Linda Evangelista Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 5 ft 9½ in |
Weight | 81 kg |
Date of Birth | May 10, 1965 |
Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
Hair Color | Light Brown |
Linda Evangelista is a Canadian supermodel whose androgynous, career-defining pixie hairdo and bright hair colors became synonymous with the modeling scene of the 80s and 90s. One of the most accomplished models of her generation, Linda along with Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington injected the fashion world with glamour and mysterious allure. She was frequently shot by ace photographers like Steven Meisel, Peter Lindbergh, Patrick Demarchelier, etc. and has been a part of several iconic magazine covers throughout her career. After retiring from representing top-notch fashion designers and brands, Evangelista has settled for raising her son, Augustin James, away from the limelight. She has around 100k followers on Instagram.
Born Name
Linda Evangelista
Nick Name
Linda
Sun Sign
Taurus
Born Place
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Nationality
Education
Linda studied at the Denis Morris Catholic High School in Ontario.
When she was 12, she attended a modeling school and learned skills like etiquette and poise in their self-improvement course.
Occupation
Model
Family
- Father – Tomaso Evangelista (Worked at General Motors) (Died in 2014)
- Mother – Marisa Evangelista (Bookkeeper)
- Siblings – She has an older as well as a younger brother.
- Others – Amedeo Evangelista (Paternal Grandfather), Matilda Evangelista (Paternal Grandmother), Christine Evangelista (First Cousin) (Actress), Vanessa Evangelista (First Cousin) (Model)
Manager
Linda was represented by –
- Elite Model Management
- DNA Model Management in New York
- Models 1 in London
- View Management in Barcelona
- Priscilla’s Model Management in Sydney
Build
Average
Height
5 ft 9½ in or 176.5 cm
Weight
81 kg or 178.5 lbs
Boyfriend / Spouse
Linda Evangelista has dated –
- Gérald Marie (1986-1993) – In her early 20s, Linda met agent Gérald Marie, who was heading the Paris office of Elite Models at the time. Even though they were 15 years apart in age, the two became romantically involved in 1986. After dating for a year, Linda and Gérald got married on July 1, 1987. However, after 5 years together their marriage began deteriorating and they got officially divorced by 1993. Decades later, model Carré Otis revealed in her memoir Beauty Disrupted (2011) that Gérald had raped her at the age of 17 while he was still engaged to Linda.
- Kyle MacLachlan (1992-1998) – Actor Kyle MacLachlan and Linda met for the first time in 1992 while doing a photoshoot together for Barneys New York. The duo dated for 3 years before announcing their engagement in 1995. But, before they could tie the knot the couple decided to split up in 1998.
- Fabien Barthez (1998-2000 and 2001-2002) – Next, Evangelista began dating French footballer Fabien Barthez. Their romance lasted from 1998 to 2000, during which she fell pregnant but unfortunately, lost the baby to a miscarriage six months later. The couple tried to work things out in 2001 but ended their relationship for good in 2002.
- Maximilan Leroy (2002) – After her break up with Barthez, Linda hooked up with Maximilan Leroy in 2002. Leroy passed away in a motorcycle accident 3 years later in November 2005.
- Ugo Brachetti Peretti (2003-2004) – Italian businessman Ugo Brachetti Peretti fell for the supermodel in 2003. They were photographed together at the Vogue Party for photographer Bruce Weber in Milan in September 2003. By 2004 though, they had gone their separate ways.
- Paolo Barilla (2005) – Paolo Barilla, an Italian businessman and former Formula One driver, and Evangelista got together in 2005.
- François-Henri Pinault (2005-2006) – French billionaire François-Henri Pinault and Linda were an item from September 2005 to January 2006. She made an appearance on the cover of Vogue magazine in August 2006, by then, heavily-pregnant and gave birth to a boy, Augustin James Evangelista on October 11. However, she refused to divulge details about her son’s biological father citing him to be a New York architect. But, it was in June 2011, when she filed court papers for child support that his identity was revealed to be Pinault. The Frenchman began dating actress Salma Hayek shortly after his tryst with Linda. The ex-lovers got embroiled in an unpleasant court battle as Linda had asked for $46,000 in monthly child support. The amount was considered excessive and if passed, would have been the highest child support payment granted by a family court. In the end, the two parties agreed to settle out-of-court.
- Peter Morton (2006-2010) – Peter Morton, the co-founder of Hard Rock Café, began dating Evangelista in September 2006. But, by October 2010, reports confirmed that their 4-year long relationship was over.
- Anthony Kiedis – Linda and the lead singer of Red Hot Chili Peppers Anthony Kiedis had hooked up sometime in the 1990s.
