Naomi Campbell is not just a supermodel, she is an entire era. A muse to couturiers, a darling of glossy magazines and, at the same time, the main disruptor of the fashion industry.
Her shows, romances and scandals were discussed with the same enthusiasm as Versace’s collections. But behind the sensational headlines is a woman who has endured loneliness, addiction and disappointment — and yet managed to build a quiet happiness later in life.
A fatherless childhood and a ‘dad’ from the world of fashion
Naomi was born in London in 1970. She never saw her father: he disappeared before she was born. Her mother, a dancer, was constantly on tour, and the girl had to learn to be independent at an early age.
She took up dancing at the age of seven, then enrolled at the London Academy of Performing Arts, a strict place where she was forced to work herself to exhaustion, but it was there that her character was forged.
The turning point came at the age of 15. In Paris, Naomi met Tunisian-born designer Azzedine Alaïa. He took her in, became her mentor and effectively replaced her father: he picked out her clothes, kept her disciplined and introduced her to the closed world of high fashion. Later, Campbell would simply call him ‘my dad’.
How a dark-skinned girl turned the catwalk rules upside down
In just a few years, Naomi went from being an unknown teenager to a superstar. Her walk became legendary, and designers Versace and Karl Lagerfeld made her the face of their shows.
She became the first black model to appear on the cover of French Vogue — a step that seemed unthinkable in the 1980s. Campbell proved to the industry that a black girl could not only ‘support diversity’ but also be the main muse for global brands.
A fall on the catwalk and a reputation as a ‘diva with attitude’
Along with success came a reputation as a scandalous figure. The press relished her tardiness, outbursts of anger and high-profile romances.
The most famous episode was the Vivienne Westwood show in 1993, when Naomi spectacularly collapsed on the catwalk from her 23-centimetre platforms. Instead of getting angry, she burst out laughing, turning an awkward moment into one of the most memorable scenes in fashion history.
But the industry’s patience is not infinite: one of the largest agencies, Elite, terminated her contract, declaring her an ‘unmanageable diva.’
Court, community service and the fight against addiction
The tabloids happily cast Naomi as the ‘angry black panther.’ In 2007, she was sentenced to community service for throwing a phone at her assistant. Campbell showed up to sweep the streets in designer clothes and perfect makeup — and even managed to write a column about it in W magazine, turning her punishment into a performance.
Another conflict at the airport resulted in a lifetime ban from British Airways.
However, her internal struggles were significantly more challenging. Following the death of her close friend Gianni Versace, loneliness, and constant stress, Naomi developed an addiction to alcohol and drugs.
In 1999, she passed out on set and realised she had reached rock bottom. Rehabilitation became a matter of survival. She later admitted honestly that addiction does not cure pain, but only adds to fear.
Love, billionaires and a Russian romance
Naomi’s personal life has always been under the spotlight. Among her chosen ones is actor Robert De Niro, who taught her to protect her personal space and not to expose her feelings in public. She dreamed of having a child with him, but he was not ready for a serious family step.
Before him, she had a stormy romance with boxer Mike Tyson: it was Campbell who brought him into the spotlight and introduced him to Versace, but the athlete’s hot-tempered nature and accusations of infidelity put an end to the relationship.
The list of lovers continued with U2 musician Adam Clayton (it even came to an engagement), Leonardo DiCaprio, Middle Eastern oil magnate Badr Juffair, who rented eight floors of a Dubai hotel for Naomi’s 35th birthday, and, of course, Russian billionaire Vladislav Doronin.
It was her romance with Doronin that proved to be the most painful. After promises to marry, the relationship exploded with mutual accusations, disputes over real estate, and lawsuits. He is the only ex with whom Campbell still has no contact.
It was her relationship with Doronin that proved to be the most painful. After promises to marry, the relationship ended in mutual accusations, disputes over property and court cases. He is the only ex with whom Campbell still has no contact.
In 2010, Naomi found herself at the centre of a high-profile trial against Liberian dictator Charles Taylor: the court was interested in the ‘blood diamonds’ she allegedly received for charity. The supermodel’s name was once again in the headlines for a very unfashionable reason.