Linda Evangelista facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Linda Evangelista
Evangelista in 2004
Born	(1965-05-10) May 10, 1965 (age 60) St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Model
Years active	1983–1998 2001–present
Spouse(s)	Gérald Marie ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1993)​
Partner(s)	Kyle MacLachlan (1992–1998)
Children	1
Relatives	Christine Evangelista (cousin) Luke Evangelista (second cousin)
Modelling information
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Hair colour	Brown
Eye colour	Blue-green
Agency	DNA Model Management (New York) Models 1 (London) View Management (Barcelona) Priscilla's Model Management (Sydney)

Linda Evangelista (born May 10, 1965) is a famous Canadian fashion model. She is known as one of the most successful and important models ever. She has appeared on over 700 magazine covers.

Linda Evangelista is also known for being a "muse" (a source of inspiration) for photographer Steven Meisel. She is also famous for saying, "We don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day." This quote became very well-known in the fashion world.

Her modeling career started in 1984 when she signed with Elite Model Management. This happened after she moved from Canada to New York City. In 1988, a photographer named Peter Lindbergh suggested she cut her hair short. This haircut became very popular.

Linda Evangelista was called the "chameleon" of the fashion world. This was because she often changed her look. She was also one of the "Big Five" supermodels. These were Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, and Cindy Crawford. During the late 1980s and 1990s, she was one of the most famous women in the world.

Unlike some other models, Linda focused only on modeling. She took a break from modeling in 1998. She returned three years later, working sometimes. In 2008, viewers of the TV show Fashion File voted her "The Greatest Supermodel of All Time."

Early Life

Linda Evangelista was born on May 10, 1965. She grew up in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Her parents, Marisa and Tomaso Evangelista, came from Italy. Her father worked for General Motors, and her mother was a bookkeeper. Linda is the middle of three children. She has two brothers.

When she was 12, Linda took a modeling course. She learned about poise and etiquette. She also started modeling locally as a teenager. In 1981, she entered the Miss Teen Niagara beauty pageant. She didn't win, but a representative from Elite Model Management noticed her.

At 16, Linda went to Japan to model. She had a bad experience there and wanted to quit modeling. She went back to Canada. Two years later, she decided to try modeling again.

Career

Starting Out: 1984–1987

In 1984, Linda Evangelista moved to New York City. She signed with Elite Model Management. There, she met agent John Casablancas. Elite then sent her to Paris. At 19, she began her international high-fashion career.

Her first big magazine cover was for L'Officiel in November 1984. After that, she appeared on many covers and in many fashion magazines. These included Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Elle. She appeared on over 700 covers around the world.

In 1985, Linda started working with Karl Lagerfeld. He was the head designer for Chanel. She became his "muse." Lagerfeld once said she was the most professional model in the world. Linda was one of the first models to do both photo shoots and runway shows. She became a "muse" for designer Gianni Versace. She also modeled for many other famous brands. These included Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, and Yves Saint Laurent. She also worked for companies like Visa and Elizabeth Arden.

In 1986, Linda met photographer Steven Meisel. They became friends and worked together often. Linda became Meisel's "muse." In 1987, she started appearing in ads for Revlon's "The Most Unforgettable Women in the World" campaign. Many other famous photographers also took her picture.

Becoming a Supermodel: 1988–1992

In 1988, photographer Peter Lindbergh suggested Linda cut her hair short. She got a short, stylish haircut. At first, the fashion industry didn't like it. Linda was even canceled from 16 fashion shows. But by spring 1989, her short haircut was the most popular style. It was called "The Linda."

Linda Evangelista became one of the "Big Five" supermodels. These models were incredibly famous in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They were even more famous than many actors and singers. Linda, Christy Turlington, and Naomi Campbell were called "The Trinity."

In January 1990, Linda, Christy, Naomi, Cindy Crawford, and Tatjana Patitz were on the cover of British Vogue. This photo, taken by Lindbergh, helped define the "supermodel era." Singer George Michael saw the cover and asked them to be in his music video for "Freedom! '90." In May 1990, People magazine named Linda one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World."

In October 1990, Linda Evangelista said in an interview, "We don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day." This became one of the most famous quotes in modeling history. It showed how much top models were earning. Also in 1990, Linda surprised everyone by dyeing her hair platinum blonde. Later, she dyed it a bright red. She was known as the fashion industry's "chameleon" because she changed her hair color and style so often. She inspired many hair trends.