- Bryan Adams – It is alleged that fellow Canadian and singer Bryan Adams had an encounter with the supermodel in the past.
Race / Ethnicity
White
She has Italian ancestry on both her parent’s sides.
Hair Color
Light Brown (Natural)
However, her hair has been dyed multiple colors from platinum blonde, cinnamon, ash brown, to burgundy during her modeling days.
Eye Color
Blue-Green
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Hooked nose
- Pixie hairdo from the late 80s
Shoe Size
10 (US) or 40.5 (EU) or 7.5 (UK)
Brand Endorsements
Linda has done endorsement work for the following brands –
- Versace (1989) (Print Ad)
- Bloomingdale’s (1989) (Print Ad)
- Perry Ellis (1989) (Print Ad)
- Revlon (1989) (Print Ad)
- Donna Karen (1990) (Print Ad)
- Ferretti (1990) (Print Ad)
- The Limited (1991) (Print Ad)
- Barney’s New York (1992) (Print Ad)
- Estee Lauder (USA) (1993)
- Jill Sander No. 4 (1994) (Print Ad)
- Kenar (1996) (Print Ad)
- Ultress (1996) (Print Ad)
- Ralph Lauren (1997) (Print Ad)
- Dior (1998) (Print Ad)
- Yardley (1997 & 1998) (Print Ad and TV Commercial)
- American Express (1998)
- Jones New York (1998, 1999, & 2000) (Print Ad)
- Wallis (2002) (Print Ad)
- Prada (2008) (Print Ad)
- L’Oreal Paris (2008, 2009, 2010) (Print Ad and TV Commercial)
- Clairol
- La Redoute
- Loewe
- Moschino
- Dolce & Gabbana
Religion
Christianity
Best Known For
- Being one of the most recognized supermodels throughout the 80s and 90s with more than 700 magazine cover appearances to her credit
- Her rapidly-changing hairstyles and colors that had inspired numerous hair trends for women all over the world
First Film
Linda made her first theatrical film appearance in 1994 as herself in the satirical comedy-drama Ready to Wear (Original title: Prêt-à-Porter). However, her role was uncredited.
Her first credited performance took place in the 1996 documentary film Catwalk where she played herself.
First TV Show
Linda made her TV show debut as a guest on the Spanish talk show Primero izquierda in 1992.
Personal Trainer
According to her interview with Elle magazine in 2016, Linda trains with her personal trainer Michael Olden to stay fit and healthy. Her workout routine takes place in the morning and starts with stretching for about 5 minutes. It is then followed by using a host of fitness equipment like a rowing machine, rebounder, weights, slides, steps, spin bike, etc. She also works out on a Power Plate which offers a high-speed, intense workout by using vibrations to stimulate all the muscles in the body.
Linda starts her day on a healthy note by gorging on an egg-white omelet with veggies or a protein shake. She likes to wash it down with Yerba Mate chai tea and a natural sweetener like stevia, almond milk, or lemon water. She also enjoys a cup of green tea. Only on Sundays, she tops it off with a glass of mimosa. Her daily diet contains a variety of vegetables, grains, flax, hemp seeds, avocados, coconut oil, and lean proteins like chicken, fish, and turkey. However, she has admitted to not being a fan of eating fruits.
She also shoots up supplements like the E3Live blue-green algae, Bragg Apple cider vinegar, a packet of B-complex plus, Glutathione by Lypo-Spheric as a part of her morning routine. In the name of detoxification, she opts for UltraClear Renew by Metagenics 3 times a year to deal with inflammation.
Linda Evangelista Favorite Things
- Holiday – Thanksgiving
- Books – The Bible, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960)
- Anti-Aging Product – Erasa XEP-30
- Beauty Products – Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Reveal Lifting Foundation, Biologique Recherche Lotion P50, Environ Ionzyme C-Quence 1, Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes Mascara, T3 Featherweight Luxe 2i Hair Dryer, Hamadi Organics Shea Hair Cream, City Lips Advanced Formula Lip Plumpers
- Sunscreen – Dolce & Gabbana The Primer Sheer Radiance Make Up Base With Sunscreen SPF 30, La Roche-Posay Anthelios Face Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid SPF 45
- Facial Feature To Highlight – Eyes
- Beauty Icons – Grace Kelly, Ava Gardner, Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn
- Photoshoot – February 1989 issue of Vogue Italia called ‘Cuba Girl’
- Scent – JAR Gardenia
- Motto – Say what you mean and mean what you say!
Source – W Magazine, Wikipedia, CR Fashion Book, Vogue, Byrdie, Spa.Kitchen
Linda Evangelista Facts
- Linda considers yesteryear’s model Joan Severance as her idol. In fact, it was her close resemblance to Severance that got her noticed while starting out as a model.
