The first black female model to land the cover of French Vogue, British Vogue, and Time Magazine, Naomi Campbell helped pave the way other women of color to triumph in the fashion industry. Born in London, England on May 22, 1970 to a Jamaican mother and Chinese father, Campbell started her career as a catwalk model—a favorite of high-profile designers as Gianni Versace, Azzedine Alaia, and Valentino—which later led to big advertising campaigns including Lee Jeans, Considered to be a powerhouse star in the 1990s, Campbell was part of the famous supermodel “Trinity” which included Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. Naomi’s romantic life has long been filled with equally high-profile names including Mike Tyson, U2’s bassist Adam Clayton (with whom she was engaged to in the late ‘80s), Usher, Eric Clapton, and Sylvester Stallone. While often accused of diva-like antics, Campbell has remained an iconic figure in the fashion industry for nearly twenty years.
