Twiggy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lesley Lawson
Twiggy in 2023
Born	Lesley Hornby (1949-09-19) 19 September 1949 (age 75) Neasden, Middlesex, England
Other names	Twiggy Twig the Wonderkid
Occupation	Model actress singer
Years active	1966–present
Spouse(s)	Michael Witney ​ ​ (m. 1977; died 1983)​ Leigh Lawson ​ ​ (m. 1988)​
Children	1
Modelling information
Height	5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Hair colour	Blonde
Eye colour	Blue
Agency	Models 1

Dame Lesley Lawson (born September 19, 1949) is better known as Twiggy. She is a famous English model, actress, and singer. Twiggy became a huge star in the 1960s in London. She was a symbol of British culture during that time.

Twiggy was famous for her very slim figure. She also had big eyes, long eyelashes, and short hair. People thought her look was unique and boyish. In 1966, a newspaper called her "The Face of 1966". She was also voted British Woman of the Year. By 1967, Twiggy was modeling all over the world. She appeared on the covers of famous magazines like Vogue and The Tatler. Her fame quickly spread everywhere.

After modeling, Twiggy had a successful career as an actress and singer. She starred in the movie The Boy Friend (1971). This role won her two Golden Globe Awards. In 1983, she performed on Broadway in the musical My One and Only. She was even nominated for a Tony Award for her acting. Later, she hosted her own TV show called Twiggy's People. On this show, she interviewed many celebrities. She also appeared as a judge on the reality show America's Next Top Model. Her book, Twiggy in Black and White (1998), became a best-seller. Since 2005, she has modeled for Marks and Spencer. Many people say she helped the company become successful again.

Twiggy's Early Life

Lesley Hornby was born on September 19, 1949. She grew up in Neasden, which is now part of north-west London. She was the third daughter in her family. Her mother, Nellie, worked in a printing factory. Her father, William, was a master carpenter.

Twiggy's mother taught her how to sew when she was young. Twiggy used this skill to make her own clothes. She went to the Brondesbury and Kilburn High School.

Becoming a Model (1965–1970)

How Twiggy Became Famous (1965–1967)

Twiggy is known as one of the first international supermodels. She was a major fashion icon in the 1960s. She looked up to Jean Shrimpton, who she calls the world's first supermodel. Twiggy also said she based her style on Pattie Boyd.

In January 1966, when she was 16, Twiggy got her hair cut and colored. This happened at a famous salon in London called Leonard of Mayfair. The hairdresser, Leonard, was looking for models to try a new short haircut. He styled her hair for some test photos. A photographer named Barry Lategan took pictures for Leonard. The hairdresser then hung these photos in his salon.

A fashion journalist, Deirdre McSharry, saw the pictures. She worked for the Daily Express newspaper. McSharry wanted to meet the young girl in the photos. She arranged for more pictures to be taken. A few weeks later, the newspaper published an article about Lesley Hornby. They called her "The Face of '66". The article said she was a "Cockney kid with a face to launch a thousand shapes". It also mentioned she was "only 16".

Twiggy's career quickly took off. She was 5 feet 6 inches tall, which was short for a model. She weighed about 8 stone (51 kg). Her body measurements were 31–23–32 inches (79–58–81 cm). Her look was described as "streamlined" and "boyish". Her boyfriend, Nigel Davies, became her manager. He changed his name to Justin de Villeneuve. He also convinced her to change her name to Twiggy. "Twiggy" came from her childhood nickname, "Twigs".

Justin de Villeneuve often said he discovered Twiggy. He also claimed he was responsible for her success. But in her 1998 book, Twiggy In Black and White, she tells a different story. She said she met Justin through his brother. This was when she worked at a hair salon on Saturdays. There, she saw models in magazines. She never thought she could be like them. Jean Shrimpton was her hero. Twiggy grew her hair long to look like her. But she had to cut it short for her first photos by Barry Lategan. De Villeneuve was ten years older than her. He managed her career for seven years. He handled her money and projects during her most famous years as a model.

