Claudia Schiffer's Fashion Life in 50 Looks

There are a few names that become shorthand for something else—as Einstein is to genius, Claudia Schiffer is to beautiful. But the supermodel is more than a pretty face, she helped define what a fashion model could be, an icon, a business woman—and today she turns 50 years old. In honor of the milestone, Schiffer is taking us through 50 of her most iconic looks, from the red carpet to the runway. Happy Birthday to this German queen.

A PA for Revlon - Their first ever fragrance campaign for Guess, which Ellen Von Unwerth and I were signed up for. I remember flying around the US to every major city for signings in department stores with massive crowds, only to be interrupted when a duck flew into one of the engines of Ron Perelman’s private plane. But only for a moment, then the tour continued to all major TV shows from Jay Leno to David Letterman. When I came home afterwards, I remember getting up the next morning sleepy eyed and uncombed into my elevator in one of the high rises in uptown NY near Central Park, when a person entered and said for the first time “Are you the Guess girl?”

A rare 90’s cardigan moment!

Fashion Café opening night in New York of Spring 1995 at the Rockefeller Center. 28,000 t-shirts were sold in the gift shop in the first 4 months alone! I recall the press describing it as a “couture version of Planet Hollywood or The Hard Rock Café!”

Early days in Paris – I had just bought myself this oversized Ralph Lauren aran-knit cardigan, which is when my love of knitwear started.

Leaving a photo shoot for Chanel and wearing it head to toe!

A 1991 Chanel show - It was insane time, like being a rock star. You couldn’t get to your car unless a path was carved for you. People would cut holes into the fashion tents and try and take pictures of us. We had security at every fashion show to the extent that security was even employed to guard my underwear! When I was out on the runway I’d come back and my underwear would constantly be gone!

A Valentino charity ball honouring all the supermodels

This is at the Oscars and is an incredible full-length Chanel gown which was made out of an umbrella fabric! I still have it in my archive wardrobe.

With the one and only Naomi for a Chanel event– still THE best body in the industry.

This was my first outing in Chanel Couture - I first met Karl when I was 18 at a fitting in his studio in Paris on Rue Cambon. He had seen my UK Vogue cover by Herb Ritts and asked that I come in. Before I knew it, I was being fitted for his new collection and then the next day I found myself driving to Deauville to shoot my first Chanel campaign, photographed by Karl. I remember us bonding over the fact that we were the only two people full of energy at 3am in the morning. In his case, he was always full of energy; I was just always full of adrenaline loving every second of working with him.

The much lauded A/W 1992 Versace show, here in one of their iconic sexy black dresses. Gianni’s shows were like rock concerts. He was the designer who made fashion a pop culture phenomenon. I would walk to an amazing Prince track with hundreds of photographers lining the catwalk, only to see him sitting there in the front row.

Wearing Alaia for my annual calendar signing. A classic 90s look - big hair, lots of make-up and of course double denim!

The tartan mini....still have this one

I’ve always loved this dreamy Versace number, so much so that BARBIE & Versace have re-created it for my birthday

Crazy hair, backstage at a Chanel show with Cindy in 1994 Paris – She was always incredibly professional and we first connected over that and our love of being creative in front of the camera. I also recall interviewing her at that show for Entertainment Tonight for whom I was covering Paris Fashion week as a correspondent! I recall us discussing how Kate Moss had been unfairly blamed for girls wanting to be skinny and that we laughed that unlike Kate we had to work out to stay slim!

Great 90s memories with the girls, this one also at a Fashion Café opening. There is a special bond between us all, because we lived and breathed such a unique time in fashion. We all live in different places around the world, but as soon as we see each other it’s like a school re-union – as if no time has passed. We catch up as if we had never stopped talking, like it was the day before.

After a few Chanel campaigns shot by Karl, he tried to convince me to be in his fashion show even though I’d said that it wasn’t for me as I was still very young and shy. I think he found it a fun challenge, but he explained that he wasn’t looking for the co-ordinated elegant catwalk of the moment, but rather something new. So he said to just imagine I was just walking to school and that’s what I did!

Back in classic Alaia for another of my annual calendar signings.

Straight off the Versace runway head to toe in white satin!

In a Bulgari watch and elegant column gown...

In a mid-90s tiger print.

Another shot from the Valentino charity ball honouring all the supermodels.

With Linda Evangelista - I was presenting at the VH1 Fashion Awards in 1996 at Madison Square Garden wearing a Marc Jacobs midnight blue velvet suit.

