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Jean Shrimpton

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Jean Shrimpton was a famous English model and actress.

She became a huge star in London during the 1960s. Many people call her one of the first supermodels ever. She was a symbol of a time called "Swinging London." People gave her many special names like "The Face." Some even called her "The It Girl." She changed how people thought about fashion and beauty.

Her career grew through her work with photographer David Bailey. They met in 1960 at a photo shoot. She was working on an ad for corn flakes. At first, she was just an unknown model. Bailey helped her become a star in the modeling world. In return, Jean was his muse. This means his photos of her helped him become famous too. They even dated for four years.

Jean had a very different look than models before her. Most models in the 1950s looked very formal. Jean represented a new, youthful style. She had long hair with a fringe. She also had wide eyes and long eyelashes. She was slim with long legs. Because of this, people gave her the nickname "The Shrimp."

She helped make the miniskirt very popular. In 1965, Jean went on a trip to Australia. She was paid £2,000 to promote new dresses. She wore a white dress by Colin Rolfe. The dress ended above her knees. She did not wear a hat, gloves, or stockings. She even wore a man's watch. This caused a huge sensation in the news.

Jean appeared on many famous magazine covers. These included Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Time. In 2012, Time named her a top fashion icon. She also acted in a film called Privilege in 1967. Later, she married Michael Cox in 1979. They owned the Abbey Hotel in Penzance. Her son Thaddeus was born that same year. Her life has inspired many books and even a film.

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