Twiggy soon appeared in all the top fashion magazines. She earned £80 an hour. In 1967, she launched her own clothing line called "Twiggy Dresses". She took the fashion world by storm. Twiggy once said, "I hated what I looked like. So I thought everyone had gone stark raving mad." Twiggy's famous look had three main parts. These were her very thin figure, a short boyish haircut, and striking dark eyelashes. She often used three layers of false eyelashes to get her signature look.

Twiggy in 1967, at the height of her early modelling career, showing the look that made her famous

One month after the Daily Express article, Twiggy did her first photo shoot for Vogue. A year later, she had appeared in 13 different fashion shoots. These were in Vogue magazines around the world.

Global Fame (1967–1970)

Twiggy arrived in New York in March 1967. Her arrival at Kennedy Airport was a big news event. Magazines like The New Yorker, Life, and Newsweek wrote about the "Twiggy phenomenon" in 1967. The New Yorker even dedicated almost 100 pages to her. That year, she became famous worldwide. She modeled in France, Japan, and America. She appeared on the cover of Paris Vogue in May. She was on the cover of US Vogue three times that year. She also graced the cover of British Vogue in October.

In 1967, Vogue magazine described her as an "extravaganza that makes the look of the sixties". A critic named Linda Delibero said Twiggy was "the most visible commodity Britain produced that year". America bought many Twiggy-themed items. These included Twiggy pens, lunch boxes, eyelashes, and makeup.

Famous photographers took pictures of Twiggy. These included Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, Melvin Sokolsky, and Annie Leibovitz.

Public Reaction to Twiggy

People had strong opinions about Twiggy. Her very thin, boyish image was criticized. Some said it promoted an "unhealthy" body ideal for women. Su Dalgleish, a fashion writer, said Twiggy became an idol for young teens. She said Twiggy made "virtue of all the terrible things of gawky, miserable adolescence." Mark Cohen, a shop president, even said her legs reminded him of "two painted worms."

But Twiggy also had many supporters. Diana Vreeland from Vogue said, "She's no flash in the pan. She is the mini-girl in the mini-era. She's delicious looking." In recent years, Twiggy has spoken out against extremely thin models. She explained that her own thinness as a teenager was natural. She said, "I was very skinny, but that was just my natural build. I always ate sensibly – being thin was in my genes."

On December 10, 1969, Twiggy was featured on the TV show This Is Your Life. She was 20 years old at the time.

Twiggy's Acting and Singing Career

New Beginnings (1970–1979)

After four years of modeling, Twiggy stopped in 1970. She said, "You can't be a clothes hanger for your entire life!" She also ended her business relationship with Justin de Villeneuve. She later said her fame was more about her famous picture in the Daily Express than his efforts.

Twiggy has often said that people only remember her modeling. But she says it was "only a short part of my life." She became interested in films by visiting director Ken Russell's house. They would watch old movies with stars like Greta Garbo. This changed Twiggy's style. She started wearing berets, longer skirts, and flowers. The hippie style was becoming popular in London. Ken Russell and Twiggy worked on a film together. It was called The Boy Friend (1971).

Twiggy then started a successful acting and singing career. She starred in many roles on stage and screen. She also recorded albums. In 1971, she had a small role in Ken Russell's film The Devils. That same year, she played her first main role as Polly Browne. This was in Russell's movie The Boy Friend. She worked with Tommy Tune on this film. She won two Golden Globe Awards in 1972 for this role. Also in 1971, Twiggy released a song called "Zoo de Zoo Zong". In 1974, she performed on the West End stage in Cinderella. She also starred in a thriller movie called W. She hosted her own British TV show, Twiggs, which was later called Twiggy.

In 1973, Twiggy appeared with David Bowie on the cover of his album, Pin Ups. The album became very popular in the UK. David Bowie also mentioned her in his song "Drive-In Saturday".

