Jean Shrimpton was England’s very first supermodel. After coming up in the idyllic countryside county of Buckinghamshire, the future super moved to London where she enrolled in finishing-school-slash-modelling-agency Lucie Clayton Charm Academy and began commercial modelling for brands like Kellogg’s. Soon enough — with photographer David Bailey by her side — Jean was covering fashion bibles from Vogue to Vanity Fair.
With her coltish look, Jean was dubbed the “Face of the 60s” and became an emblem of the era’s youthquake movement and somewhat of a proto-influencer. Alongside icons like André Courrèges and Mary Quant, Jean helped launch the miniskirt as we know it today. The model’s 1965 Revlon campaign inadvertently boosted sales of the Bill Blass dress worn therein. In addition to kohl-rimmed eyes and fringe haircuts, Jean had a sartorial predilection for little tweed suits, posh head gear, late-60s paisley and, of course, short hemlines. Here, in celebration of the super’s birthday, we look back at some of her most iconic outfits of all time.
Photographed by David Bailey for Vogue, 1965
Jean Shrimpton met photographer David Bailey on the set of a Kellogg’s corn flakes campaign in 1960. Together, the duo embarked on a creative partnership — and a four-year long relationship — that would skyrocket both to fashion-world fame: Jean, the face of the Swinging Sixties and David, its documenter. Here, Jean is captured by David for Vogue wearing a frothy frock typical of the era.
At Melbourne’s Victoria Derby, 1965
Icon of the 60s youthquake movement as she was, Jean actually helped launch the miniskirt, as we know it today. In 1965, the supermodel made a trip to Australia, sponsored by the Victoria Racing Club and a local textiles company which had her promote an assortment of dresses made from a new synthetic fabric. The supermodel caused a stir when she arrived at the Victoria Derby wearing a white shift dress with a hemline that ended five inches above the knee, a length scandalous by the era’s style standards. By the following year, many designs had hems at the upper thigh. And the miniskirt took flight.
In the pages of Vogue, 1965
Does a flower crown count as an outfit? When the regalia in question is this iconic, we’re inclined to make some exceptions. Here, in one of her most famous portraits — photographed by none other than Bert Stern for Vogue — Jean wears a cascading floral confection whipped up by milliner Lilly Daché.
In a Revlon ad, 1965
In 1965, Jean was tapped as the face of Revlon and was shot, wearing this Chantilly lace Bill Blass dress for one of the brand’s ad campaigns. According to fashion legend and journalist Nora Ephron, mere minutes after the campaign’s placard was posted in drugstores, Revlon received calls from women across the country demanding to know where they could buy the dress.
On a promotional shoot for Privilege, 1966
In 1966, Jean dipped her toe into acting with musical sci-fi comedy Privilege. In the film, the supermodel poses as an artist opposite actor Paul Jones’ disillusioned popstar. Privilege is set in the near-future of the 70s and, here, in a promotional shoot for the film, Jean wears a patterned kaftan prescient to the era’s fashions.
During a press conference for Privilege, 1966
On the press trail of Privilege, once again, Jean wears a minidress with a paisley-ish pattern that mixes the sensibilities of the 60s with the trends of the 70s.
At her family’s farm, 1968
Born in Buckinghamshire (an idyllic county in South East England), Jean is a bit of a country girl at heart. Here, she’s photographed visiting her parents’ farm wearing a casual striped sweater and white stovepipe jeans. Just the kind of effortless we’d expect from the 60s foremost supermodel.