I still have a lot of feelings about Linda Evangelista. She was always one of my favorites from the 1980s/90s reign of real supermodels. Cara Delevingne and Karlie Kloss can both sit their asses down when Linda is around. Linda still works sometimes, occasionally posing for editorials, magazine covers or ad campaigns, although I think that work is pretty far and few between, partly her choice and partly because she doesn’t get a lot of offers. Like so many aging icons, Linda was offered a reality show spot – and she took it! Linda guest-judged on Australia’s Next Top Model last year (in episodes airing now), and Linda ended up giving an interview about why she decided to appear on the show. Her answer involved some subtle shade.
She’s comfortable on-camera, but she hates judging the models: “Point a camera at me and I don’t care if there’s a million people looking, I am fine with it. But I was nervous for the girls. I hate being judged so it was really hard to take that approach. I feel like I’m having fun with it but at the same time I’m out of my element. It’s very exciting for me because it is new. I’ve never done anything like this. Having said that, I was very nervous. It is not what I do. I’m being me and sometimes you don’t know how to be you.”
The “supermodel” label: She says she “doesn’t even know what that means. It’s just a word.”
She’s only watched a “few minutes” of America’s Next Top Model: “I do love reality shows. But the reality shows I watch are the cooking ones so I don’t know the format. I did accept this because what I’ve heard is that this (the Australian version) is the best model show around the world and that this one actually produces models because a lot of them don’t.”
Does Australia’s Next Top Model really have a good reputation for launching careers? The American version does not, although some winners (and some contestants) have had some minor successes here and there. It doesn’t really seem like the Next Top Model format is really conducive to launching legitimate modeling careers overall, but then again, I’ve never seen the Aussie version. So… was Linda throwing shade at Tyra Banks?
PS… This is one of the funniest photos I’ve ever seen of Tyra. What’s up with her face? It looks like her wig is too tight. Plus, there’s a makeup fail. Insert Tyra’s WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU gif.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Linda was so sweet and gracious on our Australian version of the show. Hmm not too sure about it producing legitimate models…. Miranda Kerr won a tween magazine comp when she was 13 (I still remember that and I’m 31 now!) and most of our other “famous” models seem to have just made it on their own.
I feel like I’ve read about many Australian models who got started thanks to some model contest. Catherine McNeil, Shanina Shaik, Gemma Ward off the top of my head.
Abbey Lee as well
Alice Burdeau too.
Well Linda was a member of the Trinity – Linda, Christy, Naomi – and is still chummy with Tyra nemesis, Naomi Campbell ( and I consider Campbell vile, don’t care how ‘fierce’ her pics are) so……………………….
Judge Kara Brown would need to judge this shade. There is shade or not shade. No such thing as ‘subtle shade’.
U kidding? Subtle shade is dished out by experts in the art.
But the whole idea of shade is ‘subtle’. Going to take this straight to ‘Shade Court’ for a verdict.
Shade 301: shine the light of direct praise on one object – in this case, calling ‘Australia’s Next Top Model’ the ‘best’ – inferring that anything left near it is in its shadow, or less than. Indirect shade, not a total lunar eclipse; the shining star is just brighter.
She picked up a few extra credit slim shady model points for 1. inferring that this ‘fact’ was common, gossipy fodder that everybody else knows; and 2. this was a matter of ‘worldwide’ consensus; and 3. she is a nonjudgmental sort of judge, and doesn’t secretly enjoy being mean; and 4. this show is ‘more professional’ because it actually does something it says it’s supposed to do for working models. You know: ‘real’ models. More like her.
The last few winners have done really quite well, with Montana Cox getting campaigns for Chanel, Dior, doing a lot of runway and even runners up have developed very successful modelling careers. Simone runner up from a couple of seasons ago has been made a Guess girl, not exactly haute couture but a good and paying gig for an up and coming model.
Linda still looks fantastic. If she’s had work done it’s been subtle.
I disagree. She looks replaced. I have to say that I am so disappointed with our cultural template for aging.
She looks plumped and filled to within an inch of her life to me.
Actually I suspect that is what happens… when a former supermodel… gets to eat solids. Her face fills out. She starts to look a little filled in. Her body is still slim as hell. But her arms and face have some softness now.
Where as when Linda was in her golden model years… her 20’s… I bet she did not eat 500 calories a day, in solids. That is why her face was stayed so angular. So distinct. It was called borderline starvation to maintain those features.
