and Karolina Kurkova.

(Isabeli has all of the qualifications except for public recognition. Nobody knows her name. Daria is more recognizeable, but is lacking in commercial success).

However, since the time of the original Supermodels, the definition has been modified slightly to also include women who don't have the tremendous success in high fashion, but are HUGELY successful in a commercial sense, and who have been able to parlay their modelling fame into mega $$$ outside of the modelling world.

These women would be: Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Elle MacPherson, Rebecca Romijn, Laetitia Casta, Christie Brinkley & Adriana Lima.

 

[Nicole wen]

anyways Fernanda is the best in my heart!

 

[sepia]

I can see an argument from Kate being a supermodel, but Karolina? I don't think she's at all a household name yet or reached icon status.

 

[OMIFAN9]

I can see an argument from Kate being a supermodel, but Karolina? I don't think she's at all a household name yet or reached icon status.

Yeah, that last list of girls I can't agree with,H.P. The only takers there are Kate,Christie B,Elle Mac and Gisele(but sometimes I feel torn).

 

[happycanadian]

I can see an argument from Kate being a supermodel, but Karolina? I don't think she's at all a household name yet or reached icon status.

there's really no need to form an argument for Kate. she's undoubtably a supermodel. same with Gisele.

i added KK to the list because she's the only one who's as close. She has had a huge amount of success in the high fashion world. she's been on every runway and in all the important campaigns. she has a ridiculous amount of covers, spanning from all of the Vogues, to the international W's and Bazaar's, Elle, etc etc.

and though she probably isn't a household name in the same sense as Gisele or Kate, she certainly has exposure. she is covered by magazines when she attends events. she was invited to the Oscars and was on numerous "best dressed" lists. plus, she's the only one of the models that's regularly on shows like Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, even Oprah. she's been tagged "the next supermodel" by everyone from Anna Wintour to Marc Jacobs, etc.

Aaand, to top it all off --- it was reported in Arena's annual "Victoria's Secret Backstage" special issue that she's signed a new deal with VS for $25million, which will undoubtably put her in the same 'household name' status as any Victoria's Secret gal could be.

its about recognition. if you go to a news media photo site like Getty Images, you'll see over a thousand pictures of Karolina, compared to very little of someone like Daria or Natalia Vodianova. i'm not for a moment trying to suggest that Getty Images decides who's a supermodel and who isn't --- but it is a clear measure of public exposure.

she would be the Claudia Schiffer of the new pack. the blonde babe. not known for being a demanding diva. everyone who works with her has NOTHING but good things to say, a fantastic body that lends itself to the HC runways, and also to bikinis, etc etc.

 

[Nicole wen]

ridiculous!!!

 

[happycanadian]

^^ HA.

surely you're referring to your own statement:

definitely Fernanda Tavares is the REAL SUPERMODEL!
beyond doubt

*edited to add: i actually LOVE fernanda, and i wish that she were as popular as any of the rest of the supermodels. but she just doesn't have as much public recognition or career achievements.

 

[Nicole wen]

^^ HA.

surely you're referring to your own statement:

*edited to add: i actually LOVE fernanda, and i wish that she were as popular as any of the rest of the supermodels. but she just doesn't have as much public recognition or career achievements.

yeah!
thanks for waking me up!
i am the one who's ridiculous!

 

[Nicole wen]

i didn't know much about the model world
until I fell in love with F.T. the first time
I saw her in VS 2005

Ridiculous, uh?

yeah as you said she doesn't have much exposure
but I just love her to ..just keep it quiet

yea maybe she doesnt have all it takes to be a SUPERmodel
but to me she's definitely a star!
i might like her for many reasons or
i might like her for no reason!

i believe there's something very feminine in her
that attracts me!

 

[Nicole wen]

i love F.T.
but I don't wish her to be as popular as Gisele or K.K.
i love her to just...u know keep going
living in her "little" world
be confident。be quiet。

yeah i am crazy!

 

[happycanadian]

i didn't know much about the model world
until I fell in love with F.T. the first time
I saw her in VS 2005

Ridiculous, uh?

yeah as you said she doesn't have much exposure
but I just love her to ..just keep it quiet

yea maybe she doesnt have all it takes to be a SUPERmodel
but to me she's definitely a star!
i might like her for many reasons or
i might like her for no reason!

i believe there's something very feminine in her
that attracts me!

and NOTHING about that is ridiculous.

fernanda has a sultry sex appeal that many of those Supermodels don't. she is a fantastic model, and seems to be a great person as well, and i also think that it's partially her choice that she isn't as huge as she should be.

 

[Nicole wen]

i also think that it's partially her choice that she isn't as huge as she should be.

yeah i guess so!B)

i've always believed that her refusing to do fur
was a big decision that changed a lot of things,
i mean, for her career

 

[Nicole wen]

not sure i would love her this much
if she's as SUPER as Gisele
or as TOP as Tyra or anybody else

 

[KhaoticKharma]

I thought this would be of intrest for this thread

Many don't consider Tyra Banks a supermodel because of her small career in high fashion. She has mostly done commercial modeling. She has had one 1 Vogue cover, while supermodels like Christy Turlington have over 70. Banks has only had around 15 fashion magazine covers, while the rest are mostly Men's magazines like Maxim and GQ. Tyra Banks has only had 20 plus magazine covers, and the majority of them aren't top fashion magazines. Supermodels like Niki Taylor have graced hundred of magazine covers. For about 10 years of career, she has done very little modeling, the majority being Victoria's Secret. She has also done more work on television and film. Many people criticise her for being called a "supermodel" when her credits don't make her one. Unlike the great supermodels (i.e. Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Beverly Peele, Cindy Crawford..), Tyra was never the muse for top fashion designers, never graced over 100 fashion magazines, and has gained fame by commercial modeling, which is not considered artistic like high fashion. Rachel Hunter and other commercial models are also criticised by many for being dubbed a supermodel, because of their small high fashion career. Others whose status is questioned include: Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima, Petra Nemcova, Marisa Miller, etc.