From Naomi Campbell to Shalow Harlow, these '90s supermodels changed the face of fashion forever.

While names like Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Precious Lee, and Kendall Jenner dominate headlines today as some of the most beautiful models of their generation, the blueprint for modern model fame was written decades earlier. More than 20 years ago, Kate Moss, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, and the rest of the legendary &rsquo;90s supermodel cohort redefined what it meant to be the most beautiful models in the world. They weren&rsquo;t just the faces of fashion&mdash;they were the culture. They crossed into film, music videos, advertising, and celebrity, long before Instagram ever existed as a vehicle for fame. They became household names without having to post, brand-build, or go viral. Their notoriety was earned through image, presence, and the sheer force of their beauty.
Even with a new generation of the most beautiful models taking over the global runways today, the original mainstream supermodels of the &rsquo;90s still feel almost untouchable. Their impact pushed fashion into pop culture in a way that had never been seen before&mdash;and arguably hasn&rsquo;t been replicated since. They shifted the industry away from anonymous runway mannequins and into an era of singular identities and global stardom&mdash;proving that the most beautiful models could become bona fide celebrities.
From their personal off-duty style (which sparked entire aesthetics) to their now-iconic runway moments, campaigns, and magazine covers, we&rsquo;re looking back at the most beautiful &rsquo;90s supermodels who defined the decade.&nbsp;

The Brazilian-born model started her career in the mid-1990s at the young age of 15. B&uuml;ndchen first debuted in New York in 1994, but she took the city by storm in 1998 when she walked the Alexander McQueen runway. Her face became one of the most recognized as she walked runways for designers like Gaultier, Valentino, Calvin Klein, Victoria&rsquo;s Secret, and more.&nbsp;

Gisele Bündchen walking the 1999 Valentino Runway. Getty Images.

Gisele Bündchen 

Heidi Klum began her modeling career with campaigns for brands like Marc Jacobs and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated&rsquo;s Swimsuit Issue. Her &lsquo;90s beautiful supermodel status launched her into a relationship with Victoria&rsquo;s Secret, and she became the first German to become an original Victoria&rsquo;s Secret &ldquo;angel.&rdquo; Her natural curves and toned legs became her signature feature on the runway throughout her whole modeling career.&nbsp;

Heidi Klum walking the 8th Annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway. Getty Images.

Heidi Klum 

Tatjana Patitz is best known for starring in George Michael&rsquo;s Freedom! 90 music video in 1990 alongside her iconic coworkers Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, and Linda Evangelista. Patitz set the standard for bold eyebrows and a domineering stature, making her one of the first supermodels in the history of fashion. Due to her quiet personality, Patitz is oftentimes forgotten in the whirlwind of supermodels, but her stunning beauty is one that will always be remembered.&nbsp;

Tatjana Patitz walking the Herve Leger Fall 1992 Ready to Wear Runway Show. Getty Images.

Tatjana Patitz 

As one of the few Black supermodels who held immense status during the '90s,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/naomi-campbell-most-iconic-90s-catwalk-moments" target="_blank" style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 0.9375rem; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0px;" rel="noopener">Naomi Campbell&nbsp;</a>not only influenced fashion style-wise, but she also used her career to advocate for racial diversity on the runway alongside icons such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/iman-style-moments-david-bowie-runway-model-young" target="_blank" style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 0.9375rem; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0px;" rel="noopener">Iman</a> and Bethann Hardison. Campbell's rise in the modeling industry set a new standard of beauty. Even though she was one of the only Black models on the runway in the '90s, she paved the way for Black beauties forever.&nbsp;

Photo via Getty Images.

Naomi Campbell

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/cindy-crawford-young-90s-model" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cindy Crawford</a>'s natural glamour and beauty mark set her apart from other prominent supermodels of the '90s. She quickly became a fixture on the runways for many high-fashion brands throughout the decade, and her beauty mark became a signature accessory on each runway she walked. While she is no longer a mainstay on the catwalk, her daughter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/kaia-gerber-model-style-evolution-fashion" target="_blank" style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 0.9375rem; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0px;" rel="noopener">Kaia Gerber</a> has followed in her mother's footsteps as she forges her own path in the modeling world.

Cindy Crawford

Known as one of fashion's biggest chameleons, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/linda-evangelista-best-runway-moments-age-90s-supermodel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Linda Evangelista</a>'s life changed when she moved to New York from Canada in 1984. From pixie to bob, and ginger to brunette, she always pulled it off and became a household name, starring across numerous campaigns and fronting endless magazine covers. She was also considered a muse to Chanel's late <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/karl-lagerfeld-archival-lofficiel-interview-photographs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karl Lagerfeld</a> as well as Gianna Versace.

Linda Evangelista

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/young-kate-moss-style-90s-to-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kate Moss</a>, who began her modeling career at the age of 16, was initially considered too short to make notable headway in the industry. However, she defied all odds after her 1992 Calvin Klein campaign with Marky Mark, which catapulted her to fame. Moss is now one of the most recognized names in the modeling world, known for her slender build and magnetic eyes. She became the standard for models worldwide.&nbsp;

Kate Moss

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/tyra-banks-best-runway-moments-young-model" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tyra Banks</a> made history as the first Black model to front the&nbsp;Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.&nbsp;She started her career in the high-fashion, editorial world, later securing gigs with labels such as Victoria's Secret. The ultimate model mogul, Banks is best known in the&nbsp;broader cultural zeitgeist for her hit reality competition show&nbsp;America's Next Top Model, which concluded in 2018. Banks' beauty has remained true, and she has now revisited the Victoria's Secret runway, honoring the brand that started it all.&nbsp;

Tyra Banks

Discovered in Germany, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/young-claudia-schiffer-90s-supermodel-karl-lagerfeld" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Claudia Schiffer</a> became a fashion favorite with long blonde hair and luscious lips. She was one of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/cara-delevingne-claudia-schiffer-karl-lagerfeld-muses-fashion-legacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karl Lagerfeld</a> muses, and the designer made her the face of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/chanel-tweed-high-jewelry-collection-fall-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chanel</a> and would secure gigs fronting every magazine cover imaginable &mdash; including L'OFFICIEL Paris December 1993. Schiffer's Bridget Bardot look made her a distinct beauty that all brands wanted to showcase. She now holds the world record for most cover photos, making her the ultimate supermodel.&nbsp;

Claudia Schiffer

From ballerina to model, Canadian <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/shalom-harlow-young-model-90s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shalom Harlow</a> secured her place in the fashion history books during <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/alexander-mcqueen-spring-summer-2024-paris-fashion-week-runway-images" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alexander McQueen</a>'s Spring/Summer 1999 show when she spun on the catwalk as robots spraypainted her strapless dress. But even before that historic moment, Harlow was praised for fluid movement and form (which can be partly attributed to her prior background as a ballerina). During her modeling career, she also segued into the film world with her performance in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.&nbsp;

Shalom Harlow

Considered one of the most iconic models of the '90s, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/christy-turlington-age-young-fashion-moments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christy Turlington</a> became widely known for her ethereal beauty and effortlessly elegant style. Her modeling career began in Florida, but after moving to New York at 18, she started working with major designers such as Versace, Calvin Klein, Chanel, and others. In recent years, she has shifted her focus to supporting humanitarian causes, including her non-profit organization Every Mom Counts.

The Most Beautiful Supermodels From the '90s

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