by Federica Bandirali
Vogue America announced it. “She has always been the European symbol of chic,” says Anna Wintour, comparing the model to a mix of Romy Schneider and Monica Vitti
Tatjana Patitz, one of the most famous models of the fashion system in the 1980s and 1990s, died today, January 11, 2023, at the age of 56. Vogue America reported on it, but without giving the cause of death for the time being. Raised in Sweden by an Estonian mother and German father, Patitz started posing at 17: “She’s always been the European symbol of chic,” said the magazine’s editor, Anna Wintour. And he compared the model to a beauty mix between “Romy Schneider and Monica Vitti”.
Tatjana, the most reserved of catwalk divas, had not chosen one of the capital cities of the fashion system like New York, London or Paris as a base, but a ranch in California in the Santa Ynez Valley, where Peter Lindbergh, her mentor, got his start he photographed with his son Jonah: His last public picture of Tina Barney was taken with Jonah at the end of 2019.
In 1983, at the age of 17, she took part in an elite modeling contest in Stockholm, but she only came third, and Tatyana could not find a job for a whole year. Fame came then and here it is immediately present on famous catwalks such as those of Azzedine Alaïa, Helmut Lang, Jil Sander, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Valentino, Donna Karan, Todd Oldham, Comme des Garçons, Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel. But also advertising campaigns: those for Revlon, Dupont Carpets and Ralph Lauren.
As an iconic fashion woman, she was one of the five supermodels in the «Freedom! ’90” directed by George Michael, along with Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell. He also starred in several films such as “Rising Sun” (1993) and “Invitation to Kill” (1999).
January 11, 2023 (change January 11, 2023 | 22:54)
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED