Lily Cole (born 19 May 1988,
TorquayTorquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies miles south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998...
,
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
) is an English
modelthumb|200px|Alesya Nazarova modeling a dress by [[bebe stores|bebe]]A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed for the purpose of displaying and promoting fashion clothing or other products and for advertising or promotional purposes or who poses for works of art.Modeling...
and actress.
Biography
Cole was born in
TorquayTorquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies miles south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998...
, England, and raised in London with her sister Elvie. Cole was educated at the
St MaryleboneSt Marylebone C of E School is a specialist secondary school for girls in Marylebone, London. It specialises in Performing Arts and Maths & Computing. In the sixth form, boys can also attend....
church school for girls, and completed her sixth form studies at
Latymer Upper SchoolLatymer Upper School, founded by Edward Latymer in 1624, is a selective independent school in Hammersmith, west London, lying between King Street and the Thames. It is a day school for 1,130 pupils – boys and girls aged 11–18; there is also the Latymer Preparatory School for boys and girls between...
, an expensive independent school in
HammersmithHammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London approximately 5 miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
,
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
. A chance encounter began her modelling career when she was fourteen. She was walking through the streets of
SohoSoho is an area in the centre of the West End of London, England, in the City of Westminster. It is an entertainment district which for much of the later part of the 20th century had a reputation for its sex shops as well as its night life and film industry...
when scout-turned-actor
Benjamin HartBenjamin Hart is an English actor best known for his roles as Foz in British soap Hollyoaks, and as Adam Rhodes in Australian soap opera Neighbours.-Early career:...
approached her about modelling. She declined, but later changed her mind and signed on with
Storm ModelsStorm Model Management is one of Britain’s leading model agencies, based in Chelsea, London. The agency has four divisions; Women, New Faces, Men and Special Bookings which was launched in 2006...
, the mother agency of models such as
Kate MossKatherine "Kate" Ann Moss is an English model. She has appeared on over 300 magazine covers. She is known for her waifish figure, uncommonly short height for a fashion model, and appearances in many advertising campaigns. She is also notorious for her high-profile relationships and party lifestyle...
.
Modelling career
Cole's big break came in 2003 when she caught photographer
Steven MeiselSteven Meisel is an American photographer, who obtained popular acclaim with his work in US and Italian Vogue and his photographs of friend Madonna in her 1992 book Sex...
's eye. It was on that photoshoot, her first 'only girl' story for Italian
VogueVogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine published in 16 countries + Latin America by Condé Nast Publications. Each month, Vogue publishes a magazine addressing topics of fashion, life and design.-Style and influence:...
, that Cole was catapulted into the spotlight as one of the leading new faces of the year. Since then, Cole has worked with many other prominent photographers, including
Craig McDeanCraig McDean is a British fashion photographer originally from Middlewich near Manchester, but now based in New York City....
,
Nick KnightNick Knight is a British photographer and Director of SHOWstudio.com. He is known for his personal, experimental vision, resulting in work that exists outside the conventions of fashion photography.-Career:...
,
Juergen TellerThe photographer Juergen Teller was born in 1964 in Erlangen, Germany. He studied at the Bayerische Staatslehranstalt für Photograhie in Munich before moving to London in 1986, where he currently lives and works. His photographs have been featured in The Face, Vogue , Another, Index, W Magazine,...
,
Arthur ElgortArthur Elgort is a fashion photographer, who has become especially known for his work as a Vogue photographer.-Career:Arthur Elgort was born and raised in New York, where he studied painting at Hunter College...
, and
Irving PennIrving Penn was an American photographer known for his portraiture and fashion photography.-Early career:Irving Penn studied under Alexey Brodovitch at the Pennsylvania Museum School of Industrial Art from which he graduated 1938. Penn's drawings were published by Harper's Bazaar and he also...
.
Cole is featured in top fashion magazines such as
Vogue (American, Italian, British, Japanese and Korean),
Citizen K, and
V-History:V Magazine was launched in September 1999 as the younger sibling publication to the limited-edition quarterly Visionaire. If Visionaire is a couture book, V is ready-to-wear. V is large-format and visually-driven, international in scope and collaborative in spirit.It is edited by Stephen...
. She has also appeared on the cover of
NuméroNuméro is an international fashion magazine published by the Groupe Alain Ayache. It has a circulation of 80,000. The womens publication has reached its 100th issue...
and three for British
Vogue. In November 2004, the British Fashion Awards named her 'Model of the Year'. Additionally, Cole has appeared in advertising campaigns for designers such as
ChanelChanel S.A., commonly known as Chanel , is a Parisian fashion house founded by the late couturier Coco Chanel, recognized as one of the most chic in the haute couture...
