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Model bio for Karen Elson Next bio

Karen Elson

Karen Elson's photoGETTY

Nationality:
British
Birthday:
January 14, 1979
Born in:
Lancashire, England
Lives now:
London, England
Agencies:
DNA, Independent, Viva
Known for:
My hair, my shaved eyebrows
Status:
Cover girl, established
Muse for:
Karl Lagerfeld (1998), Steven Meisel
Dated:
James Iha
Married:
Jack White (since 2005)
Children:
Scarlett Teresa (born 5/2/06), Henry Lee White (born 8/7/07)
Friends with:
Cat Power, Emily Sandberg, Erin O'Connor, Guinevere van Seenus, Jade Parfitt, Kirsten Owen, Kristen McMenamy, Marc Jacobs, Michael Stipe, Missy Rayder, Zooey Deschanel
Model turned…
Singer (The Citizens Band), actress (Lay Down Lean, 2007)
Interests:
Vintage-clothing shopping

Career

Italian Vogue, 1997

Jan 14, 1979
Born in Manchester, England, with non-identical twin sister Kate
1995
Discovered by Boss modeling scout
Dec 1996
Featured on first major cover, for French Vogue
1997
Signs fragrance contract with Clinique's Happy
Feb 1997
Steven Meisel convinces her to shave her eyebrows and dye her hair red for her first Italian Vogue cover
Feb 1997
Walks the fall Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Jil Sander, Alexander McQueen, Chloé and Hermès shows in Milan and Paris
Sep 1997
Appears on the cover of French Elle
Oct 1997
Waives her fee to star in Oxfam’s first campaign
1998
Steven Meisel photographs Elson for Versace
1998
Becomes the face of Chanel; Karl Lagerfeld calls her the beauty of the millennium
Oct 1998
Appears on the cover of Italian Vogue, photographed by Steven Meisel
Oct 23, 1998
Wins the VH1/Vogue Model of the Year award
Sep 1999
Walks the spring Anna Sui, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Prada, and Versace shows in New York and Milan
2000
Mario Sorrenti photographs Elson for Perry Ellis
Mar 2000
Appears on the cover of Italian Vogue, photographed by Steven Meisel
Dec 2000
Appears on the cover of British Dazed & Confused
2001
Featured in the Pirelli calendar
2001
Appears in Judith Leiber campaign
Apr 2001
Appears on the cover of Nylon
Jan 2002
Featured on the cover of British Vogue
Feb 2002
Walks in the annual Victoria's Secret fashion show
Sep 2002
Appears in W editorial, photographed by Craig McDean
Jan 2003
Walks the spring Jean Paul Gaultier couture show in Paris
2004
Mario Testino photographs Elson for Burberry
2004
Signs fragrance contract with Yves Saint Laurent
2004
Steven Meisel photographs Elson for Prada with Gemma Ward
2004
Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott photographs Elson for Louis Vuitton with Naomi Campbell and Liya Kebede
Sep 2004
Featured on the cover of Vogue alongside Daria Werbowy, Gisele Bündchen, Hana Soukupova, and other top models
Nov 2004
Appears on the cover of Numero
2005
Becomes the face of Yves Saint Laurent, photographed by Juergen Teller
2005
Steven Meisel photographs Elson for Giorgio Armani
Feb 2005
Walks the fall Bottega Veneta, Moschino, Dries van Noten, Louis Vuitton, Lanvin, and Yves Saint Laurent shows in Milan and Paris
2005
Renews contract with Prada
2005
Stars in White Stripes music video “Blue Orchid” Video »
Jun 1, 2005
Marries Jack White of the White Stripes
Nov 10, 2005
Wins British Fashion Award for Best Model
Dec 2005
Featured on the cover of W
2006
Records a song with Cat Power on Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited album
May 2, 2006
Gives birth to Scarlett Teresa White
Dec 2006
Appears on the cover of Italian Vogue, photographed by Steven Meisel
2007
Returns as the face of Yves Saint Laurent
2007
Steven Meisel photographs Elson for Mulberry alongside a faux red-haired Agyness Deyn; to match Elson's fire red hair
2007
Records a cover of Danzig’s “Devil’s Plaything” Video »
2007
Acts as a whimsical woman in Lay Down Lean, a short film Video »
Aug 7, 2007
Has second child Henry Lee White
Dec 7, 2007
Signs with Independent Agency Story »
2008
Becomes the face of Celine and BCBG Max Azria
Feb 2008
Returns to the runway walking the fall Anna Sui and Rodarte shows in New York; closing Anna Sui
Feb 2008
Takes the tumble while closing the fall Zac Posen show, with Diddy and model Caroline Trentini helping her back up
Mar 2008
Appears in Vogue editorial alongside Tom Hanks' son Colin, photographed by Mario Testino
Apr 2008
Appears in British Vogue editorial, photographed by Tim Walker
2008
Steven Meisel photographs Elson for PHI's first ad campaign, with Coco Rocha
Aug 2008
Impersonates Grace Coddington in a Vogue editorial, photographed by Steven Meisel
Sep 2008
Featured on the cover of British Vogue, photographed by Nick Knight
Oct 2008
Appears in British Vogue editorial, photographed by Nick Knight
2008
Michael Thompson photographs Elson for Donna Karan's cruise ad campaign

Quoted

“Not many models would admit to actually enjoying having their photograph taken and whatnot. And I do.”

Fashion TV

“I never understand people saying they don’t want to get older because honestly, now, things have never been better.”

British Vogue (September 2008)

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