Linda Evangelista

Linda Evangelista
Linda Evangelista, August 12, 2004.
Born	(1965-05-10) May 10, 1965 (age 51) St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Model
Years active	1984–1998 (retired) 2001–present
Spouse(s)	Gerald Marie (m. 1987; div. 1993)
Children	1
Modeling information
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Hair color	Brown
Eye color	Blue-green
Manager	DNA Model Management (New York) Models 1 (London) View Management (Barcelona) Priscilla's Model Management (Sydney)

Linda Evangelista (born May 10, 1965) is a Canadian model. She is regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential models of all time, and has been featured on over 700 magazine covers. Evangelista is primarily known for being the longtime muse of photographer Steven Meisel, as well as for coining the phrase "We don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day." She holds the record for her multiple appearances on the cover of Vogue Italia, all of which were photographed by Meisel.

Evangelista's modeling career began in 1984 when she signed with Elite Model Management after having moved from her native Canada to New York City. Upon the suggestion of photographer Peter Lindbergh, Evangelista had her hair cut short in 1988. The haircut, nicknamed "The Linda", not only sparked many copies worldwide, but it also benefited Evangelista's career and helped usher in the era of the supermodel.

Described as the "chameleon" of the fashion industry, and as a key figure among the five supermodels, Evangelista was one of the most famous women in the world during the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Unlike her colleagues, she chose not to diversify into other ventures outside of modeling. She retired from her career in 1998 and made a comeback three years later, this time working only sporadically. Her achievements as a model led to her being voted as "The Greatest Supermodel of All Time" by the viewers of the television show Fashion File in 2008.

Evangelista was born in 1965 to Italian parents who had emigrated to Canada. As the second of three children, Evangelista grew up in a working-class, Roman Catholic household in St. Catharines, Ontario, close to Niagara Falls, where she attended Denis Morris Catholic High School. Her father, Tomaso, worked for General Motors, and died on January 17, 2014. Her mother, Marisa, was a bookkeeper. Evangelista attended a self-improvement school at the age of 12, where she was taught things such as poise and etiquette, and she was advised to attend a modeling course.