The fashion world mourns one of these most beautiful models. Of German nationality, Tatjana Patitz died on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at the age of 56.
“Today, the fashion industry has lost an icon,” says the agency Model Coop, which represented Tatjana Patitz. As Anna Wintour aptly said, “Tatjana has always been the symbol of European elegance, like Romy Schneider and Monica Vitti.” As one of the first supermodels and thanks to her work with Patrick Demarchelier, Herb Ritts and Peter Lindbergh, Tatjana’s career in the fashion industry stands out. Today, we pay homage to an iconic beauty. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
From Freedom to “better to go bare than to wear fur”, a perfect journey
Tatjana Patitz was part of this generation of star models, consisting of Claudia Schiffer, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell or Cindy Crawford. With some of them, she also appeared in George Michael’s famous music video Freedom. In 1994, she illustrated herself in the campaign “Better to go naked than to wear fur” (We prefer to be naked than to wear fur) for the animal protection association Peta, along with other models. Avant-garde, this equestrian enthusiast has always preferred to stay on the sidelines, a choice illustrated by the fact that he lives in California rather than a major fashion city like New York or Paris.
“I am very sorry to hear that Tatjana Patitz has passed away. She was a true member of the supermodel gang and it’s hard to believe that someone so young is leaving us. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. She was a joy to work with, so grounded yet uplifting. I hope she has horses and dogs in heaven, she will be greatly missed,” Claudia Schiffer posted on her Instagram profile.