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Strutting the Runway: Top 4 Fascinating Facts About Modeling You Never Knew

illustration of modeling
Dive into the fabulous world of modeling with these intriguing and lesser-known fun facts that are sure to strike a pose in your mind!

1. Say Cheese Evolution

Say cheese, but hold the teeth: The birth of the beaming photo smile can be credited to the rise of consumer culture and its influence on American cheerfulness, as a stiff upper lip and small chompers were considered proper in early portraits, only to be replaced with toothy grins through savvy advertising focused on selling happiness.
Source => washingtonpost.com

2. Trash Bag Couture

In an era where "one man's trash is another man's treasure" quite literally took the catwalk by storm: Vivienne Westwood, the British designer known for her punk-inspired creations, featured eco-friendly fashion made from recycled materials in her 1993 runway show, including a dress crafted out of trash bags.
Source => 1stdibs.com

3. Barbie's German Roots

When Bild Lilli and Ruth Handler went Barbie-cueing in Europe: The inspiration for the cultural phenomenon known as the Barbie doll actually came from the German fashion doll, Bild Lilli, which Ruth Handler stumbled upon during a trip to Europe. In 1959, Barbie made her grand debut at the American Toy Fair in New York, showing off her Lilli-inspired curves while bravely distinguishing herself from her German muse, and eventually taking the world by storm with her très chic plastic looks.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Newton's Aryan-Inspired Muses

With an eye for Aryan perfection and a life that sounds like a Quentin Tarantino film, Helmut Newton gave a whole new meaning to being "blonde-tastically thin" in the world of modeling: This Jewish-born, German fashion photographer, who came of age amidst the fanatical days of the Weimar Republic, couldn't resist the magnetic allure of tall, blonde, and thin women, forming his artistic preferences based on Berlin's vibrant scene and the twisted ideology of Aryan supremacy - yet, many models like Sylvia Gobbel and Arja Toyryla found their inner strength empowered through his iconic lens.
Source => culturemixonline.com

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