I saw somebody say something daft about Janice Dickinson’s modeling career on X (formerly Twitter) the other day and it inspired me to write about her in the start of what will probably be a short series of posts about my favorite models (that I write while trying not go insane during quarantine).
Janice Dickinson was discovered in the early 70s and first signed with Wilhemina models after being told she was “way too ethnic” to succeed as a model by other agencies.
She actually showed up to a photographer’s shoot completely unannounced and claimed she was the model they were expecting. The photos that resulted kickstarted the career of the “world’s first supermodel” as Janice was quickly signed and sent to Europe where her ethnically ambiguous features were seen as exotic and a much needed refreshment from the blonde-haired, blue-eyed models that were prominent at the time.
Janice became one of THE top cover girls by the late 70s and into the early 80s, appearing on 37 international covers of Vogue as well as gracing the covers of other major fashion publications like Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. I believe her first Vogue cover was in February of 1978 with photography by Michael Reinhardt.
Janice Dickinson by Michael Reinhardt for Vogue Paris (February 1978)
Janice was really the ultimate high fashion model back in the day, serving as a muse for some of the greatest photographers, designers, and makeup artists of all time.
She also worked with all the greatest and most recognizable models of the time like Iman, Gia Carangi, and Patti Hansen.
She has one of my favorite faces of all time and and wore makeup so well! Some of my favorite pictures of her are from beauty campaigns.
Janice Dickinson, Susan Miner, & Maki for Revlon by Richard Avedon (1989)
Editorials and runway work were hardly her only ventures. In true supermodel fashion she made appearances on TV doing cameos and as a spokesperson as well.
Today, Janice is a living legend and a shining example of what it takes to survive and succeed in the harsh, unforgiving world of fashion & modeling. She is also a mother and an author of 3 memoirs, which of course includes the iconic No Lifeguard on Duty: The Accidental Life of the World’s First Supermodel, a book that is highly regarded among fashion lovers & readers alike. She is somebody that I respect and admire very much, and I really hope whoever reads this leaves my blog having learned something new about this phenomenal woman.