- At the age of 16, Linda had participated in the Miss Teen Niagara beauty pageant in 1981. She got noticed by a representative of the Elite Model Management even though she did not end up winning the pageant.
- In 1988, French hairdresser Julien d’Ys cut Evangelista’s hair super short, like a bowl cut with sideburns. Although initially considered a disaster, the hairdo catapulted her into a global sensation and marked her ascension as a supermodel.
- The haircut, popularly known as The Linda, was soon emulated by women all over the world. Actresses Demi Moore and Susan Sullivan were seen recreating the hairdo in the movie Ghost (1990) and on the TV show Falcon Crest (1981-1990) respectively.
- Evangelista appeared alongside models Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and Tatjana Patitz on the cover of British Vogue in January 1990. Shot by Peter Lindbergh, the cover was a defining moment of the supermodel era and they became collectively known as the ‘Original Big 5 Supermodels’ of the 90s.
- Additionally, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, and Linda Evangelista became known as “The Trinity” for their distinctive bankable qualities. Linda was labeled a chameleon for her ability to reinvent herself every time with different hair colors and looks. Turlington’s presence was deemed to ensure success and Campbell was the first black model to grace the covers of world-renowned international magazines.
- Linda appeared in singer George Michael‘s music video Freedom! ’90 with her contemporaries from the 1990s British Vogue cover. Apparently, George was so taken with the models that he decided to have them lip-sync the song in his place in the David Fincher-directed music video.
- Evangelista coined the phrase “We don’t wake up for less than $10,000 a day” in a 1990 interview for Vogue magazine. The modeling quote earned an unparalleled reputation in the 20th-century and was compared to another defining statement of the previous century “Let them eat cake.”
- The …$10,000 a day remark has become so popular in the mainstream media that several merchandises feature the renowned quote. In fact, the 2005 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith has Brad Pitt‘s character saying, on similar lines, that he won’t get out of bed for less than half a million dollars.
- In the early 90s, she appeared on a billboard for Ads against AIDS which featured her glamorously dressed and seated next to 7 older Sicilian women. Labeled Beauty and the Seven Beasts, the image was heavily criticized for stereotyping Italian women. Nevertheless, the International Center of Photography selected the image as one among the “20 most important fashion photographs ever.”
- On the occasion of Vogue magazine’s 100th anniversary, Linda appeared on the cover of its April 1992 issue with various other supermodels of the time. It became the highest-selling issue in the magazine’s history.
- One of her most iconic magazine covers was the Harper’s Bazaar issue from September 1992. In 2005, the impactful cover was ranked 9th by the American Society of Magazine Editors on their list of “Top 40 Magazine Covers of the Last 40 Years.”
- Such has been the cultural impact of Evangelista’s modeling career that her images from previous magazine issues have been auctioned for sums between $30,000 to $120,000.
- In 2008, Linda was chosen as “The Greatest Supermodel of All Time” by the audience of Fashion File, a Canadian TV show.
- Linda has 4 pet dogs named Willow Flowe, Willy, Coco, and Enzo.
- She plays the accordion.
- Victoria Beckham, Candice Swanepoel, Kendall Jenner, Martha Stewart, Rihanna, and Angie Harmon are among the many 21st-century celebrities who consider Linda as a beauty icon and inspiration.
- She is the creative director of the anti-aging skincare brand Erasa. Since she has suffered from melasma herself, the former model has found its product Erasa XEP-30 especially useful in reducing skin issues like wrinkles, dark circles, fine lines, etc.
- Off the runway, Evangelista has been an advocate of raising awareness and research of health issues like HIV/AIDS and breast cancer. Additionally, she also campaigns for LGBT rights.
- She became the recipient of a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in June 2003.
- Among artists who considered Linda their muse are fashion designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Gianni Versace, and fashion photographer Steven Meisel. The latter has also been one of her closest friends.
- Linda has been featured on the cover of Vogue Italia more than any other model. Her record-breaking number of 30 appearances were all shot by Steven Meisel.
- In 2018, Linda was diagnosed with breast cancer and later underwent bilateral mastectomy. In July 2022, she was again diagnosed with cancer.
- In September 2021, Linda revealed that she underwent the fat-reduction procedure, CoolSculpting, in the past. However, instead of decreasing, the procedure increased her fat cells. She later underwent 2 unsuccessful corrective surgeries. Linda revealed that Zeltiq’s CoolSculpting procedure had left her “permanently deformed” and she had decided to file a lawsuit against the company. In July 2022, it was revealed that Linda had reached a settlement in the CoolSculpting case.
Featured Image by Linda Evangelista / Instagram