Tatjana Patitz: About the Legacy of a Supermodel
Peter Lindbergh once photographed her with Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista. As part of "The Big 5", Patitz became one of the supermodels of a decade. Now she has died at the age of 56.
Tatjana Patitz was not a "face du jour" or had the look of a certain era, although she helped define it.
She was a classically ethereal beauty surrounded by a dash of mystery. Her scrutinising gaze captivated everyone - whether she was staring back at you from gigantic billboards or the pages of a fashion magazine. Especially in black and white, the effect of her eyes seemed to be multiplied, which is also evident in the fact that the Hamburg-born model's most famous photos are monochrome.
Like her supermodel colleagues of the 90s she was featured in George Michael's legendary "Freedom" video, stood in front of the camera for Herb Ritts, Peter Lindbergh, Michele Comte or Ellen von Unwerth and finally lived away from the big fashion hype on a ranch in California with her animals and her son Jonah.
Tatjana Patitz died at the age of 56, her New York agency confirmed today.
Photo: Peter Lindbergh Foundation