In 1991, there were rumors that a fashion house paid Linda $20,000 to walk in a show. This was a very high amount at the time. Model Tyson Beckford said Linda helped models get paid more. Linda also appeared in the 1991 documentary Models: The Film.

In 1991 and 1992, Linda was on billboards in Times Square for the Kenar fashion brand. These billboards were part of a campaign called Ads Against AIDS. One famous billboard showed Linda with seven older Sicilian women. This image was called "Beauty and the Seven Beasts." Prints of the image were sold to help Ads Against AIDS. The image was also chosen as one of the "20 most important fashion photographs ever."

In April 1992, Linda and other supermodels were on the cover of Vogue's 100th anniversary issue. This is still the magazine's best-selling issue. She also appeared in George Michael's "Too Funky" music video. Her cover for the September 1992 issue of Harper's Bazaar is considered "iconic." It was ranked among the top magazine covers of the last 40 years.

Continued Success and Retirement: 1993–1998

In 1993, Linda Evangelista traveled to Australia with Claudia Schiffer. They went for a 5-day tour to open a department store. In 1994, Linda was on the cover of Vogue Italia's 30th anniversary issue. She also appeared in the movie Prêt-à-Porter.

In 1995, a hairstylist gave Linda an asymmetrical bob haircut. This was similar to 1960s styles. That same year, she was in Thierry Mugler's 20th anniversary fashion show. Linda also signed a deal with Clairol worth over $5 million. She was a presenter at the Miss World 1995 competition.

In 1996, Linda was one of the ten models in Peter Lindbergh's book 10 Women. She was also on the first covers of Vogue Taiwan and Vogue Korea. She signed a $7.75 million contract with Yardley of London. In 1998, she decided to retire from modeling. She lived in the French Riviera for two years.

Return to Modeling: 2001–Present

In 2001, Linda Evangelista made a big return to modeling. She appeared on the cover of Vogue's September issue. She also helped bring back the "What Becomes a Legend Most?" ad campaign for Blackglama furs. In 2002, she was in ads for Versace. The next year, she returned to high-fashion runways for Versace and Dolce & Gabbana. She also closed Chanel's haute couture show wearing a wedding gown.

In 2004, she appeared in ad campaigns for NARS Cosmetics and Fendi. She also walked the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier. That summer, she was in Ann Taylor's 50th anniversary ad campaign.

In 2006, Linda was on the cover of the book In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine. In August 2006, she was on the cover of Vogue again. Her last runway appearance was in 2007 for Christian Dior. That year, she signed a contract to be a brand ambassador for L'Oreal Paris.

In May 2008, she attended the Cannes film festival. She was photographed by Steven Meisel for Prada's fall/winter campaign. In 2009, the Metropolitan Museum of Art had an exhibition called The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion. It honored models like Linda Evangelista. In 2010, she starred in the ad campaign for the revamped Talbots brand.

Linda was photographed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel's 2012 eyewear campaign. In May 2012, she was on the cover of Vogue Italia again. She was also featured in the book Vogue: The Editor's Eye. In November 2012, she was on the cover of Fashion magazine's 35th anniversary issue. The Spanish fashion brand Loewe chose her to represent its new perfume, Aura.

In June 2013, she attended the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards. She presented an award to fashion journalist Tim Blanks. She was also on the July 2013 cover of Vogue Germany with Lagerfeld's cat, Choupette. That month, she was on the cover of Vogue Italia to celebrate Franca Sozzani's 25th anniversary as editor-in-chief.

In 2014, Linda Evangelista attended the White House Correspondents' Dinner. She appeared in ads for Moschino. She was also on the cover of Vogue Japans 15th anniversary issue. She was on the September 2014 cover of Harper's Bazaar, which was their biggest ever. She was also one of 50 models on Vogue Italias 50th anniversary cover. Linda holds the record for the most Vogue Italia covers. She also represented Dolce & Gabbana's new makeup line. In October 2014, it was announced that Linda would be a guest judge on Australia's Next Top Model.

In 2015, Linda was the face of Hudson's Bay's luxury clothing section. In June 2015, she was a chairwoman for the FiFi Awards. In October 2015, she was on the cover of a book about hat designer Philip Treacy. She also starred in a campaign for Moschino's new perfume, Fresh.

