Investigative journalist Michael Gross delves into the history of models and takes us into the private studios and hidden villas where models play and are preyed upon, going beyond modeling’s carefully constructed facade of glamour to expose the scandal and untold truths that permeate the seemingly glamorous business.
Here for the first time is the complete story of the international model business—and its evil twin: legalized flesh peddling. It’s a tale of vast sums of money, rape both symbolic and of the flesh, sex and drugs, obsession and tragic death. At its heart is the most unholy combination in commerce: beautiful, young women and rich, lascivious men.
Fashion insider Michael Gross has interviewed modeling’s pioneers, survivors, and hangers–on, and he tells the story of the greats: Lisa Fonssagrives; Anita Colby, Candy Jones; Dorian Leigh and her sister Suzy Parker; Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy; Veruschka and Lauren Hutton; and today’s supermodel trinity, Christy, Naomi and Linda.
Michael Gross, the New York Times bestselling author of Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women, 740 Park: The Story of the World’s Richest Apartment Building, and House of Outrageous Fortune: Fifteen Central Park West, the World’s Most Powerful Address, is the editor-in-chief of Avenue, a contributing editor for Departures, and his journalism and other writing has appeared in magazines and newspapers throughout the world, including the New York Times, New York, GQ, Esquire, and Vanity Fair. He lives in New York City.
I read it in three days and then I got very sick. Girls and their mothers and fathers and anyone who wants to go into modeling should read this. It's a history but it's also a guidebook to the pitfalls. It's very important.
