Much more than just a model – style icon Twiggy turns 75

When we talk about London in the Swinging Sixties, we think of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, Carnaby Street, the miniskirt and free love – and Twiggy.

She is considered the world's first supermodel. With her androgynous, slim look, big, round eyes, long eyelashes and short pixie haircut, she left a lasting mark on the fashion world. On September 19, Twiggy will be 75 years old.

Public interest in the Briton, whose real name is Lesley Lawson (née Hornby), remains high. In October, a documentary about her by director Sadie Frost will premiere at the London Film Festival. "I'm so happy," Twiggy wrote on Instagram. "It was an absolute pleasure working with Sadie."

Fateful visit to the hairdresser

The third daughter of a working-class couple was born on September 19, 1949 in Neasden, in the north of London. Twiggy was discovered at the age of 16. She had actually wanted to study fashion at an art academy. "Because I was obsessed with clothes," she told the German Press Agency. "I learned to sew at a very young age and wanted to be a designer."

She owes her modelling career to a fortunate combination of events and encounters. As a teenager, she volunteered to be a test subject for new haircuts by star hairdresser Leonard Lewis. "Her hair was long, messy and matted," Leonard later recalled of their first meeting. "We talked for a long time about what we should do with her." He cut her hair short and dyed it blonde.

After the radical makeover, photos were taken. "Leonard hung one in the lobby of his salon and I went back to school," Twiggy told the Daily Mail. The picture caught the eye of a fashion journalist. She arranged another photo session with the 16-year-old and published an article entitled: "The Face of '66."

Rapid rise to world-famous top model

Young Lesley quickly became an international star and was featured on the covers of major fashion magazines, including Vogue and Elle. With her girlish charm and unconventional looks, she embodied a new ideal of beauty that set herself apart from the curvy film stars of the 1950s. She was also nicknamed Twiggy because of her slim figure, which reminded some people of a thin twig.

Twiggy's influence soon went far beyond fashion. She became a symbol of the cultural change of the 1960s, which was characterised by its youth culture and rebellion against traditional norms. The 1.68 metre tall icon not only represented a completely new look, she stood for emancipation, new beginnings and a generation that redefined fashion and self-expression.

Two Golden Globes for the first film role

Modelling alone wasn't enough for her. Twiggy, who had learned to sew from her mother as a child and had sewn her own clothes, designed a fashion collection. The "Twiggy Dresses" were a huge sales success.

In the 1970s, she retired from modelling and turned to acting. In 1971, she made her film debut in the brightly coloured musical comedy "Boyfriend," in which she also sang. She was promptly awarded two Golden Globes for her performance - as Best Actress and Most Promising Newcomer.

She was not quite as successful as a pop star. In 1976, her first album, "Twiggy," was released, with a mixture of pop and country songs, which again revealed her talent as a singer, but received little attention. Nevertheless, she recorded more albums. Her most recent album to date, "Romantically Yours," was released in 2011.

The multi-talented actress also worked as a television presenter and appeared in theatre and musical productions in London's West End. During the pandemic, she launched the podcast series "Tea With Twiggy" in which she chats about old times with colleagues such as Joanna Lumley. In 2019, Twiggy was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II for her services. On Instagram, she calls herself Dame Twiggy Lawson.

Don't be afraid of getting older

In interviews, Twiggy often expressed disappointment that most people only remember her modelling career, even though it was only a short part of her life. However, this may also have been because she made a comeback as a model in the 1990s.

To this day, she is a sought-after personality in her home country, and not just because of her looks. After a musical about her life was performed in London's West End, the documentary "Twiggy" is now coming to cinemas. When she is not in the spotlight, she enjoys her private and family life. "I love being at home. I love cooking. I love reading," she told DPA.

Aging isn't something the grandmother of two, who refuses to have cosmetic surgery, is worried about. "I haven't had anything done, mainly because I'm too scared of it," she told 'Yours' magazine. "You can't do anything about getting older. So why do people worry about it? I don't understand." (DPA)

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.DE. Translation via AI and edit by Rachel Douglass.