One of the most iconic phrases of the 1990s was “I won’t leave the house for less than 10 thousand dollars”. Taken out of context, it may sound pedantic. Today we can see that it was a woman defining her value. Linda Evangelista, who said those words, didn’t always stay on top, but God… her face was everywhere and on every magazine cover when the models took the actresses off the covers and in the ads. She was really, really beautiful. And she wasn’t alone. Alongside Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington, each one more stunning than the other. They defined what became the classic as “supermodels”.

The wave of nostalgia always happens every 30 years, so unsurprisingly the 1980s are still on the rise. So, after reviewing the characters from Sex and the City, there was nothing better than meeting the four real and “reality” friends, who happened to be the four most beautiful women in the world. Apple TV Plus’ documentary The Super Models is more than just time travel. It’s an opportunity to hear them like rarely before.

Cindy, Naomi, Linda, and Christy defined what we knew as the glamor and aesthetic of the late 80s and much of the 90s. And how in those pre-internet years fashion magazines, not Instagram accounts or portals, were the beauty bibles, they were the Goddesses. And friends! That’s why. The energy of the interviews confirms that the sisterhood was genuine. Today it may be surprising to remember that, for many years, to “sell” magazines or brands, it was necessary to have a famous actress on the cover. That definitely changed with the quartet. They not only sold the designers, but brands Cyndi did the Pepsi campaign, Christy is the face of Calvin Klein’s Eternity, and so on. Only Naomi, who suffered from racism and only got a chance because her friends fought for her, especially Linda, who for a while was still the biggest of them.

The documentary skims over sensitive topics about men like Jean-Luc Brunel, who committed suicide during investigations into Jeffrey Epstein (his business partner), and avoids pressuring Naomi to address her stories of “bad behavior” or talk about the toxic behind-the-scenes of the fashion world, which fetishizes female youth and objectifies bodies. They also barely mention the “fifth” supermodel, Tatjana Patitz (who passed away in 2023), while they feature the much-cancelled John Galliano in interviews and archive images. On the other hand, we not only learn more about them but about the legendary photographers as well.

Not everything is beauty. Linda Evangelista stars in one of the most moving moments when she recalls the end of her abusive marriage with her manager, Gérald Marie, who headed the Elite Model office in Paris and who was accused of having raped and assaulted several women.

Fame brought criticism, wear and tear, and accusations of stardom (Linda’s crises show more). The reputation of being difficult grew, planted by men like John Casablancas and little by little they gained millionaires’ fees. As Linda remembers, regretting having mentioned that he earned well, if he had been a man, he would never have been received with criticism.

But as always, fame was losing strength, Kate Moss‘s simplicity seemed to “kill” the excesses of the previous decade, and grunge changed fashion. As always in a sexist society, the ‘fault’ was on women and models quickly came to be considered ‘too expensive’ (and also because they reached 30). Each one followed their own path. At least it’s incredible that one of the greatest videos of all time: George Michael‘s Freedom, immortalized that period. An anthem that feeds music legends. And fashionable!

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