Linda Evangelista (born May 10, 1965) is a
CanadianCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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...
.
Early life
Evangelista was born to Italian-Canadian parents and was raised in a working-class, traditional
Roman CatholicThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or Latin Rite Church, and...
family in
St. Catharines, OntarioSt. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where she attended Denis Morris secondary school. She knew she wanted to become a model when she was 12 years old. Evangelista got into the modelling industry when she was discovered by a talent agent at the 1978 Miss Teen Niagara Contest.
Career
Evangelista later moved to
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
and signed with
Elite Model ManagementElite Model Management is a modeling agency founded in Paris, France, in 1972 by John Casablancas and Alain Kittler. Elite today manages over 800 models from five continents. It offers international coverage with 36 agencies in its network...
there. She then moved to
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
, to further her career. She also appeared in
music videoA music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the...
s with
George MichaelGeorgios Kyriacos Panayiotou , best known as George Michael, is a two-time Grammy Award winning, English singer-songwriter, who has had a career as frontman of the duo Wham! as well as a soul-influenced, solo pop musician...
.
Evangelista uttered the quote, "We don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day" (often misquoted as: "We don't get out of bed for less than..." or "I don't get out of bed for less than...") Spoken in
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:...
(1990) to Jonathan van Meter, talking about money and how she and a few other models were calling the shots and changing the game.
In the late 1980s, she cut all her hair off to brandish a little-boy-style haircut and was promptly cancelled from all the important runway shows that season. This was the first of many dramatic hairstyle changes. Within months, she appeared on magazine covers everywhere and many women emulated the hairstyle.
In 2007, she signed a multiple-year exclusive contract with the cosmetics company L'Oreal Paris. It was announced in early 2008 that she would be featured in the
PradaPrada S.p.A. is an Italian fashion label designed by Mario Prada, specializing in luxury goods for men and women , founded by Mario Prada. The label is a status symbol...
Fall 2008 campaign seen in magazines internationally.
She is signed to
DNA Model ManagementDNA Model Management is a modeling agency in New York City. DNA represents numerous notable models in the industry. Clients include Linda Evangelista, Adriana Lima, and Oluchi Onweagba.-Clients:Fashion models represented by DNA include:...
in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
, and Models 1 in
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...
.
Miscellaneous
- Chanel
Chanel 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...
designer Karl LagerfeldKarl Lagerfeld is a German-born fashion designer and artist based in Paris, France. He has collaborated on a variety of fashion and art related projects, most notably as head designer and creative director for the fashion house Chanel...
once said of her, “There is not another model in the world as professional as she is.” He also said, when comparing models, that Evangelista was the “top of the tops”.
- In 1990 and 1992, she appeared in George Michael
Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou , best known as George Michael, is a two-time Grammy Award winning, English singer-songwriter, who has had a career as frontman of the duo Wham! as well as a soul-influenced, solo pop musician...
's music videos Freedom '90 and Too Funky"Too Funky" is a song written and performed by George Michael and released by Epic Records in 1992.-History:"Too Funky" was Michael's final single for his recording contract with Sony Music before he started legal action to extricate himself from his contract. "Too Funky" had been initially...
.
- In 1996 she won the VH1
VH1 is an American cable television network based in New York City...
Fashion Awards Lifetime Achievement Award.
- In 2005 she was honoured as a World Style Icon at the Women's World Award
Winners of the Women's World Award, sponsored by the World Awards organization headed by former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachov, intended for women who have influenced the world by their work in areas such as society or politics. The award has been given since 2004. No monetary prize is...
held in GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
.
- When she is not on the catwalk she is an advocate for AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus ....
and breast cancerBreast cancer is a cancer that starts in the breast, usually in the inner lining of the milk ducts or lobules. There are different types of breast cancer, with different stages , aggressiveness, and genetic makeup. With best treatment, 10-year disease-free survival varies from 98% to 10%...
awareness. She has a star on Canada's Walk of FameCanada's Walk of Fame, located in Toronto, Ontario, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of successful Canadians. It consists of a series of stars imbedded in 13 designated blocks worth of sidewalks in Toronto, located in front of Roy Thomson Hall, The Princess...
in TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
.
- In 2005 New York-based AID for AIDS honoured Linda with its annual HERO Award for her commitment in helping to eradicate the disease throughout the world.
- In August 2007, Evangelista appeared in a Harper's Bazaar spread with The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
.
Personal life
Evangelista was married to
EliteElite Model Management is a modeling agency founded in Paris, France, in 1972 by John Casablancas and Alain Kittler. Elite today manages over 800 models from five continents. It offers international coverage with 36 agencies in its network...
executive Gerald Marie from 1987 to 1993. She has also dated actor
Kyle MacLachlanKyle Merritt MacLachlan is an American actor.He graduated from the University of Washington in 1982 and, shortly afterward, moved to Hollywood, California to pursue his career...
(1992-1998),
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
football player
Fabien BarthezFabien Alain Barthez is a former French football goalkeeper who won honours with Manchester United and the French national team, with whom he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000 and reached the final of the 2006 World Cup. He shares the record for the most World Cup finals clean sheets with...
(1998-2000),
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
oil mogul Ugo Brachetti Peretti (2003-2004), and former
Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1, and currently officially referred to as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants...
driver
Paolo BarillaPaolo Barilla is a former Formula One driver who raced for the Minardi team. Paolo is one of the heirs of the vast Barilla pasta empire.Barilla started racing in 1975 and won the Italian 100cc karting title in 1976...
(2005).
Throughout her career, Evangelista has expressed her desire to have children.
In 1999, she suffered a miscarriage after six months of pregnancy (the father was
BarthezFabien Alain Barthez is a former French football goalkeeper who won honours with Manchester United and the French national team, with whom he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000 and reached the final of the 2006 World Cup. He shares the record for the most World Cup finals clean sheets with...
).
To her delight, on October 11, 2006, she gave birth to a boy, Augustin James. While pregnant, Evangelista appeared on the August 2006 issue of
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:...
magazine. She was the first non-actress/singer model to appear on
Vogue in over a year.
She also plays the
accordionThe accordion is a portable box-shaped musical instrument of the hand-held bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox...
, and was a cigar smoker before she gave up smoking and drinking altogether.