,
Christian LacroixChristian Marie Marc Lacroix is a high-end French fashion designer.-Early life:Christian Lacroix was born in Arles, in southern France. At a young age he began sketching historical costumes and fashions. Lacroix graduated from high school in 1969 and moved to Montpellier, to study Art History at...
,
HermèsHermès International, S.A., or simply Hermès is a French high fashion house specializing in leather, ready-to-wear, lifestyle accessories, perfumery, and luxury goods. The company is renowned in the fashion world, and its products are considered to be prestigious by virtue of workmanship,...
,
LongchampLongchamp may refer to:* Longchamp Racecourse, Hippodrome de Longchamp in French* William Longchamp, Chancellor of England.* De Tomaso Longchamp, a two door 2+2 coupe* Longchamp , a French leather goods company, founded in 1948...
,
CacharelCacharel is a French brand of ready-to-wear clothing, perfume and accessories. It was created in 1962 by Jean Bousquet, who founded the company of the same name in 1964...
,
TopshopTopshop is a British chain of clothing stores that operates in more than 20 countries. It is part of the Arcadia Group, which also owns a number of other well-known retail outlets including Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge and Wallis....
, and
Anna SuiAnna Sui is an American fashion designer. Her brand retails globally in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Her clothing, fragrance, cosmetic, and accessories lines sell through her stores in over 50 countries and are also widely available in leading department stores worldwide....
Cosmetics, as well as being the face for
MoschinoMoschino is an Italian fashion design house and manufacturer of women's, men's and children's fashion.-History:The brand was originally created in 1983 by the late Franco Moschino . Mr...
's perfume 'I Love Love.'
She is a common sight on the catwalks of the international runway circuit and has walked many top shows—
ChanelChanel S.A., commonly known as Chanel , is a Parisian fashion house founded by the late couturier Coco Chanel, recognized as one of the most chic in the haute couture...
,
DKNYDKNY is the label of fashion designer Donna Karan. It is also the name of a clothing store in New York City featuring Donna Karan's associated line.-History:...
, Jean Paul Gaultier, Versace,
Alexander McQueenAlexander McQueen CBE is an English fashion designer.-Biography:Born in the East End of London, the son of a taxi driver, McQueen started making dresses for his three sisters at a young age and announced his intention of becoming a fashion designer...
,
John GallianoJuan Carlos Antonio Galliano Guillén, CBE, RDI , professionally known as John Galliano, is a Gibraltarian-British fashion designer.-Early life and career:...
, and
Louis VuittonLouis Vuitton Malletier, commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton, or shortened to LV, is an international French fashion house specializing in trunks, leather goods, ready-to-wear, shoes, watches, jewelry, accessories, sunglasses, and books. Known the world over for its iconic LV monogram and logo,...
, to name a few. In addition to modeling for top fashion designers, her friend-list includes
Philip ColbertPhilip Colbert is a British Fashion Designer, Artist and Journalist.-Education:Colbert was Educated at Strathallan School and studied Philosophy at St Andrews University.-Career:Colbert started Rodnik Fashion with Richard Ascott...
and fellow models Gemma Ward and Erin O'Connor.
Cole was announced as the follow-up model for Accessorize, taking the place of model Claudia Schiffer. Cole also designed a line of handbags for the collection. Cole will be an additional face for cosmetics Rimmel London, along with Kate Moss, Cheryl Cole, as well as
Tiffany & Co.Tiffany & Co. is a U.S. jewelry and silverware company founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany and Teddy Young in New York City in 1837 as a "stationery and fancy goods emporium."...
She is now one of the models in the Marks and Spencer clothes advertising campaign, becoming the youngest model to ever do a campaign for the line. As part of the deal Cole will be the exclusive face of the M&S Limited Collection.
Cole was nominated for the British Fashion Awards for 'Model of the Year' in 2007 for the second time, but the award was given to
Agyness DeynAgyness Deyn is an English model and singer. Deyn has been hailed as "the fashion industry's next great supermodel".-Early life:Deyn is from Failsworth in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester...
.
Cole was listed on the
Sunday Times Rich ListThe Sunday Times Rich List is a list of the 1,000 wealthiest people or families in the United Kingdom, updated annually in April and published as a magazine supplement by British national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times since 1989...
in 2008 with an estimated net worth of £6 million. She was ranked 77th richest young person in Britain.
In October 2008 Cole appeared nude in and on the front cover of the French edition of
PlayboyPlayboy is an American men's magazine, founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with a presence in nearly every medium. Playboy is one of the world's best...
