Twiggy

A detailed Summary of Twiggy

"At 17, Leslie Hornby took hold of the world. At 21, she let it go. She was the original waif, a 60's phenomenon-a superstar. She was Twiggy, (Cheever Page 74). Leslie Hornby was the revolutionary woman who changed the idea of beauty in the eyes of the fashion industry and the entire world. She exemplified the androgynous mod look that swept America as it had Britain and much of Europe in the 1960's. Standing at 5 feet 6 1/2 inches and weighing in at 90 pounds, the nickname "Twiggy" was derived. Twiggy's popularity not only influenced many people to try and imitate her look, but also drastically influenced the rise in power of models in the fashion industry. She was a role model and revolutionary for today's top models, but her popularity also brought along with it the irrational image of the ideal woman.

Twiggy was a major trendsetter in America during the sixties, even though she hailed from England. While working as a shampoo girl in a salon, she was discovered by Nigel Davies, who saw her potential and immediately took her to a trendy salon in London to get a haircut. The owner put her picture in his shop window, and a short time later that picture was featured in the London Daily Express with a ca

Twiggy was revolutionary. Her popularity allowed her to drastically raise models' incomes and open up doors to business opportunities. She may have positively affected the power of the supermodel, but her success became one of the underlying factors behind society's obsession with ultra-thin bodies and the increase in women resorting to eating disorders. Twiggy is the pivotal woman who paved the way for the top models of today, and changed the image of the ideal woman as well as the face and body of fashion models.

One reason for Twiggy's unusual popularity was the fact that the public had never seen anyone like her. Her look was undoubtedly one that took the world by surprise. A Newsweek article published on April 10, 1967 entitled "Twiggy: Click! Click!" stated, "Whatever her ultimate influence on fashion, Twiggy is a radical departure from the past. She reflects neither the cool good looks of Anita Colby in the 1930's, nor the 'tennis anyone' freshness of Jinx Falkenburg in the 1950's...Only ten years ago, someone looking like Twiggy wouldn't have been noticed by anyone in the fashion business. She's exactly the right look at the right time, and the right look is seventeen and starved." Her influence is still seen on runways and television today among models like the 32-22-35 figure of Kate Moss (Cunningham Page 136).

ption that read, "This is the face of 1966" ("Twiggy: Click! Click!"). After discovering the fifteen year-old with the 31-22-32 figure, Davies-who preferred to be called Justin De Villeneuve-became Twiggy's agent and boyfriend at age 25

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Approximate Word count = 1066
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: People