Despite a couple offbeat personal and professional career moves (cf. Richard Gere, “Fair Game”), Cindy Crawford has maintained a consistent aura of respectability, grace, and beauty through her beginnings in the 1980s, her explosion a decade later, and a withdraw into family life in the 2000s. During the 90s, amid the likes of Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington, it was Cindy who emerged as the preeminent supermodel of the decade, appearing on more than 600 magazine covers.
Cindy was born in Illinois in 1966; she lost her brother from leukemia and her parents divorced while she was in high school. Graduating as school valedictorian, Cindy eyed Northwestern University as her home for the next four years and a pursuit in chemical engineering. She lasted a quarter, and by 1986 was in New York. She found work – and burgeoning success – almost instantly, landing on the covers of Cosmopolitan and Harper’s Bazaar, among others. It was in 1988 when she appeared in Playboy which led to the host position of MTV’s “House of Style.” She maintained that gig through the first half of the 1990s while representing Revlon, Pepsi and Kay’s Jewellers. She seemed to be on a magazine every week, and when she married Richard Gere in 1991, it seemed as if Cindy Crawford had realized the American Dream.
But with Gere out of the picture by 1995, Cindy’s penchant for extending her reach well beyond the catwalk inevitably landed in movies – in the hands of Billy Baldwin no less, and the thriller “Fair Game.” And while it was clear Cindy lacked the acting chops of Nicole Kidman, she found herself more at home guest starring on TV shows and producing exercise videos. But at the end of the day, all Cindy had to do was open Forbes magazine and find herself the highest paid supermodel of the time.
In 1998, Cindy settled down with land tycoon Rande Gerber and has raised two children to date with him. As the 1990s gave way to the 2000s, Cindy dramatically reduced her appearances but continued making “best” lists, such as #5 on Playboy’s “Sexiest Stars of the Century.” She also contributes to charitable causes, primarily for leukemia. But perhaps most impressive about Cindy’s longevity is the poise she has maintained – a rare commodity that most of our heralded Hollywood stars lack. If time indeed heals all, Cindy has learned how to be a timeless agent of beauty.
Cindy on the Web
Cindy Crawford on Instagram
Latest photo and video updates from Cindy.
Cindy.com
Elegant official site with page on her supermodel career and other ventures.
Cindy on the Screen
She was the host of MTV’s “House of Style” from 1989-1995, produced and hosted a number of exercise videos, is Kate McQuean in the Billy Baldwin vehicle “Fair Game,” voices Dorothy in a 1997 episode of “Frasier,” stars in two episodes of “Third Rock from the Sun,” cameos in “54,” stars as Sandra in “The Simian Line”,”, and hosts “Fashion Flashback” beginning in 2001.
Cindy on Video
Cindy working out
Workout video from 1992.
Cindy ruled in the 90s
A look back at Cindy’s supermodel days in the 1990s.
Cindy Says
On time:
“The face you have at age 25 is the face God gave you, but the face you have after 50 is the face you earned.”