Janice Dickinson

Her manager, concerned that at the peak of her modeling career she was doing too much work, told her, "You are not Superman." Dickinson replied, "I am not Superman, I am a supermodel."

Dickinson's claims for coining the term "supermodel" and being the first one to represent the title are disputed. The term "supermodel" was already known in the 1940s. The writer Judith Cass used the term in 1942 for her article in the Chicago Tribune, which headlined "Super Models are Signed for Fashion Show". Later in 1943, Clyde Matthew Dessner used the term in his modeling book. The term was popular throughout the 1960s to 1970s. The New York Times, on March 21, 1967, and The Daily Times, on May 19, 1967, referred to Twiggy as a supermodel. In 1968, an article in Glamour described Twiggy, Cheryl Tiegs, Wilhelmina, Veruschka, Jean Shrimpton, and fifteen other top models as "supermodels". The July 8, 1970 issue of The Gazette described Penelope Tree as a supermodel. The April 23, 1971 issue of The Hour headlined one of its articles "Supermodels Reveal Their Beauty Secrets", including an advertisement with the caption "Supermodel Cheryl Tiegs". The article also says, "The fashion/beauty world is dotted with Supermodels" and "Cybill Shepherd a Supermodel who may turn into a Superstar." Jean Shrimpton was also described as a supermodel by Time in 1971, as were Margaux Hemingway by Vogue on September 1, 1975, Beverly Johnson by Jet in 1977, and Naomi Sims in the 1978 book Total Beauty Catalog by K.T. Maclay. Read Less