Naomi Campbell
Naomi Elaine Campbell was born on the 22nd of May 1970 in Lambeth, South London. Her mother Valerie Morris worked as a modern dancer and took Naomi to Rome for several years before returning to England. The child attended dance classes at the Barbara Speake Stage School from age three. She later studied ballet at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts while also attending Dunraven School. Campbell made her first public appearance at age eight in Bob Marley's music video Is This Love. She tap-danced in Culture Club videos during 1983 and 1984 before being scouted by Beth Boldt in Covent Garden. Boldt headed the Synchro Model Agency and spotted Campbell window shopping just before her 16th birthday. That same month she appeared on the cover of British Elle magazine.
Campbell walked the catwalk for Gianni Versace and Azzedine Alaïa during the late 1980s. Photographers like Peter Lindbergh and Herb Ritts captured her image repeatedly throughout that decade. By 1989 she formed a trio with Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista known as the Trinity. These women became the most recognizable models of their generation despite facing racial discrimination. Campbell received support from white friends when designers refused to hire her. Dolce & Gabbana faced pressure from her peers who stated they would not work without Naomi. In December 1987 she appeared on the cover of British Vogue as its first black cover girl since 1966. Yves St. Laurent threatened to withdraw advertising if French Vogue did not feature her. She graced the August 1988 issue making history as the first black model on that publication's cover. American Vogue followed suit in 1989 featuring her on the September issue traditionally reserved for the year's biggest fashion spread.
Campbell branched into entertainment during the mid-1990s with a novel titled Swan released in 1994. Caroline Upcher ghostwrote the book about a supermodel dealing with blackmail because Campbell claimed she lacked time to write it herself. Her R&B album Babywoman arrived later that same year produced by Youth and Tim Simenon. The record only achieved commercial success in Japan where its single Love and Tears reached number 40 on charts. Critics mocked the album leading to the creation of the Naomi Awards parodying her musical efforts. She took small roles in films like Miami Rhapsody and Spike Lee's Girl 6 while appearing on New York Undercover. Campbell hosted reality competition shows including The Face and its international offshoots across the United States and Australia. She served as a judge alongside Karolina Kurkova and Coco Rocha on Oxygen's version of the program. Her web series No Filter with Naomi launched during the spring of 2020 featuring conversations with guests like Cindy Crawford and Marc Jacobs. Studio71 curates content for her channels on YouTube and Facebook under a partnership signed in August 2020.
Campbell supports the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund after organizing a benefit Versace fashion show in 1998. The event took place at South African presidential residence and became the subject of a documentary titled FashionKingdom. She opened a Breakthrough breast cancer research unit in 2009 following her mother's battle with the disease. In 2005 she founded We Love Brazil to raise funds through fabric sales by local women. That same year she established Fashion for Relief which organized shows benefiting victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake. By 2011 the charity had reportedly raised £4.5 million for disaster relief efforts. Campbell held another gala themed Race To Equality in 2018 before facing investigation into financial practices. The Charity Commission removed her as trustee from Fashion for Relief in 2023 after finding multiple instances of misconduct. The organization eventually closed on the 15th of March 2024 due to these findings.
Campbell has been convicted of assault four times between 1998 and 2009. She pleaded guilty to assaulting her personal assistant in September 1998 and later assaulted a housekeeper in January 2007. Her community service involved wearing designer outfits including a silver-sequinned $300,000 Dolce & Gabbana gown upon completion. She detailed this experience in a W feature titled The Naomi Diaries before spoofing herself in a Dunkin' Donuts commercial directed by Zach Braff. In June 2008 she was sentenced for attacking two police officers at London Heathrow Airport. A jury found her guilty of assaulting a paparazzo in Rome during July 2015. Campbell also faced legal scrutiny regarding her association with Jeffrey Epstein who died in August 2019. Department of Justice transcripts released in August 2025 showed Ghislaine Maxwell admitted Campbell likely visited Little Saint James. The former trustee ban imposed in September 2024 lasted five years following an investigation into financial mismanagement. Fashion for Relief spent only 8.5% of its income on charitable grants while making unauthorized payments to advisors.
Campbell remains one of the most famous black models of her time despite earning less money than white colleagues throughout much of her career. She stated in 1991 that she never made the same amount as other top models due to industry bias. Her advocacy group Diversity Coalition formed in 2013 alongside Iman and Bethann Hardison to challenge racial discrimination in fashion weeks. An open letter named designers who used no models of color in their Autumn 2013 shows calling it a racist act. The Victoria and Albert Museum launched a solo exhibition titled Naomi: In Fashion in June 2024 highlighting her philanthropic work. The exhibit displays 100 curated outfits from her modeling years alongside personal archive images. Campbell received an honorary doctorate from UCA University for the Creative Arts in July 2022 for her impact on global fashion. She appeared in the 2023 Apple TV+ docuseries The Super Models directed by Roger Ross Williams and Larissa Bills. As of 2024 she has walked catwalks for over 60 major brands including Chanel Prada and Louis Vuitton.
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Common questions
When and where was Naomi Campbell born?
Naomi Elaine Campbell was born on the 22nd of May 1970 in Lambeth, South London. Her mother Valerie Morris worked as a modern dancer and took her to Rome for several years before returning to England.
Who were the other models in Naomi Campbell's Trinity trio?
By 1989 she formed a trio with Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista known as the Trinity. These women became the most recognizable models of their generation despite facing racial discrimination.
What books and albums did Naomi Campbell release during the mid-1990s?
Campbell branched into entertainment during the mid-1990s with a novel titled Swan released in 1994. Her R&B album Babywoman arrived later that same year produced by Youth and Tim Simenon.
Why did Fashion for Relief close in March 2024?
The organization eventually closed on the 15th of March 2024 due to findings of financial misconduct. The Charity Commission removed her as trustee from Fashion for Relief in 2023 after finding multiple instances of misconduct.
How many times has Naomi Campbell been convicted of assault between 1998 and 2009?
Campbell has been convicted of assault four times between 1998 and 2009. She pleaded guilty to assaulting her personal assistant in September 1998 and later assaulted a housekeeper in January 2007.