. Lily's
PlayboyPlayboy is an American men's magazine, founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with a presence in nearly every medium. Playboy is one of the world's best...
shoot was inspired by the cover of French musician Serge Gainsbourg's 1971 album "Histoire de Melody Nelson". Cole is photographed holding a teddy bear, wearing nothing but a pair of white socks. The shoot was controversial, with calls for Cole to be dropped from her Marks and Spencer contract. Marks and Spencer stated though that it will still use Lily, arguing she "is a popular, high profile, model who is very much in demand, and this is one of the key reasons why we have chosen to work with her." A spokesperson for the label insisted, "It's entirely her own choice as to what other work she accepts and we would not wish to interfere with her career." Cole was also photographed fully naked for Paradis magazine.
Film career
In February 2006, Indiewire.com broke the news that
Marilyn MansonMarilyn Manson , is an American musician and artist known for his controversial stage persona and image as the lead singer of the eponymous band. His stage name was formed from the names of actress Marilyn Monroe and convicted murderer Charles Manson...
planned to star Cole in his upcoming movie
Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis CarrollPhantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll is an upcoming fantasy horror film by Marilyn Manson with Geoffrey Cox and Anthony de Silva. It is directed by Marilyn Manson as part of his Celebritarian Corporation art movement, and is his directorial debut as a feature filmmaker. It is being produced...
as Alice. Shorts from the movie have been featured on his website and a
feature lengthFeature length is a film term that refers to the length of a feature film. The definition of minimum length varies from 40 minutes to about 90 minutes . In the silent film era the feature length of a film could also be denoted in reels since a reel of film usually comprised about 10 minutes...
film is also planned.
In April 2007, it was announced that she would play the role of Polly, the geek, in the new
St. Trinian's film, alongside
Rupert EverettRupert James Hector Everett is an English actor and singer. He first came to public attention in 1981, when he was cast in Julian Mitchell's play and subsequent film Another Country as an openly homosexual student at an English public school, set in the 1930s...
,
Colin FirthColin Andrew Firth is an English film, television, and stage actor. Firth first gained wide public attention, especially in England, for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the highly acclaimed 1995 television adaption of Pride and Prejudice...
,
Jodie WhittakerJodie Auckland Whittaker is an award-winning English actress, perhaps best known for her work in the film Venus .-Career:...
and
Stephen FryStephen John Fry is a British actor, writer, comedian, author, television presenter and film director. With Hugh Laurie, as the comedy double act Fry and Laurie, he co-wrote and co-starred in A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and the duo also played the title roles in Jeeves and Wooster...
.
Cole has also played the role of Valentina in
The Imaginarium of Doctor ParnassusThe Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fantasy film directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Charles McKeown. The film follows the leader of a travelling theatre troupe who, having made a deal with the Devil, takes audience members through a magical mirror to explore their...
, directed by
Terry GilliamTerrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British writer, filmmaker, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several well-regarded films including Time Bandits , Brazil , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
and scripted by Gilliam and
Charles McKeownCharles McKeown is a British actor and writer, perhaps best known for his collaborations with Terry Gilliam. The two met while shooting Monty Python's Life of Brian, while McKeown was doing bit parts in the film.-Screenwriting career:...
. She also was featured in the New York Times online film series
T Takes.
Cole also appeared as a celebrity supermodel in the 2009 film,
RageRage is a 2009 film directed by Sally Potter starring Jude Law and Judi Dench. The movie created a new genre in filmmaking, called Naked cinema.-Plot:...
.
She appeared in the video for
Girls AloudGirls Aloud are a UK girl group that were created on the ITV1 talent show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. The group, consisting of Cheryl Cole, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh have been successful in achieving a string of 20 consecutive UK Top 10 singles , two UK...
and
SugababesSugababes are an English all-female pop trio based in London, currently consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen.The group were formed in 1998 by original members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan...
' cover of "Walk This Way" in aid of comic relief. Cole also starred in
Primal ScreamPrimal Scream are a Scottish alternative rock group formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie. The current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes , Martin Duffy , Gary "Mani" Mounfield , and Darrin Mooney...
's video Can’t Go Back.
Education
Despite her successful modelling career, Cole retains a commitment to her education, achieving As in her A-level examinations in English, Politics, Drama, History, and Philosophy and Ethics at
Latymer Upper SchoolLatymer Upper School, founded by Edward Latymer in 1624, is a selective independent school in Hammersmith, west London, lying between King Street and the Thames. It is a day school for 1,130 pupils – boys and girls aged 11–18; there is also the Latymer Preparatory School for boys and girls between...
