From Twiggy to Tyra Banks, here is the most iconic supermodel the year you were born

gisele bundchen

From Twiggy to Adriana Lima, supermodels throughout history have been known for their killer catwalks and incredible style.
We rounded up the world's most famous models from the years 1950 to 2005 and identified the year in which they were arguably at the top of their game.
The iconic poster of Farrah Fawcett in her red swimsuit is the best-selling poster ever, while Linda Evangelista is one of the most accompished models of all time, with more than 700 covers to her name.
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Throughout the years, the face of the modeling industry has changed.

Today, more plus-size and diverse models are walking the runway than ever before, signaling how the body-positivity movement has impacted fashion. But this wasn't always the case: Many iconic supermodels had a very specific look — they were tall, thin, and white.

However, there were also some exceptions.

We decided to look back at some of the most famous models throughout history and the impact they had on the industry. We also determined the year in which they were arguably at the top of their game.

From Twiggy in the '60s to Gisele Bündchen in the '90s and 2000s, these models have certainly left their mark.

1950: Jean Patchett was a leading model throughout the 1940s and 1950s, and she was said to have defined the era when it came to beauty.

1951: Mary Jane Russell appeared on the cover of many issues of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, despite being shorter than other models at only 5 feet 6 inches.

Source: The New York Times

1952: Georgia Hamilton was a popular fashion model during the 1940s and 1950s who appeared on the cover of Life magazine.

1953: Cherry Nelms was a top model during the 1950s and one of the favorite muses of photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe.

1954: Sunny Harnett was a model frequently photographed by Richard Avedon during the height of her modeling career in the mid-1950s.

1955: Dovima was a well-known American model during the 1950s and even appeared as a model in the Audrey Hepburn film, "Funny Face."

A Richard Avedon photograph of Dovima with elephants at a Paris circus in 1955 is one of the most famous fashion photographs of all time.

Source: Time 100 Photos

1956: Evelyn Tripp was well known during the 1950s and 1960s — especially for her remarkably high cheekbones.

Source: The New York Times

1957: Suzy Parker was an American actress and model. She was reportedly the first model to earn $100,000 per year, which would be $922,000 today.

Source: Vanity Fair

1958: Marilyn Monroe is one of the best-known actresses of all time, but she also modeled throughout her life.

Source: Insider

1959: Dolores Hawkins was a singer and model who appeared on a number of magazine covers during the late 1950s, including Glamour, Vogue, and Mademoiselle.

1960: Sondra Peterson was signed by Eileen Ford. She was so popular during her career that she was featured in the May 1960 issue of Seventeen in an article titled, "How to Look Like Sondra Peterson."

Source: Wikipedia

1961: Dorothy McGowan was photographed by Richard Avedon and appeared on the covers of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, and Glamour during the 1960s.

1962: Brigitte Bardot was an actress and part-time model who gained fame for portraying more sexualized characters during the height of the sexual revolution.

Source: Biography

1963: The daughter of a German resistance fighter, Veruschka reportedly used modeling as a way to escape her tumultuous childhood.

Source: The Rake

1964: Tania Mallet is an English actress and model known for playing James Bond's love interest in the 1964 film, "Goldfinger."

Source: The Guardian

1965: Jean Shrimpton is regarded as one of the most notable supermodels in history — and as one of the most defining faces of the decade.

1966: Twiggy gained her famous nickname from her thin frame, and she quickly became a household name during the swinging '60s and mod era in London.

Source: The Guardian

1967: Pat Booth was an English model who stood out for her more "punk" look during the late '60s.

1968: Naomi Sims has been called the first black supermodel, largely in part to her landing the cover of Ladies Home Journal in 1968.

Source: The New York Times

1969: Cristina Ferrare signed with Eileen Ford when she was 20 and graced the covers of multiple magazines.

1970: Karen Graham was the exclusive face of Estée Lauder for 15 years. This also made her the first model to win a beauty contract, Estée or otherwise.