As a girl (me) who has a few Aunts and a Mother… who are happy owners of face lifts and eye jobs. And take great pride in finding the best doctors. Who will talk about how to see bad face work, over family breakfast. Linda still looks original to me.
@Hautie – I was talking about her face, as in plumped with fillers, Restalyne etc. Her body is fine. People who gain weigh from eating (to me) have a different look from what I see going on with Linda.
Yep. And it’s a shame. She was always one of my favorites.
Is Linda the one who famously said “I won’t get out of bed for less than 10,000 dollars” when offered a modelling gig? I have always liked her
I’ve heard it attributed to both her and Kate Moss. Maybe they both said it.
Linda wasn’t not my favorite from that era, although she sure was/is and icon. And I have to say she still looks amazing.
It is definitely Linda’s quote. Famously so.
Linda was and is The Holy Mother of a Short Gamine cut to me, Remember when she kept changing her colors and the bitch is so stunning that any shade was basically Glorious on her skin Tone???? *swoon*
That’s definitely a Linda quote.
Kate Moss said,’ nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’
Other famous quotes: ‘you can never be too rich or too thin’ by Wallis Simpson aka Duchess of Windsor.
QQ: Linda’s changing hair colour fascinating. How was it possible that she suited every shade?
That quote was made infamously by Paulina Porizkova.
Unsure if it was said in a print interview or on Letterman.
But it’s definitely Paulina. I bet that on my da’s wife’s life….
Definately Linda Evangelista said it. I loved the 90s Supermodels and still have magazines and newspaper reports of when she said the quote, it was HUGE entertainment news.
These ladies were so awesome..I still drool in their fierceness,
Linda still looks great IMO, even if she toxed a bit. LOVE HER!
Season three winner Alice Burdeau had a legitimate modeling career. Her season exposed the issue with the ANTM format. She didn’t try particularly hard on challenges, and it was obvious from the start she was the winner. If you cast girls with real modeling potential, you take all the drama out.
She looked like an even more emaciated version of Nicole Kidman. As you say, she was very low-energy, so it looked like despite all the usual bland nods to health, scary thin equalled “high fashion”.
I thought Tyra cut her hair..so that could not be a wig.
She looks terrible here. Her hair (or wig) is awful.
And those shoulder pads ugh
Why couldn’t that be a wig?
That’s very obviously a wig.
You need a term at the wiglet wagon institute: wig watch course 101.
I think she cut her hair…I believe that is her hair, she unveiled the new cut a few months ago.
Her own hair was all uneven under the wigs she had been wearing,Mao she decided a clean cut to get her own hair healthy again…the cut is not my favorite but ….she’s a pretty lady
Haha. The we were all rooting for you, America was rooting for you scene is hilarious. They don’t film live. How could America love Tiffany at that point? Oh Tyra.
Definite shade. ANTM has earned Tyra a whole lot of money. Her net worth of at least $80 million vs Linda’s of less than $20… she should have a seat.
Linda has a son with Salma Hayak’s billionaire husband so if she has a seat, best believe it will be a jeweled and brocaded one.
Quite a lot of the winners/contestants from the Australian version have gone on to have solid modelling careers. Not supermodel level, but lot’s of runway work for the major fashion houses, and a few of them have landed big-ish campaigns for the major high end designers.
Generalising here, but from what I’ve seen of the American version they tend to have slightly ‘prettier’ contestants who are probably more suitable for make-up brand campaigns, high end catalogues, and more affordable fashion range campaigns, whereas the Australian version seems a bit more focused on the runway aspect.
I don’t know much about the Australian version, but there are several reasons why the American girls aren’t hugely successful:
*they’re usually way too old
*they usually go for conventionally pretty rather than striking g
*they cast primarily for drama
Also, I am constantly struck by how cheap the American version is. The hair and makeup is frequently TERRIBLE. Those girls have gotten some full on Fraggle weaves. But my personal favorite was years ago when the girls had to model as both halves as a famous couple, and the hair and makeup was atrociously bad!
Sometimes when I’m sick, I tape ANTM marathons and just watch the modeling part. I don’t find the house squabbling interesting. It has given me a sort of respect for modeling that I never had before. It’s harder than it looks. I could never come up with pose after pose, and the more they said relax, the tighter I would get, I’m sure. But I know of very few winners who have gone on to do much, so she’s right about that.
“I tape ANTM marathons and just watch the modeling part.”
