Cheryl Tiegs

Cheryl Tiegs is a famous American model and fashion designer. Many people call her the first supermodel in America. She became a household name by appearing on many magazine covers. She was on the cover of Time magazine and Vogue. She also appeared on the cover of Elle and Harper's Bazaar. She was the first model to appear twice on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover.

Her career began with a single advertisement. While she was a senior at Alhambra High School, she posed for a swimsuit ad. This ad was for a company called Cole of California. It appeared in a magazine called Seventeen. This moment launched her professional career. Soon, the staff at Glamour magazine saw the ad. They booked her for a shoot in Saint Thomas. She worked with Ali MacGraw on that project.

Cheryl was born on September 25, 1947. She grew up in Breckenridge, Minnesota. Her parents were Phyllis and Theodore Tiegs. Her father worked as an auto-assembly lineman and a funeral director. In 1952, her family moved to Alhambra, California. She later went to California State University, Los Angeles. She studied English there before focusing on modeling. She is of German descent.

She did more than just pose for photos. In 1980, she started her own clothing line for Sears. This was the first time a supermodel had their own retail collection. By 1989, her collection had nearly $1 billion in sales. She also made hair accessories for Revlon. In 1995, she started Cheryl Tiegs Sportwear for QVC. A doll made to look like her was even released in 1990.

Cheryl also uses her fame to help the planet. In 1979, she went to Kenya with photographer Peter Beard. They traveled to see how African wildlife was being destroyed. This trip was part of a show called The American Sportsman. She also traveled to the Arctic to learn about global warming. She even drove a hydrogen-powered car to help people learn about zero emissions. She works with many groups to support important causes.