Gia Carangi, one of the world's first supermodels, rose to fame in the late 1970s with her olive skin, thick brunette hair, and androgynous allure. The Philadelphia native, of Italian ancestry, became a fixture on Cosmopolitan covers and worked for top designers like Versace and Christian Dior, as well as landing numerous Vogue covers. However, her career was derailed by a heroin addiction, leading her to quit in 1983. She died in 1986 at age 26 from AIDS-related complications.
Carangi's troubled childhood included frequent parental fights and sexual abuse at age five. She was an open bisexual with a tomboy persona, frequenting gay clubs in Philadelphia during high school. After being told she had the looks for a supermodel career, she moved alone to New York City and signed with Wilhelmina Models at age 17, quickly achieving fame.
Her rapid rise was followed by a descent into heavy drug use, reportedly triggered by a failed romance with makeup artist Sandy Linter and the death of her mentor, Wilhelmina Cooper. By 1980, after only two years of fame, her bookings declined as photographers struggled with her drug-induced lethargy and track marks.
Carangi's story gained renewed attention when Angelina Jolie portrayed her in a 1998 HBO movie. November 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of her death.
