After her image appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper, one-name wonder Gia moved to Manhattan and immediately began working for well-known photographers, paving her supermodel status that would leave a lasting legacy on the fashion industry.
Residence:
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA, US
Height: 5'7"
Eye Color: Brown
Date of Birth: January 29, 1960
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One-name wonder Gia was born Gia Marie Carangi on January 29, 1960, and found her model calling by the time she was 17. Her image appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper, and she soon after moved to Manhattan and immediately began working for well-known photographers like Richard Avedon, Arthur Elgort, Helmut Newton, and Francesco Scavullo.
Her beauty was intoxicating for men and women alike. After a photo shoot with Chris von Wangenheim in 1978, the makeup assistant Sandy Linter was taken by Gia, and vice versa. This wasn't the only example of Gia obsession. Designers and photographers alike fell in love with her look and personality. During her tenure as a top model, Gia appeared on covers such as Vogue, Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia, and Cosmopolitan.
Sadly, the pressures of the industry were too much for Gia, and along with the loss of her mentor and agent, Wilhelmina Cooper, drugs became an escape from reality. Despite the negative moments in her life, her supermodel status continued and her work was just as strong. But the tragedies of her life weren't over, as her good friend Chris von Wangenheim died in a car crash. Gia took a break from the industry to put her life back on track and attended a rehab program.
After returning to the industry, Gia appeared one last time on the cover of Cosmopolitan, shot by Francesco Scavullo, in 1982. Unfortunately, the beauty was taken from the world and fashion industry rather quickly, as she passed away at age 26, but left a memorable legacy as the extraordinary Gia.