In 2016, a 1991 photo of Linda was chosen for the cover of the book Vogue 100: A Century of Style. In April 2016, she was on the cover of Zoo Magazine, photographed by singer Bryan Adams. She also appeared on the cover of the book Age of the Supermodel. Linda worked as a fashion stylist for a photo spread in Harper's Bazaar in September 2016. She reunited with Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell for a campaign for the Elephant Crisis Fund. In November 2016, Linda was named Creative Director and Vice President of Erasa Skin Care.

Linda Evangelista is featured in the four-part Apple TV+ documentary series The Super Models. It premiered on September 20, 2023. The series also features Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington.

Cultural Impact

Linda Evangelista's quote about not waking up for less than $10,000 a day is still talked about today. She even mentioned it was used in the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith. T-shirts and even pillows have been made with this famous quote.

The G Hotel in Galway, Ireland, has a special suite named after Linda Evangelista. A famous photo of Linda from 1991, called "The Wild Ones," was sold at an auction for over $30,000. Another picture of Linda and Kristen McMenamy sold for $86,500. A 1988 photo of Linda and five other models sold for over $118,000. A 1996 photo of Linda, called "Linda Kissing Linda," was chosen by the Guggenheim Museum as an example of androgyny (having both male and female qualities).

Many famous people have said Linda Evangelista inspired them. These include Victoria Beckham, Martha Stewart, models Candice Swanepoel and Kendall Jenner, and singer Rihanna.

Fashion experts have praised Linda Evangelista. Philip Treacy called her "the ultimate model of the past 50 years." Karl Lagerfeld said she was "the best model in the world." Designer Stefano Gabbana said, "Linda is the model." Franca Sozzani, editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia, said readers worried about the magazine if Linda got sick because she was so important. She called Linda "the model" for her beauty, attitude, and intelligence.

Steven Meisel, her "muse," thinks she is "extraordinarily photogenic." Fashion designer John Galliano said she greatly influenced photographers and stylists. Makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin said Linda was very involved in her work and always knew what was best for her look. Fashion stylist Paul Cavaco called her "the greatest collaborator of all time."

Linda Evangelista was called "the supermodel’s supermodel." She helped make modeling an art form and increased how much models were paid. She made the world of top models as exciting and glamorous as Hollywood stars.

Activism and Awards

Evangelista's star on Canada's Walk of Fame

Linda Evangelista is an activist for HIV/AIDS research and awareness. She also supports breast cancer research and awareness. She was part of the Viva Glam campaign for the Mac AIDS Fund. In October 2013, she hosted a gala for amfAR in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Linda also supports the Elton John AIDS Foundation and advocates for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) concerns.

In 1996, she received the VH1 Fashion Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue, presented it to her. In June 2003, she received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. In 2005, she was named a World Fashion Icon at the Women's World Awards in Germany. In March 2008, viewers of the CBC Television show Fashion File voted her "The Greatest Supermodel of All Time."

Personal Life

Relationships

In 1987, Linda Evangelista married Gérald Marie. He was the head of Elite Model Management's Paris office. They divorced in 1993. She also dated actor Kyle MacLachlan. They met in 1992 and got engaged in 1995 but broke up in 1998.

After that, she dated French football player Fabien Barthez. She became pregnant but sadly had a miscarriage. They broke up in 2000, got back together in 2001, and then ended their relationship in 2002.

Child Support

In October 2006, Linda Evangelista had a son. In 2011, court papers showed that her son's father was François-Henri Pinault. Linda and Pinault had dated for a few months in 2005 and 2006. Pinault later married actress Salma Hayek.

Linda filed for child support in 2011. A trial began in May 2012. Linda and Pinault both gave testimony. A few days into the trial, they reached an agreement outside of court.

Religion

In a 1997 interview, Linda Evangelista said she was a practicing Roman Catholic. She also said her favorite book was the Bible.

Health and Cosmetic Procedure

In September 2021, Linda Evangelista explained why she had not been in public much. Five years earlier, she had a cosmetic procedure called cryolipolysis (CoolSculpting) to remove fat. However, it caused a rare side effect where the fat cells actually grew larger.

Linda filed a lawsuit against the company that owned CoolSculpting. She sought money for emotional distress and lost income. She settled the case in July 2022.

In 2023, Linda shared that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2018. She had chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. The cancer returned in 2022, and she received chemotherapy again.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Linda Evangelista para niños