Linda Evangelista developed a strong interest in fashion and modelling from an early age. At 15, she entered a local beauty contest during which she was spotted by a talent scout from Elite Modeling Agency. At 18, after finishing high school, she moved to New York and then carried on to Paris the following year.
Linda’s first major campaign was for Yves Saint Laurent’s ‘Opium’ perfume. In 1988, photographer Peter Lindbergh encouraged her to cut her hair, a change that marked the beginning of Linda’s rise to modelling superstardom.
The unprecedented success of the ‘supermodel’ phenomenon owes a lot to Linda and her ability to constantly reinvent herself.
Linda Evangelista worked regularly with photographers Steven Meisel, Peter Lindbergh, and Richard Avedon; Irving Penn, Nick Knight, and Patrick Demarchelier; Javier Vallhonrat, Paolo Roversi, and Ellen von Unwerth; Arthur Elgort, and David Sims. Linda has appeared in scores of advertising campaigns, including Chanel, Calvin Klein, Max Mara and Chloe; Dolce and Gabanna, Hermes, Donna Karan, and Gianfranco Ferre; Jil Sander, Ralph Lauren, Revlon, and Clairol; and YSL, Valentino, Versace and Christian Dior.
