Background

Linda Evangelista was born on May 10, 1965, in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. She is the daughter of Tomaso Evangelista and Marisa Evangelista. Tomaso worked for General Motors, while Marisa was a bookkeeper.

James Evangelista and Dan Evangelista are Linda's siblings.

Education

Evangelista grew up in St. Catharines, Ontario, where she studied at Denis Morris Catholic High School. While a teenager, namely at the age of 12, Linda enrolled in a self-improvement course at a modeling school. It was there, that she was taught poise and etiquette and was advised to attend a modeling course. Linda subsequently entered the 1978 Miss Teen Niagara beauty contest. Although she did not win, she gained the attention of a talent agent from Elite Model Management - one of the world's top modeling agencies.

Career

It was in 1981, that Linda signed with Elite Model Management. Initially working in New York City, she was later, in 1984, sent to Paris. Linda gained industry recognition, when she appeared on the cover of the French edition of the leading fashion magazine Vogue (September 1987).

In 1988, Linda was persuaded by top photographer, Peter Lindbergh, to have her hair cut into a simple boyish crop, which stood in stark contrast to the long and glamorous styles then in vogue. Initially, this move brought the cancellation of her performance in the season's leading runway shows, but within months, she was back on the covers - sporting her new hairstyle - and had sparked a global trend. Later, she was dubbed "the chameleon" for having altered her hair cut and color all the time.

In 1989, Linda was made the new face of Versace and that of Revlon the following year. In January 1990, Evangelista, alongside fellow models, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Tatjana Patitz, and Christy Turlington, appeared on the cover of British Vogue. The grouping of several top models attracted significant attention, and they were chosen to again appear together in pop singer George Michael's "Freedom! '90" music video. Fashion designer Gianni Versace in turn hired Evangelista, Campbell, Crawford, and Turlington to walk the runway together to the video at his 1991 couture show, which elicited a standing ovation from the audience. The event is believed by many industry professionals to have marked the official debut of the "supermodel" - a top fashion model, who appears simultaneously on the covers of the world's leading fashion magazines and is globally recognized by first name only. In 1992, Linda appeared with other models in Michael's "Too Funky" video.

As the supermodel phenomenon began to gain more and more prominence, Linda was one of the top models in the group, called "the supers," who would later pave their ways as worldwide celebrities, increasingly dominating both the high-fashion runways and the global media. Evangelista, Campbell, and Turlington were regularly booked as a trio for some of the most-prized assignments and were soon known in their own right as "the holy trinity."

The late 1990s marked the end of the supermodel era. It was in 1998, that Linda retired from modeling. However, she made a comeback three years later, this time working only sporadically. In 2009, the model was featured in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition "The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion." The exhibition represented the models, who epitomized fashion during the 20th century.

During her career, Evangelista has walked the runways of the world's top fashion houses, including Chanel and Hermès. She has continued to model for the globe's top brands, including the Prada fashion house and L'Oréal.

It's also worth mentioning, that, during her lifetime, Linda has appeared in a number of documentaries, including Models: The Film (1991), Prêt-à-Porter (1994), Unzipped (1995), Catwalk (1995), Mademoiselle C (2013), among others.

Achievements

• 

  Linda Evangelista gained prominence as one of the top supermodels of the 1990s. She has appeared on more than 700 magazine covers, including those of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Mademoiselle, Elle, W, Marie Claire, Allure, Time, Interview, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Cigar Aficionado, and i-D. She holds the record for her multiple appearances on the cover of Vogue Italia, all of which were photographed by Steven Meisel, for whom she has been the longtime "muse."
  
  Linda worked with such renowned fashion designers, as Karl Lagerfeld and Gianni Versace. In addition, she has modeled for such fashion brands, as Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Gianfranco Ferré, Ralph Lauren, Yves Saint Laurent, Escada, Calvin Klein, Salvatore Ferragamo, Max Mara, among many others.
  
  Linda Evangelista also became known for her famous quote, "We have this expression, Christy and I. We don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day.", and for having her hair cut short in 1988. The act not only sparked many copies worldwide, but it also benefited Evangelista's career and helped usher in the era of the supermodel.
  
  Evangelista is considered to be one of the most influential models of all time. She had an impact on a number of female celebrities as either an inspiration or as a beauty icon. Among them are Victoria Beckham, Martha Stewart, models Candice Swanepoel, Kylie Bax, Kendall Jenner and Elsa Benítez, model-turned-actress Angie Harmon, and singer Rihanna.
  
  Linda was named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 1990. In June 2003, she received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. Two years later, in 2005, the model was named a World Fashion Icon by the Women's World Awards in Leipzig, Germany. Also, Linda was voted as "The Greatest Supermodel of All Time" by the viewers of the television show Fashion File in 2008.

Works

More photos

• movie

  • Catwalk

    (A camera follows model Christy Turlington through the spr...)

    1995
  • Mademoiselle C

    (A documentary focused on former Vogue Paris editor-in-chi...)

    2013
  • Prêt-à-Porter

    (A chronicle of the interconnected lives of a group of peo...)

    1994
  • Unzipped

    (One of the most successful designers in high fashion plan...)

    1995

Religion

As of 1997, Linda was a practicing Roman Catholic.

Views

Linda is known for her support of breast cancer research and awareness, as well as HIV/AIDS research and awareness. She was one of the icons in the Viva Glam campaign for the Mac AIDS Fund. In 2013, the model hosted amfAR's Inaugural Inspiration Gala in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In addition, she supports the Elton John AIDS Foundation and is an advocate for LGBT concerns.

Quotations: "We have this expression, Christy and I. We don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day."

"On days when I do not work, I am working on my image."

"It was God who made me so beautiful. If I weren't, then I'd be a teacher."

