The Supermodels Reunited: Christy, Naomi, Linda and Cindy

When four of the most iconic late 80s and 90s supermodels reunited, it was like a blast from the past with a side of drama. Tension flared between Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista, sparking rumors of a feud between the two. Despite their past camaraderie and mutual support in the face of racism and other challenges in the fashion industry, their current relationship status is as clear as a muddy catwalk. The supermodels recently appeared together in the Apple TV+ docuseries "The Super Models," but it seems their Instagram relationship has taken a nosedive—they've unfollowed each other. Talk about a social media cold shoulder! 

In the docuseries, Campbell gets candid about her past struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, which spiraled after the tragic death of her close friend, Gianni Versace. She confesses that her addiction nearly sent her to the great runway in the sky and that she turned to cocaine to cope with her grief. She also spoke about deep abandonment issues and hurt, and it seems like she has been searching for a surrogate father (Daddy issues) throughout her life.

 

Naomi, one of the most iconic supermodels that ever walked, faced outrageous racism during her career, and it was so much more than I could have imagined. Some of her anger issues probably stem from fighting constantly for what must have felt like scraps. Despite her status as the most famous black model of her time, she did not receive the same volume of advertising assignments as her white colleagues and was not signed by a cosmetics company until as late as 1999. 

I had known these women were close, but I hadn't realized how they managed to be so down for each other when the fashion industry usually annihilates friendships. During her early career, fellow supermodels Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington supported Campbell by taking a stand against designers who refused to book her due to her race. They told designers they wouldn't show up if they didn't book Naomi. This support from her friends helped elevate Campbell's career. This made me look at Christy and Linda with fresh eyes, and I have to admire their stand instead of being all out for themselves. They lifted and supported each other; the publicity around their friendship wasn't a lie, it was real. 

Campbell has continued to advocate for better diversity and representation in the fashion industry. She has also championed African designers and co-produced the Arise Fashion Week in Lagos, Nigeria. Despite the improvements in racial diversity in recent years, Campbell believes the industry must treat it differently than a catwalk trend and should continue to work towards inclusivity. She also loves to mentor new models of color and help them navigate the shark infested waters. 

The show was like stepping into a time machine that took us back to the days when they ruled the fashion world. These fabulous ladies, well into their 50s, still have the power to make the Bellas and other Instagram models look like benchwarmers on a mediocre football team. Time may have changed, but their charisma hasn't. Naomi Campbell, for instance, can still outwalk women half her age, strutting her stuff on runways worldwide like a badass.

Of course, there have been some cosmetic procedures, but the work is so good that none of these women look like they've been stretched to the point of no return. Even Linda Evangelista, who's faced some challenges with chemo and Coolsculpting, still has those mesmerizing eyes that remind us of her younger self.

Back then, the modeling and fashion world was a hotbed of misogyny, and these fierce ladies had to fight their way to the top. They were bosses, and eventually, they had to be put in their place. But let's not forget that female models outearned male models significantly, making designers bristle when people mentioned the supermodels, not the clothes.

"The Super Models," is no fawning fan piece. It features incredible footage from their childhoods until now, focusing heavily on their rise and domination. In their 50s, they're wiser and can look back at everything with today's lens. And not all of it is pretty. Some moments surprised me, so it is definitely a fresh take. 

So, if you're in the mood for a nostalgic trip down memory lane, buckle up and dive into this time capsule that takes you back to the beginnings of their careers. You'll be reminded of how stunning they were and how they transcended the models before them. The era of mega and supermodels may be over, but their legacy lives on.

*However, one notable supermodel missing from the docuseries is Tatjana Patitz. Patitz gained international prominence during the same era, representing fashion designers on runways and in magazines such as Elle, Harper's Bazaar, and Vogue. She was also one of the big five supermodels who appeared in the 1990 music video "Freedom! '90" by George Michael. She passed away on January 11, 2023, at the age of 56, due to metastatic breast cancer.

(photos: Peter Lindbergh, Getty, Alamy, Raphael Pavarotti, Evan Agostoni)