Tatjana Patitz: – Supermodel is dead

On Wednesday evening came the news that German supermodel Tatjana Patitz has died, aged just 56. This is reported by the news agency AP.

In front of the AP, her agent, Corinne Nicolas of the Model Coop Agency, confirms the model’s passing. She says that Patitz had been ill, but gave no further details about the cause of death.

Patitz lived in California, and is survived by a son.

She was born in Germany but grew up in Sweden. Eventually she moved to the states, specifically to California.

The former supermodel is best known for being in the elite group of models called the “big five”, or the “original supermodels”, along with Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell.

In addition, she was also one of the models who starred in George Michael’s music video “Freedom! ’90”.

According to the AP, she was one of the favorites of fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh, who photographed her famous 1988 photo, “White Shirts: Six Supermodels, Malibu,” as well as a 1990 British Vogue cover photo.

Editor-in-chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour (73), has previously stated the following about Patitz:

– She was always the European symbol of elegance, like Romy Schneider meets Monica Vitti. She was far less visible than her peers — more mysterious, more grown-up, more unattainable — and that had its own appeal, she said.