Lisa Fonssagrives facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lisa Fonssagrives
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Lisa Birgitta Bernstone
17 May 1911 Västra Götaland County, Sweden
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| Died | 4 February 1992 (aged 80) New York City, U.S.
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| Other names | Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn |
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| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Hair color | Blonde |
Lisa Fonssagrives, born Lisa Birgitta Bernstone (May 17, 1911 – February 4, 1992), was a famous Swedish fashion model. Many people say she was the world's first "supermodel." She was known for her elegant poses and appeared in many top magazines.
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Early Life and Interests
Lisa Birgitta Bernstone was born in Sweden on May 17, 1911. She grew up in a town called Uddevalla. From a young age, Lisa loved art. She enjoyed painting, sculpting, and especially dance.
She studied art and dance at Mary Wigman's school in Berlin. After her studies, she returned to Sweden and even opened her own dance school.
Becoming a Model
Lisa moved to Paris to continue her ballet training. While there, she worked as a private dance teacher. One day in 1936, a photographer named Willy Maywald discovered her in an elevator. He asked her to model hats for him.
These photos were sent to Vogue magazine. Soon, another Vogue photographer, Horst P. Horst, took more pictures of her. Lisa once said that modeling was "still dancing" to her. This shows how she used her dance skills in her modeling work.
A Top Fashion Model
Before Lisa came to the United States in 1939, she was already a very successful model. Her face appeared on the covers of many popular magazines. These included Town & Country, Life, Time, Vogue, and Vanity Fair.
She was known as the highest-paid and most praised fashion model of her time. Lisa worked with many famous photographers. Some of them were Man Ray, Richard Avedon, and Irving Penn. She once joked that she was just a "good clothes hanger."
Later Life and Family
In 1935, Lisa married a Parisian photographer named Fernand Fonssagrives. They later divorced in 1949. In 1950, she married another famous photographer, Irving Penn.
In the 1960s, Lisa returned to her love for art. She became a talented sculptor. Her artwork was even shown at the Marlborough Gallery in Manhattan.
Lisa Fonssagrives passed away in New York at the age of 80 on February 4, 1992. She was survived by her husband, Irving Penn, and her two children. Her daughter, Mia Fonssagrives-Solow, became a fashion and jewelry designer and sculptor. Her son, Tom Penn, became a designer.
See also
In Spanish: Lisa Fonssagrives para niños
