Enchantress of the 90’s:Naomi Campbell
The modeling world has seen many legendary faces like Yasmeen Ghauri, Lina Evangelista, and even Cindy Crawford, but none are as fierce as Naomi Campbell. She started her modeling career at just Fifteen, becoming the first black model on the cover of French and British Vogue. She had a no-nonsense attitude regarding her booking and worth; combined with the most studied runway walk in the world, you have a recipe for stardom.
Naomi Campbell, born in south London, was one of the first trailblazers regarding black models. Sure, there were some, but only a few of them had reached that peak Naomi would go on to achieve, much to her surprise. During her younger years, Naomi wanted to be a dancer like her mother and, much like other future stars, showed an interest in singing and acting. Modeling came to her by pure chance, with an ex-ford model approaching her one day, giving her a card, and saying she should think about modeling. Her mother wasn't going for that idea, so Naomi, taking fate into her own hands, borrowed some of her mother's clothes and snuck off after school to attend a casting call. She got a callback, telling her mom how she got said callback, eventually moving to the States, and the rest is history.
Naomi Campbell walking in Channel 1992
Campbell was by no means camera shy, having a look that many advertisers worldwide wanted in their campaigns, and they weren't the only ones. Not only having a legendary face but also a walk that demanded attention from everyone in the room, she was one of the first models to do print and runway work. She was the muse of the 90s for many designers during that time, being one of the six huge supermodels on the scene, the others being Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer, Helena Christensen, and Cindy Crawford. Three of these girls, along with Naomi, would walk down the runway of Gianni Versace's 1991-1992 fall show lip-syncing to "Freedom 90" by Geroge Michael, referencing the music video for the song that they starred in. only to go on 20 years later after the passing of Gianni Versace and pay homage to the moment. This wasn't the only time Naomi would star in music videos, though, starring in both Michael Jackson's "In the Closet" and Madonna's "Erotica" music videos, playing the role of a love interest. These appearances would help skyrocket her fame and status as a model and a sex symbol. Along with future fragrances, appearing at many parties, and a rivalry with Tyra Banks, Naomi almost always began to have her name in the paper. She was receiving a reputation for being a diva.
No daytime feud or public media criticism would be enough to stop the mogul, and while there are people who choose to see Naomi as just a woman of controversy, she is far more than that. Inspiring a generation of models and celebrities while coaching the women she worked with. There will never be another Naomi Campbell. Even to this day, she is still a working model, recently having a collection with Pretty Little Things that she designed, starring in an Alexander Wang Campaign, as well as Victoria's Secret show. Naomi is many things; she is a model, a mother, an entrepreneur, and a daughter, and she's even released music. The number of doors that this woman has broken down for others to walk through and her contribution to the fashion world for many black individuals are immeasurable.
In 1993, during a Vivienne Westwood show in platform heels and rubber tights, Campbell fell on the runway; it was on the cover of many newspapers and magazines at the time. Then, in 2019, during an interview with the now-late Westwood, she revealed that many designers came to her asking her to "fall" for their shows for publicity. If that doesn't speak to this woman's hold on pop culture, I don't know what will.
Naomi Campbell by Ethan James Green
