Christy Turlington has hailed Tatjana Patitz as the embodiment of “European sophistication and style”.
Patitz – one of the five ’90s supermodels who starred in George Michael’s ‘Freedom’ music video with Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford – died Wednesday of breast cancer at the age of 56.
Christy took to social media late Wednesday night to pay a glowing tribute to the runway star, calling her a “vision, glamorous, sophisticated and warm as soon as she let you in.”
She added that Tatyana took her under her wing in 1985 after they first met in Paris for a photo shoot.
Luminous: Christy Turlington has hailed Tatjana Patitz as the embodiment of “European sophistication and style”. Patitz – one of the top five supermodels of the ’90s, who appeared on Vogue and starred in George Michael’s Freedom with Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford – died of breast cancer on Wednesday at the age of 56
San Francisco-based Christy – who is married to director Ed Burns – added: “I found out about the sudden death of Tatjana Patitz while landing at an airport on the same coast today.
“Since then I’ve only seen her face, heard her voice and of course I’m flooded with memories.” She then said that Tatyana was “European sophistication and style”.
They first met in 1985. It was during Turlington’s second shoot for American Vogue and they were paired together in Cannes.
“I was a 16-year-old high school student from Northern California who got to drop out of school to travel solo to Paris for the first time for this special occasion,” she noted.
“I would stay at the Hotel Crillon for one night before meeting the rest of the team on site the next day.”
Christy shared that Tatyana was already living in Paris at the time and “had an assignment or duty to pick me up on my way to the airport.”
Lots of words: San Francisco resident Christy – who is married to director Ed Burns – added: ‘I found out about the sudden death of Tatjana Patitz while landing at an airport on the same coast today. “Since then I’ve only seen her face, heard her voice and, of course, I’m flooded with memories.” She then said that Tatyana was “European sophistication and style”.
Iconic: Tatyana with (LR) Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Turlington and Cindy Crawford – with Patitz in the middle – on the cover of British Vogue for the January 1990 issue. George Michael saw the cover and invited all the girls to play the leading role in his music video
She added: “I first met Tatjana on the phone in the hotel lobby. “Where are you? We’ll be late!” She said. I was sad to leave my lovely room after such a short stay, but I certainly didn’t want to put someone’s bad side on me. Not on this trip, and certainly not Tatjana Patitz.”
She then explained: “It wasn’t until we got to Charles de Gaulle that she started to relax and talk to me.
“When we arrived at our hotel in Cannes, she invited me to her hotel room, where we drank champagne from the minibar, ate Toblerone chocolates and smoked cigarettes while she spoke to her French boyfriend on the phone.”
At the time, she said she could have watched her smoke cigarettes and talk in her European languages all day long.
“Tatjana took me in under her wing. On the way home I stayed at her apartment in Paris on the floor of her cool pied de terre on the Left Bank. You are unforgettable and forever in my heart,” she shared.
She had a huge career: Christy at the Chanel show in Paris in the 1990s
Elsewhere, Milla Jovovich has called Tatyana “one of the most amazing people” she’s ever met.
The 47-year-old model recalls that when she was 13, she was invited to a photo shoot with Tatyana.
Milla said: “She was a natural mother from such a young age. She got better and better at it over the years.”
Tatjana became one of the so-called “Big Five” supermodels in the 90s.
Cindy loved her too: Cindy Crawford shared a glowing tribute; seen with Christy and Helena Christensen
The men: Christy with husband Ed Burns, Cindy with husband Rande Gerber and Helena
Tatiana has modeled for the likes of Chanel, Donna Karan and Vivienne Westwood throughout her career, and she’s also often appeared on the pages of American and British Vogue.
Her last runway appearance was at Milan Fashion Week 2019, modeling items from the Etro Fall/Winter collection.
Cindy Crawford shared flashback photos with Patitz on Insta Stories and two broken heart emojis over the pics.
The mother-of-two then shared an Instagram post on her page with the throwback photo of the women on a beach.
“So sad to hear of the passing of the beautiful @tatjanapatitz,” Rande Gerber’s wife began.
The top girls: from left Claudia Schiffer, Tatjana, Gail Elliott, Karen Mulder and Linda Evangelist in the 1990s
“We were babies together in fashion and I feel like we grew up together. We’ve been on so many shoots together and backstage at shows.
“I found her soft-spoken, sensitive, kind, curious and who could ever forget those piercing eyes. Her love for animals and nature was contagious. I send my condolences to her family – especially the son she adored. REST IN PEACE.’
Campbell shared multiple symbols of a dove, a broken heart, and a prayer on Twitter.
Amber Valletta, who has worked for Vogue and Versace and has starred in films such as What Lies Beneath and the TV series Blood And Oil, said: “So so sad.”
Herzigova said, “An angel has left us, Tatjana Patitz… hearing of your death is the saddest news I could have imagined… I miss your dear RIP.”
“This is deeply sad,” Christensen said on Twitter. She also wrote, “Beautiful soul that she was,” as she added two heartbroken emojis. And she included a flashback photo of herself saying over the post that she was “heartbroken.”
Friends: Patitz with Karena Alexander, Peter Lindbergh, Milla Jovovich in 2016 in LA
She caught a glimpse: Patitz at the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Benefit with Richard Tyler’s new collection and the debut of Johnny Depp’s short film Banter in 1994
She later shared a post on her Instagram page with a carousel of throwback photos and a tender note.
“Beautiful Tatjana, you were such a divine spirit from the inside out ♥️,” she began.
“Always graceful and calm with those wonderful smiling eyes. We have taken so many trips together since we were little and shared incredible memories. I loved being around you, it felt so peaceful and we always laughed a lot.’
And she let followers know they kept in touch: “I’m thankful we stayed in touch till the end. It made me smile just now as I read through our lyrics and realized that it’s mostly about our love of nature. I hope you ride a horse in endless meadows with that smile on your face and the wind blowing through your hair ♥️♥️♥️ RIP beautiful angel.
‘Forever treasured Tatyana. With love to @tatjanapatitz and family,” shared Elaine Irwin.
Yasmeen Ghauri shared a souvenir photo as she wrote: “Rest in peace dear Tatjana. We didn’t know each other well, but your presence always impressed me. Her authenticity, grace, friendliness and inner strength shone through. We will miss you.’
Also from her: Helena, far right, here in the 1990s with Tajana and actress Lauren Bacall, center
Anna Wintour, Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast and Global Editorial Director of Vogue, said: “Tatyana has always been the European icon of chic, like Romy Schneider-meets-Monica Vitti.
“She was a lot less visible than her peers — more mysterious, more mature, more unattainable — and that had its own appeal.”
The star was born in Germany but grew up in Sweden.
She started out in the modeling business as a teenager but only rose to international fame when she was photographed by acclaimed photographer Peter Lindberg.
The cover girl later moved to California to be near her horses.
She was married to Jason Johnson for six years, and the couple had a son together, Jonah, in November 2004, whom she describes as her “source of happiness.”
In 2015: She started in the modeling business as a teenager but only rose to international fame when she was photographed by acclaimed photographer Peter Lindberg. The cover girl later moved to California to be near her horses