Supermodel Tatjana Patitz has died. She was 56.
“Tatiana passed away this morning in California. The cause of death was breast cancer,” her agent, Corinne Nicolas, told Insider on Wednesday.
The model, who is hailed by Vogue as “one of the original supermodels,” rose to fame in the ’80s when well-known photographer, Peter Lindbergh photographed her for his famous 1988 image, “White Shirts: Six Supermodels, Malibu.”
One of her most memorable career highlights came when she posed for British Vogue’s January 1990 cover.
The model also starred in George Michael’s “Freedom ’90” music video alongside fellow stars Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista.
“Tatjana was always the European symbol of chic, like Romy Schneider-meets-Monica Vitti,” Anna Wintour, global editorial director of Vogue, said. “She was far less visible than her peers—more mysterious, more grown-up, more unattainable—and that had its own appeal.”
She leaves behind her 19-year-old son, Jonah Johnson.
As her career went on, Tatjana made modeling a family affair. In 2012, she and Jonah, were photographed at home in the California by her longtime pal, Peter and in 2019, the duo made an appearance in a Tina Barney portfolio.
“Jonah is my source of happiness,” she said in an interview just last year according to Vogue.
Her family has not spoken out about her passing, but her agent confirmed the sad news to Dailymail.com.
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