10 Little-Known Facts About Twiggy, Britain’s First Supermodel
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1 month ago
With her androgynous Mod style, Twiggy was the face of 1960s fashion
Flick through the fashion history books and you’re bound to find more than one picture of Twiggy. Often credited as one of the first supermodels, the British-born model, actress and singer is one of the industry’s brightest stars – with her influence still felt in the mini skirts, pixie cuts and eyeliner we still wear today. But how much do you really know about her? Here are 10 facts you might not have known about the indomitable Twiggy.
You can catch Twiggy in conversation with Anna Smith, Sadie Frist and Dr Nitin Sawhney CBE at Chelsea Arts Festival‘s upcoming panel event A Celebration of British Film & Television. For all the details (and how to get tickets), visit chelseaartsfestival.com
10 Twiggy Facts You Should Know
1. Twiggy Isn’t Her Real Name
Perhaps an obvious one, but ‘Twiggy’ is just a nickname – and the model’s real name is Lesley Lawson (formerly Hornby). A name given to her from childhood (thanks to her willowy frame and slim legs), Twiggy eventually became something of a stage name, which her then-boyfriend (and future manager) Justin de Villeneuve encouraged she should use to help shape her brand.
2. She Was Scouted When She Was 16
Twiggy entered the world of modelling from a young age, having been scouted in 1966 when she was just 16 – when a journalist spotted her picture in the window of a hair salon. It didn’t take long for her star to rise, either. Within a year of being discovered, she booked modelling gigs both in and outside the UK, starring on the covers of Vogue and Tatler. A Daily Express article even dubbed her ‘The Face of 66’, propelling her even further into the spotlight.
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3. She Became The Face Of The Swinging Sixties
Rocketing to fame in just a few short months, Twiggy quickly became one of the world’s first supermodels. And it wasn’t difficult to see why.
Twiggy embodied the 60s teenager, with her youthful, rebellious look. She was the antithesis of the previous decades’ glamourous, curvaceous beauty standard; she was slim and willowy, her hair trimmed into an androgynous pixie cut, and she wore the mini skirts, shift dresses and bold patterns that were so popular amongst Britain’s teens. She was the poster child of the 1960s Mod movement, and the muse for many designers of the era – including the likes of Mary Quant and Barbara Hulanicki.
4. But She Apparently Wasn’t A Fan Of Her Famous Pixie Cut
It might have been the driving force behind her big break, but Twiggy didn’t even want her iconic pixie cut at first. Speaking on the Table Manners podcast back in 2020, the star revealed that she had actually been trying to grow her hair at the time – but was too shy to say no to her stylist.
The stylist in question was Leonard Lewis, who was known for his more experimental cuts during the 1960s. Twiggy, a young model at the time, was still waiting for her big break – and when she was asked to test out a trendy new cut, she reluctantly agreed.
‘I went in to have it shampooed and set and Leonard saw me and he said, “Let me do my new haircut on you,”’ Twiggy told the podcast. ‘I’d been growing my hair. For a moment I kind of went, “I don’t know whether I want my hair cut.” But I was in this very posh salon in Mayfair so I was a bit too shy to say I don’t want it done, and I kind of nodded.
‘I went back the next day and I was in there for seven hours, where he cut it and then I went out and had it coloured and then re-cut,’ she continued. ‘Oh, it was mad.’
The results were captured by British photographer Barry Lategan, and hung up in the salon’s windows. The rest, they say, is history.
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5. But She Did Like Her Lashes
One feature she definitely loved, however, were her eyes. Twiggy became famous for her large, doe eyes, often rimmed in thick eyeliner and triple-lined with ultra-long lashes. They were so renowned, in fact, that she went on to launch her own makeup line in 1967 with Yardley of London – which included a set of ‘Twiggy Lashes’ and a ‘Twiggy Stix’ eye pencil to help recreate her signature doll-eyed look.
6. Twiggy Was The First Celebrity To Have Her Own Barbie Doll
And the collaborations didn’t end there. Mattel – the creators behind the Barbie doll – released a Twiggy doll in 1967, making her the first living person to be immortalized as a Barbie. The doll picked up on her signature look, with a short, blonde crop, dramatic eye makeup and a slender frame.
Twiggy inevitably set the trend for celebrity dolls, with the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Cher, Goldie Hawn, Diana Ross and more joining the ranks in later years.
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7. She Also Has Her Own Rose
It wasn’t just Barbie dolls and false eyelashes that held Twiggy’s name, but fresh blooms too. In 2010, Harkness roses – who recently unveiled another rose for the Princess of Wales – named a modern floribunda rose after the British model. Characterised by its apricot-pink colour and sweet fragrance, Twiggy’s Rose was presented for the first time that same year at Chelsea Flower Show.
8. Twiggy Stepped Away From Modelling In 1970
In 1970, just four years after her big break in the modelling business, Twiggy announced that she would be retiring from full-time modelling – instead setting her sights on acting.
The career change proved a successful one. Following her early retirement, Twiggy landed a role in Ken Russell’s blockbuster film The Boy Friend (1971), playing lead character Polly Browne. Her performance bagged her two Golden Globe awards that same year, for ‘Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy’ and ‘New Star of the Year – Actress’.
A decade later, she secured similar success on Broadway for her role in My One and Only (1983–84), which garnered her a Tony Award nomination for ‘Best Actress in a Musical’.
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9. But She Never Really Left Fashion Behind
While brief, Twiggy’s time in the fashion industry had a huge, long-lasting impact – both on us, and the woman herself.
Twiggy remained in-tune with the industry, despite formally stepping away from it in 1970. While modelling, she launched ‘Twiggy Dresses’, her own line of fun, affordable baby doll and shift dresses crafted from bright colours and Pop Art-inspired patterns – again cementing her role as a Mod trendsetter.
And, over the decades, she’s taken part in a number of design collaborations, including a series of collections for high street stalwart Marks & Spencer, and continues to hone her knitting skills at home.
10. It’s Dame Twiggy
Only solidifying her belief that Twiggy remains one of fashion’s biggest names, the former model was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to fashion, the arts and charity in 2019, recognising her lifetime contribution to the fashion world and beyond.
A Celebration of British Film & Television
Catch Twiggy herself in conversation with film critic and broadcaster Anna Smith, fashion documentarian Sadie Frost and award-winning composer and musician Dr Nitin Sawhney CBE at Chelsea Arts Festival this September.
Details: 4.15pm, Saturday 20 September 2025 at Cadogan Hall (5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ). Tickets start from £12.50pp and can be booked at chelseaartsfestival.com
