Kristen McMenamy (born December 13, 1964) is an American supermodel known for her unconventional, androgynous appearance. Originally a long-haired redhead,[3] she reinvented her look in the early 1990s by having her hair cut short and dyed black, and her eyebrows shaved off.[4] Her career was boosted by the advent of the grunge fashion trend.[5][6][7]

McMenamy was born in Easton, Pennsylvania[8] and also spent some time in her youth in Buffalo, New York.[9][10] She was the third of seven children in an Irish-American Catholic family.

McMenamy attended Notre Dame High School in Easton, where she received excellent grades,[11] but was often teased by her classmates, who called her “Skeleton” due to her lanky body.[8][12] While in college, she decided to drop out of school to pursue a career in modeling.[11]

After heading to New York City, she was rejected by various modeling agencies.[8][13] She nonetheless continued following her dream to model. She later recounted, “I got rejected by everyone. But I was obsessed! It was the only thing I wanted to do and I wanted it so badly. I was like a bulldog, hanging on by my teeth.”[13]

Upon meeting the modeling agent Eileen Ford, McMenamy was told to consider getting plastic surgery.[6][8][14] Despite that, she managed to get signed by an agency that sent her to work in Paris.[15] A few years later, she was signed by Elite Model Management,[16] and subsequently by Ford Models.[14][17] McMenamy’s modeling career mainly spanned the years 1985 to 1998, when she worked for many of the world’s top designers and international fashion houses, such as VersaceGiorgio ArmaniValentinoTodd OldhamChristian DiorSonia RykielDolce & GabbanaJean Paul GaultierGianfranco FerréLanvinIsaac MizrahiYohji YamamotoThierry MuglerComme des GarçonsChloé, and Moschino.[citation needed]

Read more about her at Kristen McMenamy – Wikipedia.

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