Source: Estée Lauder

1971: Before she was a musician, Grace Jones walked runways. She secured a modeling contract aged 18 and made waves after moving to Paris in 1970.

1972: Marisa Berenson appeared on the covers of Vogue and Time magazine, and Yves Saint Laurent even dubbed her the "girl of the '70s."

Source: The Telegraph

1973: When Lauren Hutton signed her million-dollar contract with Revlon in 1973, it was the biggest in modeling history.

Source: Interview Magazine

1974: Before she was an actress, Rene Russo was a successful model who appeared on the cover of Vogue nine times.

Source: Vogue

1975: Cheryl Tiegs made the cover of Sports Illustrated three times, including in 1975, which made her the "Golden Girl of the '70s."

Source: Sports Illustrated

1976: The iconic poster of Farrah Fawcett in her red bathing suit was released in 1976. It sold 20 million copies, making it the best-selling poster of all time.

The swimsuit is now in the Smithsonian.

Source: The Chicago Tribune

1977: Jerry Hall was, and still is, a successful model and tabloid fixture. At the time, she was dating Mick Jagger and regularly seen at New York City hotspot, Studio 54.

Source: CR Fashion Book

1978: Patti Hansen was called the "successor to Farrah Fawcett and Cheryl Tiegs," after she landed an 81-by-24-foot billboard in Times Square for Calvin Klein.

Source: People

1979: During her short life, Gia Carangi appeared on many magazine covers, including Cosmopolitan and Vogue in 1979, and was one of the first openly LGBTQ models.

Source: Dazed Digital

1980: Brooke Shields made headlines when she appeared in this controversial Calvin Klein campaign at the young age of 15.

Source: Today

1981: Iman remains a household name to this day, but was at the height of her modeling career during the early 1980s.

1982: Renee Simonsen was chosen to represent Denmark in the 1982 Eileen Ford Supermodel contest and won.

Source: Vogue

1983: Christie Brinkley was well known throughout the '70s and '80s for her sporty, girl-next-door look.

1984: Carol Alt appeared on over 500 magazine covers throughout the 1980s, including Vogue, Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia, Mademoiselle, Elle, and Cosmopolitan.

Source: New York Post

1985: In 1974, Beverly Johnson became the first black woman to appear on the cover of Vogue. By the mid-1980s, she was a household name.

Source: Vogue

1986: Janice Dickinson has been called the first official supermodel after she coined the phrase during an interview.

Source: The Balance Careers

1987: Elle Macpherson solidified her place as an icon after appearing for the second time on the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue in 1987.

1988: Paulina Porizkova made headlines after signing what was then the highest-paying modeling contract, a $6 million-a-year contract as the face of Estée Lauder.

Source: Yahoo

1989: Kathy Ireland's 1989 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover remains one of the magazine's most-sold issues to date.

Source: Marly Rusoff Literary Agency

1990: Christy Turlington shot to fame after appearing in Calvin Klein's Eternity campaign the year before.

Source: Elle

1991: Kate Moss, one of the world's most recognizable models, marked a change in the industry with her waifish look.

1992: Cindy Crawford became one of the most popular models of the '80s and '90s due to her curvier body type.

1993: Fabio Lanzoni was the world's highest-paid male model in 1993. He made millions of dollars per year is most famous for on the covers of many romance novels.

Source: New York Times

1994: Claudia Schiffer became a household name after working on a 1994 Chanel campaign.

Source: Dazed Digital

1995: Linda Evangelista is one of the most accomplished models of all time, and has appeared on more than 700 magazine covers throughout her career.

Source: CR Fashion Book

1996: Tyra Banks made history as the first black model to be on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover alongside Valeria Mazza.

The next year, she would be the first African American model to land a solo cover.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

1997: Karen Mulder appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition in 1997.

