Veruschka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Veruschka
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Von Lehndorff in 2013
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| Born |
Vera Gottliebe Anna Gräfin von Lehndorff-Steinort
14 May 1939 |
| Modeling information | |
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
| Hair color | Dark blonde |
| Eye color | Blue / grey |
| Agency | The Lions (New York) |
Vera Lehndorff, known professionally as Veruschka, is a famous German model, actress, and artist. She was born on May 14, 1939. Many people consider her to be the "first German supermodel" because of her unique style and success.
Early Life and Family
Veruschka was born Vera Gottliebe Anna Gräfin von Lehndorff-Steinort in Königsberg, Germany. Her family, the House of Lehndorff, was a very old and respected noble family. She was the second of four daughters.
Her father, Count Heinrich von Lehndorff-Steinort, was an army officer. He became part of the German Resistance because he saw terrible things happening to Jewish children. He wanted to stop Adolf Hitler and his actions.
Veruschka has three sisters:
- Marie Eleanore Nona (born 1937, passed away in 2018)
- Gabriele (born 1942)
- Katharina (born 1944)
She grew up at Steinort, a large family estate in East Prussia that had been in her family for hundreds of years. When Veruschka was five years old, her father was executed. This happened because he was involved in a plan to try and stop Adolf Hitler on July 20, 1944. After her father's death, her family was held in special camps until World War II ended. The war also left her family without a home, as their estate became part of the Soviet Union. As a young girl, Veruschka attended 13 different schools.
Becoming a Supermodel
Veruschka first studied art in Hamburg, Germany. Then, she moved to Florence, Italy. There, when she was 20, a photographer named Ugo Mulas discovered her. This led her to become a full-time model.
Later, in Paris, she met Eileen Ford, who ran the famous Ford Modeling Agency. In 1961, Veruschka moved to New York City. She quickly became very popular and was known for having the most magazine covers displayed at the agency's entrance. She also had a small role in the 1966 movie Blow Up.
Veruschka became incredibly famous in the 1960s. She appeared on the cover of Life magazine in August 1967. She was also on the covers of all four major Vogue magazines (American, Italian, French, and British) many times. She even worked with the famous artist Salvador Dalí and photographer Peter Beard. At the height of her career, she earned a lot of money every day.
However, in 1975, Veruschka decided to leave the fashion world. This was because she had disagreements with the new editor-in-chief of Vogue, Grace Mirabella. Veruschka felt that Mirabella wanted her to be too ordinary, and she preferred to be unique.
Veruschka's unique look and style inspired many top photographers of her time. These included Franco Rubartelli, Richard Avedon, Bert Stern, David Bailey, Steven Meisel, Francesco Scavullo, and Peter Beard. She also worked with major fashion designers like Tom Ford, Michael Kors, Dolce & Gabbana, and Ailanto.
Art and Later Career
Veruschka was a pioneer in body painting. In 1966, she did a photoshoot where she wore only body paint. After she stopped modeling in 1975, she worked with artist Holger Trülzsch. They created a series of artistic self-portrait photographs using body paint.
She also worked for important fashion houses like YSL. Since 1990, she has worked with designers like Helmut Lang and Paco Rabanne.
Veruschka still occasionally appears on fashion runways. In 2000, she was a guest model at the Melbourne Fashion Festival in Australia. In October 2010, at 71 years old, she modeled for Giles Deacon during London Fashion Week. She also appeared in the Resort 2018 lookbook for Acne Studios in 2017.
In 2010, Veruschka provided vocals for several songs on the album Mimikry. This album was a collaboration between musicians Blixa Bargeld and Alva Noto.
Filmography
Veruschka has appeared in several films, often playing herself or unique characters.
- Blowup (1966) – Herself
- Veruschka: Poetry of a Woman (1971)
- Salomé (1972) – Myrrhina
- Evil Thoughts (1976) – Mario Manani's Lover
- Flesh Color (1978) – Anna
- Milo Milo (1979) – Barbara
- Bizarre Styles (1981) – Prophet
- Dorian Gray in the Mirror of the Yellow Press (1984) – Dorian Gray
- Vom Zusehen beim Sterben (1985) – Herself
- The Bride (1985) – Countess
- L'Orchestre rouge (1989) – Anna Maximovitch
- Veruschka – Die Inszenierung (m)eines Körpers (2005) – Herself
- Casino Royale (2006) – Gräfin von Wallenstein
See also
In Spanish: Veruschka para niños