In 1975, she sang at a live concert for Roger Glover's album. This was at the Royal Albert Hall in London. In 1976, she appeared on The Muppet Show. She sang the Beatles song, "In My Life". In 1976, she signed with Mercury Records. She released albums called Twiggy and Please Get My Name Right. These albums had pop and country songs. Her album Twiggy sold very well. It reached No. 33 on the UK charts. It also earned her a silver disc for good sales. The album included her hit song, "Here I Go Again". "Please Get My Name Right" reached No. 35 in 1977.

In 1978, a TV series called Supersonic was re-edited for the US. Twiggy replaced the original host. The new show was called Twiggy's Jukebox. It played in many US cities in 1978–79. Twiggy had performed songs like "Here I Go Again" on Supersonic earlier. These performances were included in Twiggy's Jukebox. After one season, Twiggy left the show. Twiggy also appeared in the movie "There Goes the Bride" in 1979.

Continuing Success (1980–1999)

In 1980, Twiggy had a small role in the movie The Blues Brothers. In 1981, she played Eliza Doolittle in a TV production of Pygmalion. In 1983, she performed on Broadway in the musical My One and Only. She was nominated for a Tony Award for this role. She also acted with Robin Williams in the 1986 comedy Club Paradise. In 1987, she was in a British TV special called The Little Match Girl. In 1988, she appeared in Madame Sousatzka with her second husband, Leigh Lawson. In 1989, she played Hannah Chaplin, the mother of Charlie Chaplin, in a TV movie.

In 1991, she starred in her first American TV series, Princesses. This show was short-lived. Her co-star, Fran Drescher, later spent time with Twiggy. Drescher used Twiggy's husband, Leigh Lawson, as inspiration for a character in her hit show The Nanny.

In 1993, Twiggy appeared in a horror movie segment called "Eye". In 1994, she guest-starred in a Christmas special of the TV show Heartbeat. She played Lady Janet Whitley.

In 1997, Twiggy acted in a play called Blithe Spirit. A year later, she played Gertrude Lawrence in a stage show in New York. In 1999, she returned to the New York stage in a show called If Love Were All. Her husband, Leigh Lawson, wrote and directed this version. It included tap dancing. She played Gertrude Lawrence opposite Harry Groener as Noël Coward.

New Ventures (2000–2009)

In 2001, Twiggy co-hosted the British TV show This Morning. In 2003, she released another album, Midnight Blue. This album had many songs that had not been released before. It included a duet with Leo Sayer. In 2005, she became a judge on America's Next Top Model. She was a judge for Cycles 5–9. A year later, she was on the cover of Swindle magazine. She also started modeling again for Marks & Spencer. Her TV ads and print campaigns helped the company a lot.

In 2006, she played herself as a 19-year-old in a radio play. It was for BBC Radio 4. She did not return to America's Next Top Model for its tenth season. This was because of other work she had planned. Paulina Porizkova replaced her as a judge. Also in 2007, an album Twiggy recorded in 1979 was finally released. It was called Heaven in My Eyes ["Discotheque"]. It had eight original songs and four remixes. The album was also available on iTunes. In 2008, she supported the "Fashion Targets Breast Cancer" campaign. This was for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. She worked with other celebrities like Alan Carr and Natalie Imbruglia.

In 2009, the beauty company Olay launched a new ad campaign with Twiggy. People accused Olay of using too much airbrushing on her photo. This caused a lot of discussion in the media. A website campaign received 700 complaints. Procter & Gamble admitted to minor changes and replaced the image. The Advertising Standards Authority said the ad was "misleading". But no further action was needed because the image was already removed.

Twiggy's Later Career

Recent Work (2010–Present)

Twiggy continues to be a fashion leader for women her age. She was one of the few famous people who stayed with the Marks & Spencer fashion team in 2009–2010. Dannii Minogue joined her for the spring/summer campaign.

She also started her own fashion line called "Twiggy London" for Home Shopping Network. She began a fashion blog to talk about her clothing line.

On November 21, 2011, she released an album called Romantically Yours. It had pop and easy listening songs. The album included songs like "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" and "My Funny Valentine". It also featured a song called "Waterloo Sunset". Twiggy's daughter, Carly Lawson, sang on the song "Only Love Can Break Your Heart". Bryan Adams played a guitar solo. Richard Marx sang a duet with Twiggy on "Right Here Waiting". In 2016, old photos of Twiggy were used for Tod's Fall/Winter fashion campaign.