Source: Sports Illustrated

1998: Naomi Campbell was one of the most in-demand models of the '90s, as well as the highest-paid black model throughout much of the decade.

Source: Forbes

1999: Heidi Klum cemented her "it girl" status after being featured in the New York Time's "A Night Out With" column in 1999.

Source: The New York Times

2000: Gisele Bündchen is known as one of the world's most iconic supermodels, as well as one of the highest-paid models during the 2000s.

2001: Adriana Lima appeared in her first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 1999 and, by 2001, she was one of the most popular models on the runway.

2002: Vogue Paris dedicated an entire issue to Liya Kebede.

Source: Daily Mail

2003: Gemma Ward met Miuccia Prada at the designer's request and made her Prada runway debut that season.

Source: W Magazine

2004: Natalia Vodianova appeared on her first American Vogue cover in 2004 alongside Gisele Bündchen and Daria Werbowy as one of the models regarded by Anna Wintour as "the future of the business."

Source: Vogue

2005: Alessandra Ambrosio wowed the world by walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion show as a bona fide "Angel," a year after her debut in the televised program.

Source: Vogue

1950: Jean Patchett was a leading model throughout the 1940s and 1950s, and she was said to have defined the era when it came to beauty.

1951: Mary Jane Russell appeared on the cover of many issues of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, despite being shorter than other models at only 5 feet 6 inches.

1952: Georgia Hamilton was a popular fashion model during the 1940s and 1950s who appeared on the cover of Life magazine.

1953: Cherry Nelms was a top model during the 1950s and one of the favorite muses of photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe.

1954: Sunny Harnett was a model frequently photographed by Richard Avedon during the height of her modeling career in the mid-1950s.

1955: Dovima was a well-known American model during the 1950s and even appeared as a model in the Audrey Hepburn film, "Funny Face."

1956: Evelyn Tripp was well known during the 1950s and 1960s — especially for her remarkably high cheekbones.

1957: Suzy Parker was an American actress and model. She was reportedly the first model to earn $100,000 per year, which would be $922,000 today.

1958: Marilyn Monroe is one of the best-known actresses of all time, but she also modeled throughout her life.

1959: Dolores Hawkins was a singer and model who appeared on a number of magazine covers during the late 1950s, including Glamour, Vogue, and Mademoiselle.

1960: Sondra Peterson was signed by Eileen Ford. She was so popular during her career that she was featured in the May 1960 issue of Seventeen in an article titled, "How to Look Like Sondra Peterson."

1961: Dorothy McGowan was photographed by Richard Avedon and appeared on the covers of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, and Glamour during the 1960s.

1962: Brigitte Bardot was an actress and part-time model who gained fame for portraying more sexualized characters during the height of the sexual revolution.

1963: The daughter of a German resistance fighter, Veruschka reportedly used modeling as a way to escape her tumultuous childhood.

1964: Tania Mallet is an English actress and model known for playing James Bond's love interest in the 1964 film, "Goldfinger."

1965: Jean Shrimpton is regarded as one of the most notable supermodels in history — and as one of the most defining faces of the decade.

1966: Twiggy gained her famous nickname from her thin frame, and she quickly became a household name during the swinging '60s and mod era in London.

1967: Pat Booth was an English model who stood out for her more "punk" look during the late '60s.

1968: Naomi Sims has been called the first black supermodel, largely in part to her landing the cover of Ladies Home Journal in 1968.

1969: Cristina Ferrare signed with Eileen Ford when she was 20 and graced the covers of multiple magazines.

1970: Karen Graham was the exclusive face of Estée Lauder for 15 years. This also made her the first model to win a beauty contract, Estée or otherwise.

1971: Before she was a musician, Grace Jones walked runways. She secured a modeling contract aged 18 and made waves after moving to Paris in 1970.

1972: Marisa Berenson appeared on the covers of Vogue and Time magazine, and Yves Saint Laurent even dubbed her the "girl of the '70s."

