Tatjana Patitz died of breast cancer on Wednesday morning in California at the age of 56, her agent confirmed to on Wednesday.
And soon after, tributes were pouring in for the beauty who starred in George Michael’s ‘Freedom!’ music video! from 1990 with Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Cindy Crawford.
Fellow models Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Eva Herzigova, Helena Christensen and Elaine Irwin, and Vogue editor Anna Wintour were the first to share their remarks.
Beautiful woman: Tatjana Patitz died of breast cancer on Wednesday morning in California at the age of 56, her agent confirmed to on Wednesday. And soon after, tributes poured in for the beauty
From Helena: “This is deeply sad,” said Christensen. She also wrote, “Beautiful soul that she was,” as she added two heartbroken emojis
Crawford shared flashback photos with Patitz on Insta Stories and a broken heart emoji.
Campbell shared multiple symbols for a dove, a broken heart, and a prayer.
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 shared. She also wrote, “Beautiful soul that she was,” as she added two heartbroken emojis.
‘Forever treasured Tatyana. With love to @tatjanapatitz and family,” shared Elaine Irwin.
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.
Lots of emojis: Her Freedom co-star Naomi Campbell shared multiple symbols of a dove, a broken heart and a prayer
“She was a lot less visible than her peers — more mysterious, more mature, more unattainable — and that had its own appeal.”
Makeup artist Pati Dubroff said: “I am disappointed to hear of the death of this beauty. @tatjanapatitz was one of the first models I met and came into contact with when we were both in our early 20s. She was already a “supermodel” and I was “just” an assistant. She was nice, cool and so down to earth.
“As I write this, I realize that not only have we lost this light, the photographer @therealpeterlindbergh and hairstylist #davidbabaii from that shoot are no longer with us on this mortal existence.”
Photographer Peter Lindbergh’s team tweeted: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Tatjana Patitz, a longtime friend of Peter’s. We would like to pay tribute to Tatjana’s kindness, inner beauty and outstanding intelligence. Our thoughts are with their loved ones and especially Jonah. She will be greatly missed.’
Heartbroken: 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”
Fellow model Elaine Irwin posted a picture of their cover of Paris Vogue together and said: “Forever loved Tatyana. With love to Tatjiana Patitz and family’
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.
She 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.”
Iconic: Hamburg-born Patitz starred alongside (LR) Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford – with Patitz taking center stage – on the cover of British Vogue for the January 1990 issue. George Michael saw the cover and invited all the girls starring in his music video
A stunner: The siren was often on the cover of Vogue. The 5ft 11in star was loved by photographer Herb Ritts
Sing it: Born in Hamburg, she is best known for her work with Vogue and for her starring role in the 1990 George Michael music video Freedom with friends Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington
Vogue creative director Grace Coddington considered Patitz one of the original supermodels, she wrote in her 2012 memoir.
Patitz was born in Hamburg to an Estonian mother and a German father, and the family moved to Skanör in Sweden.
In a 2020 interview, Patitz said she “never sold her soul” and regularly competed as a teenage horse.
At the age of 17 she took part in an Elite Model Contest in Stockholm in 1983. In Sweden she was third. The prize was a trip to Paris and a fixed-term contract.
The competition didn’t bring her instant fame, as Vogue wrote in 1988 that “a star is not born quickly. Tatjana couldn’t find a job for a year.’
Mother love: The supermodel attended a perfume launch for Dior with her son Jonah Patitz in September 2022