Christy Turlington
Biography
Born on January 2nd, 1969, in Walnut Creek, California, Christy's initial interest was not in the fashion industry, but rather, she had an undeniable passion for horses and horseback riding.
By the age of 13, her encouraging father entered young Christy in local competitions. She continuously trained in Coral Gables, the location where she grew up with her two sisters. It was around this time that a man named Dennie Cody discovered the immature beauty.
Cody took notice of Christy's beauty although she didn't realize what a potential celebrity she could become. As with most protective parents, Christy's mom and dad were somewhat hesitant to let Christy venture into the world of modeling, but after some urging, they finally gave their consent.
She was hired instantly by a local agency and her first shoot was for a succession of advertisements for a store chain called Emporium Capwell. It wasn't long before more jobs came pouring in for the American Beauty.
Miami's fashion world familiarized itself with Christy's flawless face in no time and fashion agencies were demanding Christy's for their shoots. It wasn't long before word about Christy reached New York and Eileen Ford (modeling's top scout) offered Christy a job in Paris.
Her first high status photo shoots in Europe were not successful and Christy returned to the US immediately. It was at about the same time that models like Stephanie Seymour, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista began getting noticeable attention. It was evident that after years of the "blonde" look, brunettes had finally become the "in" thing in the fashion industry.
In 1985, when Christy was still only 16 years old, Eileen Ford, who refused to give up on Christy's potential for stardom, sent the budding babe to New York's most noted magazines and photographers.
After appearing in Vogue magazine in the US, Christy returned to high school to complete her education before continuing her career as a model. It was in 1987 when her modeling career finally shot into high gear after she did a cover shot for Vogue Italy.
After she graced the cover of that magazine, the best photographers in the world began knocking on Christy's professional door. Designers such as Chanel, Christian Lacroix, Gianni Versace, and Azzedine Alaia were requesting the new fresh face for their fashion shows.
By this time, Christy was considered a supermodel, and in 1989, she signed a contract with Calvin Klein and began representing his perfume Eternity. Soon after that, Maybelline asked Christy to represent their cosmetics line.
Christy is an advocate for helping poverty-stricken individuals as she donates all the proceeds from her calendar to the American Foundation for El Salvador, an organization that helps the poor in the small Central American country that was her mom's homeland.
As well, Christy also participates in a number of other volunteer organizations including Fashion Targets Breast Cancer and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).
Education-wise, Christy attended UCLA and the Gallatin School at New York University in which she received her degree in philosophy and literature, with a specialization in Eastern philosophy.
In her personal life, Christy most notably dated actor Jason Patric, and is still seen in advertisements all over the world. It's evident that Christy is a classic beauty that won't soon fade out of the spotlight.
