Twiggy was born Lesley Hornby in a 1930s semi-detached house in Neasden, a town in north-west London. Her father was a carpenter and her mother was a factory worker. Twiggy describes her dad as a "really kind, loving, wonderful gentleman." They would often spend Sunday afternoons together and have a father-daughter day. Her mom stayed at home after she was born, but also had a part-time catering business. She says the biggest lessons they have taught her were "to be kind, loyal, not to suffer fools gladly, and that family is really important."
She used to make her own clothes: Before she became famous, Twiggy attended Kilburn High School for Girls and expressed her early love for fashion by making her own clothing. By the time she turned 15, Lesley Hornby dropped out of school right before skyrocketing to fame and beginning her modeling career.
Her first nickname "Twigs" came about due to her friends thinking that her skinny frame and androgynous look made her resemble a twig. Her hairdresser and boyfriend Nigel Davies, now known as Justin de Villeneuve, was the first person to give Twiggy the name for which she's commonly known. Davies went on to become her manager for the next seven years.
She was also accidentally discovered in a hair salon: After agreeing to model a new hairstyle, her photo was hung up on the wall of a local salon in Mayfair, London. Shortly after, fashion editor Deirdre McSharry discovered her photo and wanted to feature her in the (Daily Express.) After her photo appeared in the Daily Express, she started getting phone calls from people wanting to book her for photoshoots. Her family encouraged her to begin her career, and thus, Twiggy was born. She considered herself the first famous working-class supermodel. After her rise to fame, she became incredibly homesick. She was not used to being on her own and traveling so far without her parents, and admits that her experiences made her grow up quickly
She became so popular that Mattel created a Barbie doll after her likeness in 1967. This was the first doll released that actually depicted a real live person. The doll was only on the market for two years, between 1967 and 1968. Twiggy graced the covers of several magazines after making her modeling debut, including her own American publication Her Mod, Teen World.
She won two Golden Globe Awards:
Twiggy retired from the modeling business in 1970 to star in Ken Russell's film The Boyfriend that debuted in 1971. She went on to win two Golden Globe Awards in 1972 for Best Actress in a Motion Picture and Best New Star of the Year.
She was on the cover of a David Bowie album: Twiggy was featured on the cover of David Bowie's Pin Ups album in 1973. The two were both wearing painted-on face masks. In 1978, Twiggy got married for the first time to actor Michael Witney. A year later, the couple's daughter Carly was born. She took some time off of work after her daughter was born because she wanted to experience of being a mom. Witney later died of a heart attack in 1983 in New York City. Twiggy's daughter, Carly Lawson, is a print designer working for Stella McCartney. She has described her daughter as a "very talented artist" and "her best friend."
She got married again in 1988: In 1985, Twiggy met her second husband Leigh Lawson, an actor and writer. The two got married in 1988 and have been together ever since. She also became a step-mom to Leigh's son Jason, who became a big brother to Twiggy's daughter Carly. Twiggy has said that she admires Hepburn because of her personal style. She said that Hepburn “brought polo necks and trousers into fashion. That is so much sexier than a low-cut dress with everything hanging out." The model has said that she doesn't personally like to wear high heels, mainly because she has trouble walking in them.
She starred in a broadway musical
In 1983, Twiggy debuted on Broadway in a starring role in the musical My One and Only. She was nominated for two Tony awards for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical in 1983 and Outstanding Actress in a Musical in 1984. Although the look most closely associated with Twiggy is her short hairstyle that she wore in the late '60s, she said that she prefers her hair longer as it is easier to manage. The British model, actress, singer, and TV host has an overall estimated net worth of about $50 million. Twiggy created her own clothing line for the British brand Marks & Spencer, which was specifically designed for older women. She also has a glasses collection for Specsavers UK.
She was a judge on America's Next Top Model Twiggy was a judge on the hit TV show America's Next Top Model from the years 2003 to 2008. During filming, she requested to be put in her own hotel suite with a kitchen so that she could make her own tea, because according to her “they can’t make tea in America.”
“Twiggy’s Rose” was revealed at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2010. The flower is an apricot-pink fragrant rose with summer and autumn blooms.
She has a royal title, Twiggy was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) by Prince Charles for her services to fashion, the arts, and charity in March 2019.
All credit to Getty images, google, Wikipedia and CR fashion
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