. Before that she attended the primary school, Hallfield School. (Bayswater,London) and
The St Marylebone Secondary School. She gained a place to read Social and Political Sciences at
King's College, CambridgeKing's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.Founded in 1441, the college's formal name is "The King's College of Our Lady and St. Nicholas in Cambridge". It is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the university.- History :King's was founded in 1441 by...
, but deferred entry until 2007 and then 2008. Cole now reads
History of ArtThe history of art refers to the history of the visual arts of painting, sculpture and architecture . It is the history of one of the fine arts, others of which are the performing arts and literature. It is also one of the humanities...
(rather than Social and Political Sciences, as previously expected), having commenced in the
Michaelmas termMichaelmas term is the first academic term of the academic years of the following British and Irish universities:*University of Oxford*Durham University*London School of Economics and Political Science*King's College London*University of Wales, Lampeter...
, 2008. At the end of her first year Cole got a first class in her exams.
Charity work
Cole is an Ambassador for
Global Angels-External links:* – official website...
Children's Charity that helps unfortunate children around the world. The organisation uses celebrity concerts, powerful documentaries, and partnerships within the business world, that will increase a vast resource of professionals, volunteers, and financial support. Cole also supports the organisation
WaterAidWaterAid is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to helping people escape the poverty and disease caused by living without safe water and sanitation. It is based in London, England and was established by the UK water industry as a charitable trust on 21 July 1981...
which use practical solutions to provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene education to the world's poorest people. Cole also supports the
Environmental Justice FoundationThe Environmental Justice Foundation is a UK charity whose focus is to campaign for better human rights and environmental issues. They are particularly known for their work in organic cotton and have worked with Tesco and Marks and Spencer to help these supermarkets stop sourcing cotton from...
a UK based NGO working internationally whose objective is to ‘Protect People and Planet’ by resolving environmental destruction and associated abuses of basic human rights . Most recently Cole has put a plaster cast bust of her torso on the auction site
eBayeBay Inc. is an American Internet company that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide. A majority of the sales take place through a set-time auction format, but subsequent methods include...
to raise money for Comic Relief, an organisation that uses comedy to raise money for charities. Cole has modelled a T-shirt with the slogan "Save the Future" to fight child labour in the fashion industry for the Environmental Justice Foundation.
Environmental knowledge
Cole is an ally for
Western ShoshoneWestern Shoshone comprises several Native American tribes that are indigenous to the Great Basin and have lands identified in the Treaty of Ruby Valley 1863. They resided in Idaho, Nevada, California, and Utah...
an environmental organization. They specialize in working to halt gold and diamond mining, which is alleged to displace indigenous peoples worldwide and alleged to create excessive amounts of mining waste and toxins. After some public exposure, with the pressure of organizations like
Survival InternationalSurvival International is a human rights organization formed in 1969 that campaigns for the rights of indigenous tribal peoples and uncontacted peoples, seeking to help them to determine their own future. Their campaigns generally focus on tribal peoples' fight to keep their ancestral lands,...
, Cole declined to be in any further
De BeersDe Beers and the various companies within the De Beers Family of Companies engage in exploration for diamonds, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacture....
jewellery campaigns, along with models
ImanIman Mohamed Abdulmajid , professionally known as Iman , is a Somali model, actress, and entrepreneur...
and
Erin O'ConnorErin O'Connor is an English fashion model.-Early life:Erin O'Connor was born and brought up in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, England and went to Brownhills Community School . She was raised Catholic and her father is from Ballycastle, Northern Ireland...
, activist
Gloria SteinemGloria Marie Steinem is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist.Rising to national prominence as a feminist leader in 1969, Steinem was a columnist at New York magazine in the 1960s and broke ground in 1963 with an investigative report of how the women of Playboy were...
, and actress
Julie ChristieJulie Frances Christie is a British actress. A pop icon of the "swinging London" era of the 1960s, she has won the Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.-Early life:...
. Recently, however, she has been on the cover of and featured in a spread of a magazine whose issue was entitled 'Lily'. In it, she is only wearing diamonds.
She has been seen wearing the £5 eco-friendly
Anya HindmarchAnya Hindmarch MBE , is an English fashion accessories designer.-Biography:Born in Essex to a self-made man, she was educated New Hall School, a Roman Catholic convent in Chelmsford. Aged 16 Hindmarch was given an old Gucci handbag by her mother...
handbag with the slogan "I'm Not A Plastic Bag".
She wrote the foreword for Tamsin Blanchard's book
Green Is The New Black.
External links