Cheryl Tiegs: How ‘America’s First Supermodel’ looks today
Cheryl Tiegs, one of America’s first supermodels, became a cultural icon 46 years ago, thanks to her famous pink bikini poster.
Over the decades, she graced the covers of major magazines such as Sports Illustrated, Vogue, and Time, but she also evolved into an advocate for environmental causes and a promoter of health and well-being.
Tiegs, now 77, started her modeling career after a friend suggested she had the right look. Initially, she worked small fashion shows for minimal pay, but her big break came at 17 when she was featured in Glamour magazine, which led to worldwide fame.
From that point, her career flourished with multiple appearances in Sports Illustrated swimsuit editions, Time, and even earning a spot in Men’s Health magazine’s list of the 100 Hottest Women of All Time in 2012.
Looking back on her career, Tiegs has spoken about how different the modeling industry was back then compared to today, explaining that models in her era didn’t have the same visibility as they do now with the rise of social media and entertainment shows like Entertainment Tonight. “It was more in the moment, and I liked that,” she told Artful Living.
In the 1980s, Tiegs explored acting, appearing in shows like Moonlighting and Just Shoot Me, as well as movies like The Brown Bunny and Sharknado 4 in the 00s and 10s.
Despite this foray into acting, she ultimately chose to focus on other aspects of her life, including her personal relationships and motherhood. She was married multiple times and had three children, including twin sons born via surrogate in 2001.
Tiegs has also been committed to environmental advocacy. Her efforts have included raising awareness about global warming and supporting conservation initiatives. She has traveled to places like the Canadian Arctic and the Copper Canyon in Mexico to better understand environmental challenges.
However, Tiegs faced controversy in 2016 when she criticized Sports Illustrated for featuring plus-size model Ashley Graham on the cover, stating that it glamorized unhealthy body standards.
“I don’t like that we’re talking about full-figured women because it’s glamorizing them because your waist should be smaller than 35 [inches]. That’s what Dr. Oz said, and I’m sticking to it,” Tiegs explained on E! News. “No, I don’t think it’s healthy. Her face is beautiful. Beautiful. But I don’t think it’s healthy in the long run.”
Then, in 2017, Tiegs accused the media of sensationalizing her comments, “because really all I was doing was trying to look out for the health of someone who’s too thin or going on the other side of the scale,” Tiegs said in 2017. “It’s just about finding your own healthy path. That’s all. I don’t know her; I don’t know if she’s healthy or not. That’s up to her.
At 77, Tiegs maintains her health through yoga, proper nutrition, and surrounding herself with positive influences. Most of all, though, she says that maintaining an active lifestyle and finding joy in activities like reading and spending time with uplifting friends is the way to go.
Cheryl Tiegs continues to be admired for her timeless beauty and her advocacy, blending her legacy as a supermodel with a deep commitment to the environment and healthy living.
