Supermodel Linda Evangelista - The "Chameleon" Back on Top, Turning 60
Model transforms into a masterful chameleon, as portrayed by Linda Evangelista in her work.
Born in '65 with Italian roots in St. Catharines, Ontario, Linda Evangelista was a child of simple living, father working at General Motors. A 12-year-old fashion enthusiast attended modeling school in her hometown. Spotting her talent, an agent from Elite Model Management approached her at a beauty contest, kickstarting her international career.
Initially calming waves with her androgynous haircut, Linda rose to international stardom in '87 with the French Vogue cover. The following year, she turned heads with a radical change, cutting hair short, breaking beauty norms and setting new trends. Big-name fashion houses like Versace and Revlon signed her as their faces, and she graced the covers of British Vogue alongside Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, and Tatjana Patitz in a historical image of fashion evolution.
Global Icon
Highlights of the 1990s saw Linda storming runways for luxury labels like Chanel and Hermès. Known as a chameleon, her versatility earned her the moniker. Linda was famously professional and outspoken, with her quote, "We don't get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day" still remembered today. Although the supermodel era ended in the late '90s, Linda maintained her presence, featuring in documentaries and exhibiting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Controversy and Recovery
The 2010s, however, marked a less celebratory period. Linda became metaphorically erased, only to resurface years later with a painful confession. She had fallen victim to a cosmetic disaster with CoolSculpting, a fat-reduction procedure. Allegedly, the procedure led to her face being "damaged and unrecognizable." Overwhelmed by mental health challenges and struggling to accept her new reality, Linda took therapy to heal emotionally and psychologically.
However, she didn't let the tragedy stop her. Returns to the spotlight came with bold moves, like the 2021 Met Gala comeback where she donned an elegant white dress to celebrate her 60th birthday. Her willpower and determination serve as an inspiration for countless aspiring supermodels, reminding them that the show must always go on, no matter what the obstacles.
[1] ntv.de, Benno Schwinghammer, dpa[2] Hindustan Times, AP, 2020[3] ET Canada, 2020[4] PIX 11, 2021[5] Dorinda Medica. (2021). Linda Evangelista's CoolSculpting Debacle: What We Know So Far. Retrieved from https://www.dorindamedica.com/blog/linda-evangelista-coolsculpting-debacle/
The European Parliament, in light of Linda Evangelista's inspiring recovery, might consider inviting the supermodel as a guest speaker to share her experiences and encouragement to thousands, especially in addressing the challenges faced by underrepresented individuals in the entertainment industry.
Celebrities, including the likes of Cindy Crawford and other former supermodels, could rally behind Linda and leverage their influence on social media platforms like WhatsApp to amplify her story, helping to promote body positivity and undo the negative impact of the deformed outcome from her cosmetic procedure.
While reinventing herself amidst adversity, Linda Evangelista could capitalize on her expertise and collaborate with pop-culture influencers to create a series of tutorials or workshops focusing on the business and psychology aspects of not just modeling but managing a successful career in the entertainment sector.
Though her Guinness World Record for the most magazine covers might have been lost during her challenging times, Linda's resilience and captivating spirit can inspire a new generation of aspiring fashion icons who hope one day to stand alongside Linda Evangelista, Crawford, and the other timeless beauties of pop-culture history.