"When people ask how have I kept on top, I have to say with the help of every photographer, make-up artist and hairdresser I've ever worked with."

"I was having panic attacks. I didn't want to live that way anymore. I was in love and I wanted it to work. I was tired of traveling, tired of the whole scene, just tired. I sat around. I was lazy. I wanted a routine, and I wanted to wake up in the same bed every day, and I got my wish."

"I admired those girls who did Playboy, Sports Illustrated, and Victoria's Secret. I love looking at them too, but I never went in that direction. I just stayed in fashion."

"I like glamour. Not afraid of it."

"I love, love, love fashion so much. That's why I became a model in the first place."

Personality

Linda hates surprises, and dates like birthdays and Christmas can be a nightmare for her.

Katharine Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and Ava Gardner are Evangelista's beauty icons.

Linda plays the accordion.

Quotes from others about the person

• Shane Watson of The Evening Standard: "Of all the supermodels, Linda was most responsible for elevating the job into an art form, pushing up the fees, piling on the expectations and generally ensuring that by the end of the Eighties the world of the top model had become as lucrative, glamorous and shrouded in enigma as that of the Hollywood star."
  
  Karl Lagerfeld: "There is not another model in the world as professional as she is."
  
  Philip Treacy: "Linda is the ultimate model of the past 50 years."
  
  Karl Lagerfeld: "She's [Linda] the best model in the world. Why? Because she's a true model, pure and simple. She doesn't pretend or aspire to do anything else. She's just brilliant at what she does."
  
  Stefano Gabbana: "Linda is the model. If you talk about models of the sixties and seventies, the first name is Veruschka. In the eighties and nineties, it's Linda."
  
  David Bonnouvrier: "Linda is the model of all time, to its strictest definition. She could be out of a Cecil Beaton picture, she could be out of a Guy Bourdin picture."
  
  Franca Sozzani: "For me, she is the model, not only for her beauty, but her attitude, her intelligence."
  
  John Galliano: "Inspiration hasn't been the same without her. She is an enormous influence on all the photographers and stylists."
  
  Kevyn Aucoin: "I first worked with Linda in the early eighties and have yet to meet another model who was more involved in every aspect of her work. Her specialties were knowing what was best for her hair, makeup, styling, and lighting - and Linda was always right. It was mind-boggling. Many of the unforgettable images of this haunting beauty were, in great degree, due to her involvement."

Interests

• Cooking, yoga, hiking, skiing, and pilates

• Writers

  Bible

Connections

During the period from 1987 to 1993, Linda was married to Gérald Marie. Later, she dated Kyle MacLachlan and became engaged to him in 1995. They broke up in 1998. Then, the model dated Fabien Barthez. The couple separated in 2000 only to reunite again in 2001. However, they finally terminated their relationships in 2002.

From late 2005 to early 2006, Linda dated François-Henri Pinault. Their relationships produced one child, Augustin James Evangelista.

Father:

Tomaso Evangelista

(born September 7, 1940 - died January 17, 2014)

Tomaso Evangelista was employed as a factory worker for the American automobile manufacturer General Motors Corporation.

Mother:

Marisa Evangelista

(born July 5, 1943)

Brother:

Dan Evangelista

Brother:

James Evangelista

Ex-husband:

Gérald Marie

(born 1950)

Gérald Marie is a former European chief of Elite Model Management.

ex-boyfriend:

Kyle MacLachlan

(born February 22, 1959)

Kyle MacLachlan, in full Kyle Merritt MacLachlan, is an American actor.

ex-boyfriend:

Fabien Barthez

(born June 28, 1971)

Fabien Barthez, in full Fabien Alain Barthez, is a French former professional footballer.

ex-boyfriend:

François-Henri Pinault

(born May 28, 1962)

François-Henri Pinault is a French businessman. Since 2003, he has served as president of Groupe Artémis. Since 2005, he has been chairman and CEO of Kering.

Son:

Augustin James Evangelista

(born 2006)

Cousin:

Christine Evangelista

(born October 27, 1986)

Christine Evangelista is an American actress.

Friend:

Cindy Crawford

(born February 20, 1966)

Cindy Crawford is a famous American fashion model and television personality. She first gained prominence in the 1980's and was among the first "supermodels." She is also known as an actress, businesswoman and philanthropist.

Friend:

Steven Meisel

(born June 5, 1954)

Steven Meisel is an American fashion photographer.

Evangelista is primarily known for being the longtime "muse" of Meisel. He considers her to be "extraordinarily photogenic."

Friend:

Bryan Adams

(born November 5, 1959)

Bryan Adams, in full Bryan Guy Adams, is a Canadian guitarist, singer, composer, record producer, photographer, and philanthropist.

Friend:

Naomi Campbell

(born May 22, 1970)

Naomi Campbell, in full Naomi Elaine Campbell, is an English model, actress and businesswoman.

Friend:

Christy Turlington

(born January 2, 1969)

Christy Turlington, in full Christy Nicole Turlington Burns, is an American supermodel, charity founder and campaigner, and filmmaker.

colleague:

Karl Lagerfeld

(born September 10, 1933 - died February 19, 2019)

Karl Lagerfeld, in full Karl Otto Lagerfeld, was a German creative director, fashion designer, artist, photographer, and caricaturist, who lived in Paris.

Lagerfeld regarded Linda to be his muse.

colleague:

Gianni Versace

(born December 2, 1946 - died July 15, 1997)

Gianni Versace, in full Giovanni Maria "Gianni" Versace, was an Italian fashion designer and founder of Versace, an international fashion house.

Linda was Versace's muse.

References

• Linda Evangelista's Instagram
• 10 Women by Peter Lindbergh A book by Peter Lindbergh.
  1996