03 June 2017

https://www.datalounge.com/thread/11167389-gia-carangi

I knew them all. The movie and book were trash. I knew the people who helped make her. Tony V ( died of H over 20 years ago) and Steven Meisel were young and brilliant and considered the taste makers. Believe it or not GIA was considered a model that was considered " ugly beautiful" that sounds crazy given her beauty but after decades of Cheryl Tiegs thin lipped all American girl next door Gia and her ethic look and LIPS was considered a sensation. This moment in time even the ugly girls worked because S.M wanted LIPS and the bigger the better.I was close friends with D Cohen ( hat designer) who knew Gia from the age of 15 in philly. He told me she would not wash her hair in weeks and wore a dirty tee and jeans and when they walked down the street men would stop in shock. Her beauty was something that was unreal. That saying about people who could care less are often the most beautiful is the GIA story to a tee.I was almost the naïve one of the group. I knew little of their drug use. Way B was a major player. Between Steven , Way and Tony Gia became the IT girl overnight. Sadly most all are dead. H, something I thought had been a 60's thing was a major part of many lives. Gia was born at the wrong time. Being Gay tormented her and her family. The stories I could tell..... this was pre aids (late 70's early 80s )and people were fearless. Tony V was one of the most brilliant illustrators of the day and his work is still considered directional.Gia was like a muse. He used her image ....slighty androgynous face Lips symmetry as a model for much of his work. Gia walked like a truck driver. Her few shows ( perry ellis ) were funny in a sad way. Yet she was on the cover of Vogue that season wearing ellis ( pink hand knit sweater I think) Polly M loved her because she was so new and different. In the same way Esme was different a few years earlier for her thick brows . It was a time to love away from the typical ford model norm. Scavullo loved her and his BF sean put her on her final cover, cosmo. She looked terrible. the HIV had already done a number. The story was sanitized. The people then were about talent and newness....now its copying and " branding"

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