Linda Evangelista Breaks Down 20 Memorable Looks From 1981 To Now

Hi, British Vogue I'm Linda Evangelista,

and today I'm going to take you through my Life in Looks.

[jazz music playing]

Wow.

This is my first

Z-card.

It's how us models used to get work.

These will go to the clients

and all our measurements are here.

They are not my measurements today,

because I was tall

people said, 'Oh, she could be a model'

That's how I got started.

Ooh,

this is 1985,

my first Chanel show.

And I couldn't believe that I got to walk in this show.

I was a little freaked out that they put me in the swimsuit

but they turned it into fashion,

so then I was happy.

My first encounter with Karl

I was intimidated because I was meeting, like, a god.

I just, I had to pinch myself because I was there.

I couldn't believe I was there.

This is my

first Vogue cover,

anywhere. I'm in couture.

So exciting.

This was my dream. Bill King shot this Vogue cover.

It was his last cover

before he passed.

It meant the world to me.

It was easy to be happy. I was so happy.

It was so easy to do this.

So this dress, Azzedine

built on my body.

I would stand for hours and hours and hours for Azzedine.

The special thing about Azzedine was he made the clothes.

He pinned the clothes.

There are designers that don't touch the clothes.

He wouldn't let anybody touch his creations.

I think this is the moment that everybody refers

to as when the supermodel was born,

shot by Peter Lindburgh for British Vogue.

We have Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington,

and Cindy Crawford.

What an honor to be with these...

four beauties.

And when I say beauty, it's inside and out.

I know that's cliche

but I love these women.

Never, ever, did I think

this was going to create the phenomenon that it did.

This is another huge milestone.

Oh, Linda. I felt so alone. I am alone.

This is the George Michael video. It's the opening of it.

I had just learned the lyrics that morning.

Again, I never knew at that moment

that this would become the phenomenon that it did.

George was instrumental in gathering

me, for the video

the video I did not wanna do

but once I was here, I had a blast.

I would've regretted not doing it.

If I'm at the store opening for Versace,

I'm wearing Versace.

I went for an androgynous look

and this is a pair of stockings.

The leg-cut headband.

That was my go-to look.

A headband fixed everything.

Gianni really

believed in us

as individuals

not as models, as mannequins.

He pushed our personalities, and I'm forever grateful.

This photo hasn't aged at all.

This is Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele,

in American Vogue with Irving Penn.

I remember him very excited this day.

I loved when Mr. Penn got excited,

cuz he really, really loved fashion.

He really did.

This may have been my first time in vintage clothing.

So this was my first sustainable look

and I like a designer head to toe.

I'm okay with that too.

Pucci.

I definitely would wear this today.

It's giving you South of France.

Capri. I mean it's beyond, it's beyond chic.

I love that look.

This is Steven Meisel, in Dolce Gabbana.

A lot of people refer to this

as a Sophia Loren inspiration.

But I think this one's like really me.

Really bad me with the cigarette.

I love the glamorous hair.

I love when I get to have an Italian moment.

That's my roots. My parents are both born in Italy.

With Steven Meisel, he didn't tell me what was gonna happen.

It happened on set.

I know I can't fail with him

and I have so much fun with him.

Ohhh, this has to be Versace and that's Oribe

who's no longer with us.

Geez. All the greats.

They left us all too young.

But Oribe,

very instrumental

in my career.

He's probably saying, 'Is that you?' Cuz like as Azzedine,

he would drive the bobby pins into your scalp

and you would flinch.

And he would say, 'Is that you?'

Yes it's me.

But it's okay.

Cuz as long as I look fabulous, it's fine.

One of my favorite hair moments was the red moment.

It was very difficult to keep because the technology

on the hair color, isn't what it is today.

My hair always wants to oxidize and go orange.

It was a lot of work. So I, I let it go.

I hope that one day I get inspired again and maybe

fun again

and do something.

I miss Oribe.

So this is Karl.

This is Chanel,

and I'm the bride. I'm the motorcycle bride.

And this I think was one of my favorite Chanel collections

for such a classic

House

to go in this direction was quite shocking at the time.

It's bridal rocker,

biker chic. Why wouldn't you wear this

down the aisle and ride off on your Harley

into the sunset with your, your fabulous partner?

I think this shoot came about because Linda liked to

change her hair color.

And again, this is uh, Irving Penn.

I think it was like a celebration of me

and my different hair colors. And

I'm very

pro, as you all know,

expressing yourself

and hair color is a great way to express yourself.

So Vivienne Westwood. One of my favorite designers ever.

I mean, is there more talented than Vivienne?

When you wear shoes this high, you have to

make sure your core is very developed because it's all

about your core holding you up.

This look served full fashion.

I loved it so much that I own the look.

Top to toe.

It needs to be in a museum and I'm, I'm looking

for the right home for it.

Here. We have the Trinity, as we've been named

we have Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell and myself.

This was like the sweetest moment of my career.

Anna always had a theme and went with it

and her shows had such an energy.

They were just so exciting and she gives full, full, full

full fashion, head to toe.

And that's what I love about Anna.

Thierry Mugler fashion show.

I love

this headpiece.

It hurt like hell. It didn't matter.

I loved it.

The fantasy that went into these shows was another level.

This dress is a bedazzled bustier, so structured

but then the bottom half is just flowing...

chiffon. It almost gives you water.

It's a masterpiece to me.

I think people assume that we got to keep the clothes and

I know I did not, but I have the photos.

So that's, that's good.

And I have the memories.

This was a very proud moment for me

being chosen to be on

the Walk of Fame in Canada. This took place in Toronto.

My entire family was there.

Instead of choosing a celebrity to present me the award

which was televised,

I chose my sixth grade teacher

from one school

and my seventh grade teacher from another school.

And I am wearing Jean Paul Gaultier,

someone who I admire

tremendously.

And it was another huge milestone in my career.

Oh my gosh, what a dream, dream, dream.

I loved this bride and it was so ethereal.

It was couture.

If you could just see the workmanship

I like a thigh-high white leather boot on a bride.

It was magic.

Awww. Another couture show John Galliano for Dior.

And I think they wanted to bring back my red-haired look

and they did.

I was very corseted. Just when they thought they couldn't

pull any tighter, I said, 'No, you can go tighter.'

I love a corset.

May have been one of my last shows.

It didn't take much coaxing to get me there.

I wanted to be part of the celebration for him

and the House of Dior.

I'll do anything for fashion.

This is Jeremy Scott for Moschino.

He drew this for me and he gave me a choice in the bodice

what color I would like.

And I thought red for the red carpet

and for the theme of the Met Gala that year.

And it's so nice when somebody makes a dress

just for you that you get to wear.

And I got to keep this one, which is very, very rare.

So my big dream was to be

on a Vouge cover and it's happening again.

And I got to work with

the most fabulous team

Guido and Pat and

Edward,

Steven Meisel.

And as you can see, this story is a lot of fashion.

Having another Vogue cover, dream come true again.

British Vogue, thanks for having me today.

I hope you enjoyed my little journey here

going through My Life in Looks.