One of my favourite Versace outfits from the campaign with Richard Avedon, which is still in my archive. I have incredible memories of that time. Gianni and Richard were absolute geniuses . On set for the Versace campaigns Avedon would bring in a choreographer who would show us how Richard wanted the choreography to look like . Everything was perfect, from every angle you would look from, on every level.

Classic iconic Alaia that I still have in my archive, worn to one of my calendar signings. So timeless that I still wear it today.

In a navy blue satin gown...

With the one and only Valentino Garavani, who amongst other things designed my wedding dress and is a great friend. His shows were like stepping into a cutting-edge, fairy-tale world. And one of my most incredible career memories was shooting a campaign in Rome with him and Arthur Elgort. We were re-enacting La Dolce Vita and life imitated art as we were chased through the streets by a huge following of paparazzi and TV crews. In the evening, dining on the most deliciousItalian feast, we and Valentino watched together from Giancarlo Giammetti’s balcony a crowd of people that had formed below singing my name!

At another Fashion Music Awards wearing skin-tight PVC jeans by Chanel and matching cropped top!

In Versace - I would walk to an amazing Prince track with hundreds of photographers lining the catwalk, only to see him sitting there in the front row. It was a dream working with Gianni and Donatella, and their family. He had such a big heart so much warmth and was very welcoming and fun. He turned his runway into a live show with choreography, great lighting effects and timings similar to a theatre experience. There was always a front row packed with celebrities from music to film.

Same as 18 - Another of my annual calendar signings dressed in the ultimate jumpsuit by none other than Azzedine Alaia.

In head to toe feathers...

All about the accessories! I’m wearing classic Chanel little black dress with an incredible Chanel gold buckled chain belt complete with matching gold cuff bracelet and gold chained shoulder bag

Back to the Blockbuster days! A PA for one of my fitness videos.

Off to a Valentino party at the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York, on June 14th 2000 wearing an incredibly elegant, Valentino dress in his iconic red, with the most beautiful off the shoulder layered lace sleeves and bodice.

Karl was my magic dust; he transformed me from a shy German girl into a supermodel. He taught me about fashion, style and survival in the fashion business. What Warhol was to art, he was to fashion. He is the only person who could make black and white colourful and I will be eternally grateful to him.

In a lot of gold...

At the launch party for new Bulgari art deco watch, 'Retangolo', at Eugene, New York City, 2000.

At the Goldene Kamera Film Awards February 4, 2004 in Berlin, Germany

At the premiere for "Cold Mountain" in strapless lace.

In fitting pink for Saks Fifth Avenue's Unforgettable Evening Benefiting Women's Cancer Research Fund.

At the Cannes film festival for L’Oréal, the cosmetic giant whom, I was under contract with for more than 13 years after Revlon.

Representing L’Oréal at the Marie Claire Prix De La Mode in 2006, which they sponsored, wearing an amazing full length, silk satin, gold embellished Chanel dress.

Working with Mario in a snapshot – always such fun and crazy energy!

At the S/S 2010 Chanel Fashion Show – I love this classic Chanel outfit and I still have it.

At the PA for the D&G fragrance campaign with Naomi in 2009 – I remember walking on set for that campaign with Naomi, Eva Herzigova and three male models, Noah Mills, Tyson Ballou and Fernando Fernandes in our personalised robes, which we all then dropped at the same time for the shot!

At the Cannes Film Festival for the screening of the film “This must be the Place” by Paolo Sorrentino in May 2011 wearing a Chanel sheath Haute Couture dress in black lace with a "Camélia Poudré" necklace and a black cuff "Ultra" Chanel Fine Jewellery.

At the German Bambi Awards wearing a dress Donatella made for me – it has the classic Versace corsetry with big gold buttons and an incredible, full draped matt satin skirt in a very particular shade of red that Donatella chose personally for me.

A bitter-sweet memory of Karl’s tribute fashion show back in 2019.

An amazing Chanel, tiered, printed silk chiffon dress from their archive, which I wore for the J12 Campaign launch in Paris in May 2019

At the London premiere of Rocketman wearing an iridescent, pleated floor-length gown by couture designer Zuhair Murad. I paired it with a stunning, Jimmy Choo gold clutch encrusted with pave diamond stars, gold chevron sandals by Nicholas Kirkwood and a triangle diamond necklace and enamel ring by fine jewellery designer Solange Azagury-Partridge .