Nearly every girl dreams of becoming a model: beautiful clothes, total admiration, camera flashes… And some girls do realize their dream. However, Fashion History knows just a few of those. Those who are remembered dozens years after their star left the dome of the fashion sky. Those who are called Style Icons.

Harper`s Bazaar has listed 30 most famous models of the XX century, those who personify their epoch.

Pioneers

1. Dorian Leigh – the height of her fame Dorian Leigh enjoyed in the 40-60s when photo models earned much more than those who strutted down catwalks.

In her time Dorian Leigh graced prestigious glossy magazines regularly. Her face was on Vogue cover 7 times.

Dorian became the most photographed model in history. She became popular internationally when signed a contract with Revlon – Leigh was chosen to represent a cosmetic range Fire and Ice in the 50s.

When her modeling career was over Dorian Leigh founded her own modeling agency. Besides, by that time she owned a chain of restaurants in France and the USA.

2. Sunny Harnett – a legendary model and an actress who starred in a film Funny face along with Audrey Hepburn.

3. Lisa Fonssagrives. She is often called the first supermodel. Her face beautified magazine covers for about twenty years – from the 30s to the 50s.

Lisa worked with the most acclaimed photographers of her epoch: George Hoyningen-Huene, Man Ray, Horst, Erwin Blumenfeld, George Platt Lynes, Richard Avedon and Edgar de Evia.

4. Suzy Parker is Dorian Leigh’s sibling, 12 years younger. When Suzy was 15 Dorian was already a famous model.

It was Dorian who introduced her younger sister to representatives of Ford Modeling Agency.

Suzy wasn’t a typical model. She was short, a bit plump and freckled. But soon she became very famous.

After Suzy had been invited to represent Chanel, lots of other invitations followed. Vogue, Revlon, Hertz, Westinghouse, Max Factor, Bliss, DuPont, Simplicity, Smirnoff, Ronson shavers wanted to work with her. During her life Suzy graced more than 70 magazine covers.

5. Dovima got into the modeling business by chance. She was noticed by Vogue editor while walking.

The photo shoot by Richard Avedon along with a few elephants – Dovima and the elephants – made her world famous. Dovima became a style icon. The dress for the photo shoot that sent her to a stardom had been made by a young Christian Dior’s assistant – Yves Saint Laurent.

Many of the greatest models at one point or another taken promotional modeling jobs.

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