7 17 Top: Supermodels From

The catwalk leopard. No one walks like Naomi. British, fierce, and relentless, she was the first Black model (since Iman) to achieve total global top-tier status. Her 1990s runway strut is still the gold standard.

"The Body." Nicknamed by Time magazine, Macpherson didn't need a high-fashion pedigree. She mastered the swimsuit and lingerie market, building a billion-dollar business (Elle Macpherson Intimates). supermodels from 7 17 top

The face of "facial symmetry." Turlington is often called the most beautiful woman in fashion history. Graceful, calm, and yoga-obsessed, she represented high-class sophistication. Her Calvin Klein Eternity campaign is legendary. The catwalk leopard

This is the definitive ranking of the —the 17 women who defined the Golden Era. The "Big Six" (The Untouchables) 1. Cindy Crawford (Born: February 20, 1966) The architect of the modern supermodel. With her mole and athletic physique, Crawford was everywhere: MTV, Pepsi commercials, 600+ magazine covers. She made modeling accessible and aspirational. Her 1990s runway strut is still the gold standard

The German "Blonde Bombshell." Discovered in a Dusseldorf nightclub, Schiffer was the 1990s answer to Brigitte Bardot. She booked the most Guess? campaigns of any model and replaced Cindy as Revlon’s queen.

The gothic pioneer. McMenamy broke the "pretty" mold. With her cropped white hair and haunted eyes, she represented the melancholic fashion of the late 90s. She was the face of the grunge movement in Paris.

When fashion historians discuss the they are generally referring to two distinct phenomena: the revolutionary models of the 1970s and 1980s (the 7s) who walked for Yves Saint Laurent, followed immediately by the "Top 17" elite supermodels of the late 1980s and early 1990s who became global pop culture names.