Naomi Campbell

**Naomi Elaine Campbell** (born May 22, 1970) is an English model, actress, and businesswoman. Discovered at the age of 15, she established herself amongst the most recognizable and in-demand models of the late 1980s and the 1990s,  and was one of six models of her generation declared supermodels by the fashion industry and the international press.Cite error: Closing `</ref>` missing for `<ref>` tag

In addition to her modeling career, Campbell has embarked on other ventures, including an R&B-pop studio album and several acting appearances in film and television, such as the modelling-competition reality show *The Face* and its international offshoots. Campbell is also involved in charity work for various causes.

## Career beginnings

Campbell was only 7 years old in 1978 when she made her first public appearance in the music video for Bob Marley's "Is This Love". At the age of 12 she tap-danced in the music video for Culture Club's "I'll Tumble 4 Ya". In 1986, while still a student of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Campbell was scouted by Beth Boldt, head of the Synchro Model Agency, while window-shopping in Covent Garden. Her career quickly took off—in April, just before her 16th birthday she appeared on the cover of British *Elle*.

## International success

Campbell's career progressed steadily: she walked the catwalk for such designers as Gianni Versace, Azzedine Alaïa, and Isaac Mizrahi, and posed for such photographers as Peter Lindbergh, Herb Ritts, and Bruce Weber. By the late 1980s, Campbell, with Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista, formed a trio known as the "Trinity", who became the most recognisable and in-demand models of their generation.

When faced with racial discrimination, Campbell received support from her white friends; she later quoted Turlington and Evangelista as telling Dolce & Gabbana, "If you don't use Naomi, you don't get us." In December 1987, she appeared on the cover of British *Vogue*, as that publication's first black cover girl since 1966. In August 1988, she became the first black model to appear on the cover of French *Vogue*, after her friend and mentor, designer Yves St. Laurent, threatened to withdraw his advertising from the magazine if it continued to refuse to place black models on its cover. The following year, she appeared on the cover of American *Vogue*, which marked the first time a black model graced the front of the September magazine, traditionally the year's biggest and most important issue.

In January 1990, Campbell, who was declared "the reigning megamodel of them all" by *Interview*, appeared with Turlington, Evangelista, Cindy Crawford and Tatjana Patitz on a cover of British *Vogue*, shot by Peter Lindbergh. The group was subsequently cast to star in the music video for George Michael's "Freedom! '90". By then, Campbell, Turlington, Evangelista, Crawford and Claudia Schiffer formed an elite group of models declared "supermodels" by the fashion industry. With the addition of newcomer Kate Moss, they were collectively known as the "Big Six".

In March 1991, in a defining moment of the so-called supermodel era, Campbell walked the catwalk for Versace with Turlington, Evangelista and Crawford, arm-in-arm and lip-synching the words to "Freedom! '90". Later that year, she starred as Michael Jackson's love interest in the music video for "In the Closet". In April 1992, she posed with several other top models for the hundredth-anniversary cover of American *Vogue*, shot by Patrick Demarchelier. That same year, she appeared in Madonna's controversial book *Sex*, in a set of nude photos with Madonna and rapper Big Daddy Kane.

In 1993, Campbell twice appeared on the cover of American *Vogue*; in April, alongside Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer, Stephanie Seymour and Helena Christensen, and again, solo, in June. She famously fell on the catwalk in Vivienne Westwood's foot-high platform shoes, which were later displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Despite her success, however, Elite Model Management, which had represented Campbell since 1987, fired her in September, on the grounds that "no amount of money or prestige could further justify the abuse" to staff and clients. Elite founder John Casablancas described her as "manipulative, scheming, rude and impossible."

 File:Naomi Campbell 1997.jpg  In the mid-1990s, Campbell branched out into other areas of the entertainment industry. Her novel *Swan*, about a supermodel dealing with blackmail, was released in 1994 to poor reviews. It was ghostwritten by Caroline Upcher, with Campbell stating that she "just did not have the time to sit down and write a book." That same year, she released her album *Baby Woman*, which was named after designer Rifat Ozbek's nickname for Campbell. Produced by Youth and Tim Simenon, the album was only commercially successful in Japan; it failed to reach the top 75 on the UK charts, while its only single, "Love and Tears", reached No. 40. *Baby Woman* was mocked by critics, inspiring the Naomi Awards for terrible pop music. During the mid-1990s, Campbell also had small roles in *Miami Rhapsody* and Spike Lee's *Girl 6*, as well as a recurring role on the second season of *New York Undercover*.

In 1995, along with fellow models Schiffer, Turlington and Elle Macpherson, Campbell invested in a chain of restaurants called the Fashion Cafe, whose directors who, unfortunately for Campbell, were arrested three years later for fraud, bankruptcy and money laundering.

## Romantic/Personal life

In 1993, Naomi became engaged to U2 bassist Adam Clayton. They met in February of that year, after Clayton, when asked in an interview if there was anything in the world he desired but did not have, responded: "A date with Naomi Campbell". Campbell and Clayton separated the following year. In 1998, she became engaged to Formula One racing head Flavio Briatore; they were involved in an on-again-off-again relationship until their separation in 2003. Campbell now considers Briatore her "mentor". From 2008 until 2013, she was in a relationship with Russian businessman Vladislav Doronin.

## References

1. ↑ Naomi Campbell Biography. biography.com. Retrieved on 3 April 2014.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Voguepedia – Christy Turlington. *Vogue*. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014. Retrieved on 7 May 2011.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 People.com – Naomi Campbell. *People*. Retrieved on 8 May 2011.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `Voguepedia-Naomi`
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 People.com – Naomi Campbell Biography. *People*. Retrieved on 17 July 2011.
6. ↑ Pool, Hannah. "Naomi Campbell fights racism in fashion", Guardian News and Media, 22 August 2007. Retrieved on 7 May 2011.
7. ↑ Collins, Nick. "Naomi Campbell: Profile", *The Daily Telegraph*, Telegraph Media Group, 5 August 2010. Retrieved on 9 May 2011.
8. ↑ Sporkin, Elizabeth (11 June 1990). A Night with the Cover Girls People. Time, Inc. Retrieved on 9 May 2011. ISSN# 0093-7673.
9. ↑ Vogue Magazine Archive. *Vogue*. Retrieved on 9 May 2011.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `Stein-Time`
11. ↑ Vogue: April 1992 Cover. ReadySetFashion.com. Retrieved on 9 May 2011.
12. ↑ Milmo, Dan. "Campbell defends nude Madonna book pictures", Guardian News and Media, 12 February 2002. Retrieved on 9 May 2011.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Green, Michelle (11 October 1993). The Big Blowup People. Time, Inc. Retrieved on 9 May 2011. ISSN# 0093-7673.
14. ↑ Kuczynski, Alex. "In Her Fashion", The New York Times Company, 8 April 2007. Retrieved on 10 May 2011.
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "Long legs, short fuse", 19 January 2007. Retrieved on 19 September 2013.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Barnes, Anthony. "The worst album in the world...ever!", Independent Print Limited, 26 March 2006. Retrieved on 10 May 2011.
17. ↑ "Inside tracks: Joy Division, Elvis and the Naomi Awards", *The Daily Telegraph*, Telegraph Media Group, 13 January 2005. Retrieved on 10 May 2011.
18. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `Iley-Guardian`
19. ↑ When Amber met Elon: 15 celebrities who have dated or married billionaires. *Telegraph*.

## External links

* Naomi Campbell article at *Wikipedia*
* Naomi Campbell links at FreeOnes
* Naomi Campbell at Babepedia