1973: When Lauren Hutton signed her million-dollar contract with Revlon in 1973, it was the biggest in modeling history.

1974: Before she was an actress, Rene Russo was a successful model who appeared on the cover of Vogue nine times.

1975: Cheryl Tiegs made the cover of Sports Illustrated three times, including in 1975, which made her the "Golden Girl of the '70s."

1976: The iconic poster of Farrah Fawcett in her red bathing suit was released in 1976. It sold 20 million copies, making it the best-selling poster of all time.

1977: Jerry Hall was, and still is, a successful model and tabloid fixture. At the time, she was dating Mick Jagger and regularly seen at New York City hotspot, Studio 54.

1978: Patti Hansen was called the "successor to Farrah Fawcett and Cheryl Tiegs," after she landed an 81-by-24-foot billboard in Times Square for Calvin Klein.

1979: During her short life, Gia Carangi appeared on many magazine covers, including Cosmopolitan and Vogue in 1979, and was one of the first openly LGBTQ models.

1980: Brooke Shields made headlines when she appeared in this controversial Calvin Klein campaign at the young age of 15.

1981: Iman remains a household name to this day, but was at the height of her modeling career during the early 1980s.

1982: Renee Simonsen was chosen to represent Denmark in the 1982 Eileen Ford Supermodel contest and won.

1983: Christie Brinkley was well known throughout the '70s and '80s for her sporty, girl-next-door look.

1984: Carol Alt appeared on over 500 magazine covers throughout the 1980s, including Vogue, Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia, Mademoiselle, Elle, and Cosmopolitan.

1985: In 1974, Beverly Johnson became the first black woman to appear on the cover of Vogue. By the mid-1980s, she was a household name.

1986: Janice Dickinson has been called the first official supermodel after she coined the phrase during an interview.

1987: Elle Macpherson solidified her place as an icon after appearing for the second time on the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue in 1987.

1988: Paulina Porizkova made headlines after signing what was then the highest-paying modeling contract, a $6 million-a-year contract as the face of Estée Lauder.

1989: Kathy Ireland's 1989 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover remains one of the magazine's most-sold issues to date.

1990: Christy Turlington shot to fame after appearing in Calvin Klein's Eternity campaign the year before.

1991: Kate Moss, one of the world's most recognizable models, marked a change in the industry with her waifish look.

1992: Cindy Crawford became one of the most popular models of the '80s and '90s due to her curvier body type.

1993: Fabio Lanzoni was the world's highest-paid male model in 1993. He made millions of dollars per year is most famous for on the covers of many romance novels.

1994: Claudia Schiffer became a household name after working on a 1994 Chanel campaign.

1995: Linda Evangelista is one of the most accomplished models of all time, and has appeared on more than 700 magazine covers throughout her career.

1996: Tyra Banks made history as the first black model to be on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover alongside Valeria Mazza.

1997: Karen Mulder appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition in 1997.

1998: Naomi Campbell was one of the most in-demand models of the '90s, as well as the highest-paid black model throughout much of the decade.

1999: Heidi Klum cemented her "it girl" status after being featured in the New York Time's "A Night Out With" column in 1999.

2000: Gisele Bündchen is known as one of the world's most iconic supermodels, as well as one of the highest-paid models during the 2000s.

2001: Adriana Lima appeared in her first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 1999 and, by 2001, she was one of the most popular models on the runway.

2002: Vogue Paris dedicated an entire issue to Liya Kebede.

2003: Gemma Ward met Miuccia Prada at the designer's request and made her Prada runway debut that season.

2004: Natalia Vodianova appeared on her first American Vogue cover in 2004 alongside Gisele Bündchen and Daria Werbowy as one of the models regarded by Anna Wintour as "the future of the business."

2005: Alessandra Ambrosio wowed the world by walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion show as a bona fide "Angel," a year after her debut in the televised program.

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