Fashion models of the 1960s were a special breed. They may not have been conventionally pretty, but they stood out as individuals in a way the models of the 1950s never did. Donyale Luna (left) and Benedetta Barzini (right) certainly did with their sculptural poise and elegance. Unfortunately Luna met a sad end in the late 1970s, while Barzini went on to a second career as a university lecturer.
Where did David Bowie get his pre-Ziggy Stardust inspiration from? It could have been the mimelike poses of model Peggy Moffitt, above, or the impish cupie-doll / silent movie look of Cathee Dahmen, below. (Dahmen, who may have been the first Native American supermodel, has a backstory worthy of a Hollywood biopic.)
Many models of the era adopted one-word monikers, like Twiggy (Leslie Hornby) and German model Uschi (Ursula Obermaier) while others altered the spelling of their birth names to stand out from the crowd. Others were just as happy to use the names they were born with. Sixties models were also the first truly international group and their names reflect this.
Need a model? Look below.
Fashion Models of the 1960s
| Colette Jazz
Peggy Chad Lois Job Raven Iverley Quincy Cloudletter Patricia Strong Leslie Heinrik Paula Salt Stringy Jill Cathcart Peachy Cecilia Spear Spya Epet Elke Yor Maria Crisp |
Christina Stagberg
Erika Knorr Adelaida Anna Quick Cara Bluff Lass Jyski Bernadette Papp Sandy Wiss Cindi Chen Lamb Ulrich Amber Othley Rachel Woolsilk Ashly Ivis Cathy Strappel Macy Pizetti |