Honors and Awards

Twiggy was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2019. This honor was for her work in fashion, the arts, and charity. Her award was announced under her married name, Lesley Lawson.

Twiggy's Family Life

Twiggy married American actor Michael Witney in 1977. Their daughter, Carly, was born in 1978. They were married until Michael died in 1983 from a heart attack.

She met Leigh Lawson in 1984. In 1988, they worked together on the film Madame Sousatzka. They got married that same year in Sag Harbor, New York. The couple lives in Kensington, London. They also have a home in Southwold, Suffolk.

On her official website, Twiggy says she supports many causes. These include breast cancer research, animal welfare, and anti-fur campaigns. She designed and signed a card for a charity called Thomas Coram Foundation for Children. This was part of a campaign in May 2014. The cards were sold to raise money.

Film Roles

Television Appearances

Stage Performances

Music Albums and Singles

Albums

• The Boyfriend (Original Soundtrack) (1971)
• Twiggy and the Girlfriends (1972)
• Twiggy (1976)
• Please Get My Name Right (1977)
• Captain Beaky and His Band (1977)
• My One and Only (with Tommy Tune) (1983)
• Midnight Blue (2003)
• Heaven In My Eyes – Discotheque (2007)
• Gotta Sing Gotta Dance (2009)
• Romantically Yours (2011)

Singles

• 1966: "Some Do Some Don't (Some Will Some Won't)" (with Anne) (Columbia)
• 1967: "Beautiful Dreams" (Ember Records)
• 1967: "When I Think of You" (Ember Records)
• 1971: "Zoo De Zoo Zong" (with Friends) (Bell Records)
• 1972: "A Room in Bloomsbury" (with Christopher Gable) (Columbia)
• 1976: "Here I Go Again" (Mercury Records) (UK #17)
• 1976: "Vanilla Olay" (Mercury Records)
• 1977: "Rings" ((UK #35) from her album Please Get My Name Right)
• 1977: "Please Get My Name Right" (Mercury Records)
• 1977: "I Hope We Get to Love in Time" (Mercury Records)
• 1977: "A Woman in Love" (Mercury Records)
• 1977: "Tomorrow is Another Day" (Mercury Records)
• 1978: "Falling Angel" (Mercury Records)
• 1985: "Feel Emotion" (Arista Records) (UK #81)
• 1986: "Diamond" (Arista Records)
• 1989: "Winter Wonderland" (Object)

Books and Exhibitions

Sculpture (2012) by Neal French. Three Figures, Bourdon Place, London W1.
A passing shopper stumbles upon Terence Donovan photographing the model Twiggy near to his studio in 1960s Mayfair.

• Twiggy, Twiggy: An Autobiography (1975), ISBN: 978-0-246-10895-1
• Twiggy, Twiggy's Guide to Looking Good (1986), ISBN: 978-0-00-636672-0
• Twiggy, Twiggy in Black and White (1997), ISBN: 978-0-671-51645-1
• Emma Midgley, "London Swings Again With Ossie Clark Show At The V&A" (22 July 2003), Culture24
• Twiggy, Twiggy: Please Get My Name Right (2004), Word Power Books, ISBN: 9784939102578
• Iain R Webb, Bill Gibb: Fashion and Fantasy (2008), foreword by Twiggy, ISBN: 978-1-85177-548-4
• Twiggy, A Guide to Looking and Feeling Fabulous Over Forty (2008), ISBN: 978-0-7181-5404-2
• The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion, Metropolitan Museum of Art, May–August 2009
• Twiggy: A Life in Photographs, Terence Pepper, Robin Muir, and Melvin Sokolsky (2009), ISBN: 978-1-85514-414-9
• Twiggy: A Life in Photographs, National Portrait Gallery (2009–2010)

See also

In Spanish: Twiggy para niños