Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton: Two Mod Supermodels of the Swinging Sixties
Heidi Klum, Gisele Bündchen, and Naomi Campbell are familiar names even to those who would never claim to be dedicated followers of fashion. But before these supermodels were born, a whole slew of mod fashion models became internationally known for their beauty and style. Although no one had heard of a supermodel in those days, these women transcended the realm of fashion. Many branched out into acting and other careers, and each made her own indelible, stylish mark on the world. Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton were two of the most iconic supermodels of their day, and remain mod icons.
Twiggy: Probably the best-known model of the sixties, Twiggy's petite, super-svelte figure made her the original waif decades before Kate Moss's debut. Born Lesley Hornby on September 19th, 1949, the north Londoner had self-described "mousy brown" hair before undergoing a 7-hour transformation into the cropped blonde mod the world would come to know and love as Twiggy.
A complete original, Twiggy painted lower lashes onto her face with makeup, impressing even jaded fashion industry types. Such was the impact of mod superstar Twiggy that her image was included in a time capsule headed for space. Although some critics predicted she would only last a few weeks, the "Face of 66" is still involved in modeling and acting. She appeared on the cover for David Bowie's 1973 album "Pin Ups," and became the spokesmodel for Marks and Spencer in 2005. Notable acting roles include "The Blues Brothers" and "Madame Sousatzka," following her 1972 debut in Ken Russell's "The Boy Friend." The multi-talented Twiggy even sang on the soundtrack for "Sousatzka," in addition to other recordings.
Jean Shrimpton: This 60s top model entered the world on November 7th, 1942. Unlike the more androgynous Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton made her mark with long, swingy locks and a sensual pout. Despite her 5'9 1/2" stature, she was known as "the Shrimp." Hailing from Buckinghamshire, England, Jean Shrimpton began her career earlier than Twiggy, in 1960.
Rumored to have been the best-paid model of the time, her figure was even used as the basis for mannequins' forms. Shrimpton crossed the Atlantic and graced the cover of Vogue no less than 19 times. Shrimpton, the model in the super mod photo near the blue scooter, is credited with bringing the miniskirt to the masses.
In fact, the lanky model caused a bit of a scandal when she showed up at the staid Melbourne Cup horse races in an above-the-knee dress without a hat or gloves.. Romantically linked to legendary photographer David Bailey, she tried her hand at acting in "Privilege." She eventually left her mod past behind, settling into the more sedate roles of innkeeper and antiques dealer.
SOURCES
http://www.twiggylawson.co.uk/biography.html
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/racing/model-jean-shrimpton-recollects-the-stir-she-caused-on-victoria-derby-day-in-1965/story-fn4cyin0-1225792393451
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20067955,00.html
19 comments
Very interesting discussion. I remember asking for a Twiggy haircut when I was about eight...I loved fashion even then! Great article, Stacy.
That's a great way to put it, Mike. It's hard to imagine what life would be like now without the influence of the sixties, especially in music, fashion, and art.
You're right, everything was much more compartmentalised in those days. Partly, I think, because communication was so very much slower and poorer than now. I think there was less mixing of ideas and of disciplines. Although the 60s did change that view as it progressed towards the end of the decade.
Certainly there was a move towards a more artistic way to look at the world and many new styles were tried which progressed into the next decade (and century).
Thanks, Mike! The omnipresence of Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, etc., on the web makes it feel like they have a huge influence, but it seems like it's more about sex than fashion now. Fashion seemed to be so exciting in the 60s, and fashion magazine photos from that time were works of art.
I think models in the 60s had much more influence on fashion than models do today. The photos are also great photos that set a real 60s mood for this article.
Oops, I meant to say I couldn't think of models that were household names. It took me a while, but I finally thought of Suzy Parker. But I think a lot of it goes along with the focus on individuality and style in the sixties. Models didn't have to have cookie-cutter looks anymore, so they stood out as individuals. And I agree with what you just said about models' fame doing the selling, mostly thanks to the Internet.
Well, I think there were many models; but anonymous. In a way that makes sense, so that their own personality doesn't interfere with the clothing they're showing or the goods they are selling. On the other hand, these days it's often the personality and celebrity status of the models themselves doing the selling.
Thanks, Katie! Everything I saw about Jean today says she's rumored to be an innkeeper in Cornwall. I agree about these two being the first supermodels. In fact, I'm trying to think of even a few fashion models that came before them.
Whatever became of Jean Shrimpton? In looking back in time, it seems, from my perspective, that she and Twiggy were perhaps the very FIRST supermodels, in that before them, people would grow to recognize the faces of a few models that they might see in magazines, but Shrimpton and Twiggy were the first who the public in general knew by name. Nice retrospective!
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Definitely! I'm sure she could afford to just kick back on a beach somewhere and do nothing...