The only reason I watch the show is to watch the modeling parts. I couldn’t care less about the house bitchiness. The earlier Cycles used to have the “Teaches” and then they got rid of those in later Cycles. Meh.
I like both of them but I don’t watch ANTM. However, Linda saying she doesn’t know what Supermodel means? That’s ridiculous, she’s been riding on that since they were labeled that way otherwise she wouldn’t be acting like Naomi and throw shade at Tyra
Linda’s shade was payback. I bet she wanted an America’s Top Model judging job but Tyra rejected her.
Doubtful. I don’t think LINDA EVANGELISTA was dying to work with Kelly Cutrone and Bryanboy.
I have seen the German, American, Australian and New Zealand’s versions…ye…there was a time I was addicted to it 😀
I found the Australian and New Zealand’s versions way more humane and with less of the “reality tv” component” and at the same time very professional.
I don’t remember which one (I guess New Zealand) but one of them accepts so called “plus sized” models. I found it really cool.
I couldn’t make it through the few episodes I watched from the american version…too much drama and disrespect.
From that era of models, Linda, Naomi and Christy look the best. They’re gorgeous woman who can continue modeling for many more years. Cindy Crawford, on the other hand, has not aged well. She’s had too much bad work.
Also, Linda looks pregnant in that dress.
I think Christy’s work is pretty obvious, which is disappointing to me. I think Cindy actually looks less tweaked than her.
The Australian and German versions are definitely much better from a contestants perspective. Much better candidates who have real modeling potential, unlike America where a lot of the models seem like homeless people who came on the show to make something of themselves. Alice went on to do really good things, she had potential from the start. German was very good because Heidi got the girls real gigs as a test from early on. There is too much drama in general but I generally like contestants more from Australia and Germany because they seem more model-like in their statistics. I watched Canada as well, and it seemed to have less drama. I find Tyra insufferable so ANTM is by far the worst show. The judges are unprofessional especially Tyra, and it is like “mean girls” in case the girls speak their mind. And the girls seem like mostly people who would never make it in the real world and have zero modeling potential.
I’m kind of surprised about your opinion on the German show. Most girls are too pretty/boring and few of them started s proper career.
The Australia version is definitely the best. I watch it regularly and a lot of the winners and runner ups have good careers. Recent standouts being Montana Cox and Alice Bordeaux. They actually pick finalists and girls that you can see on the international stage. ANTM is fun to watch because its stupid but it hasn’t produced any big time working models. I think a few girls work internationally and have campaigns but nothing like Australia’s winners
The entire Next Top Model reality franchise was created by Tyra. So, basically, Linda is on a show that is the grandbaby of the brainchild of the original created by TYRA. She can shade all she wants to- subtle or blatant- whatever. Meanwhile, Tyra, the business bada$$, can laugh all the way to the bank. I’m team smart business woman all day.
The ANTM runners-up have had far more successful careers than the winners.
Yes the Australia version is better. More realistic challenges and photo shoots. The prizes are better too. Case in point the cover of Australian Vogue on one season.
Antm America is so ridiculous.
ANTM is a money maker/career builder for one person only. Tyra. She has zero ****s to give over whether any of the wannabes actually get anywhere. Ratings, and that’s it. Sad, no opportunity.
Oh oh oh, do any Aussies remember the Demelza bullying scandal on ANTM a few years back? I was so into the show that year and was so upset by it… She was a real cow to Anamela (sp?)… Then she went on to win! Urrgghhh.
“She was always one of my favorites from the 1980s/90s reign of real supermodels. Cara Delevingne and Karlie Kloss can both sit their asses down when Linda is around.”
Why? I couldn’t care less about Karlie Kloss or Cara Delevigne but I don’t know why the supermodels from the 80’s and 90’s should be revered as incomparable to todays’ supermodels. They were a product of the time. Models were *everything* and they happened to be the most popular. They showed up, looked pretty, partied like crazy, rinse and repeat. These days actresses are the modern day models (they get most of the covers and most of the endorsements for cosmetic companies and fashion houses) so I really think that proper models today have to work super hard (and be twice as lucky) as models of yesteryear to gain a certain level of fame and recognition. They also have to bring extra things to the table such as a strong social media presence etc. Its a different world so I don’t think Karlie or Cara have to sit down to anyone, quite frankly.
As for the shade, I don’t think there was any at all. She was being interviewed by an Australian newspaper to promote her appearance on an Australian show, and she was doing her job by paying her employer a compliment.