British Jamaican model, Naomi Campbell, is the recipient of the British Fashion Council’s 2019 Icon Award. The award was announced in advance and the ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Royal Albert Hall on Dec. 2, 2019. While many people associate the famous model with London, the supermodel is the daughter of Jamaican descendants.
Campbell was born on May 22, 1970, in the Streatham District of South London. Her mother was a Jamaican-born dancer, Valerie Morris. She quickly distinguished herself among the top three most recognizable and in-demand models of the late 1980s and 1990s. She is one of six models of her generation to be declared a supermodel by the fashion world.
The BFC award celebrates the 49-year-old model’s many accomplishments during a career spanning 30-years in the fashion industry. In 1987, she became the first black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue since 1966 and American Vogue since 1974. She also appeared on French Vogue and Time, to name a few. Her image has graced the cover of more than 500 magazines during her career and she’s received numerous awards.
The supermodel has represented some of the most highly-visible brands in the world, including Versace, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Dolce Gabbana. Campbell has appeared in a music video for Bob Marley, Culture Club and Michael Jackson, along with Madonna’s book, “Sex.” She’s also an author, has released a music album and several singles, had roles in several TV shows, and launched a line of more than 25 fragrances.
Campbell is involved with a variety of charitable endeavors. Her annual Fashion for Relief catwalk show will be held in Sept. 2, 2019. Launched in 2005, it benefits people affected by natural disasters. She supports the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
She founded We Love Brazil and is an honorary president of Athla Onlus in Italy for young people with learning disabilities. Campbell became a goodwill ambassador in 2009 for White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood.
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