Many models have entered the history of New York fashion. However, only some managed to become famous abroad and achieve great success. Dovima was among the famous beauties of the 20th century. She was the owner of the thinnest waist in the world! She was a favorite of many photographers. Her most popular photo with elephants was sold at auction for $1 million. What else was surprising about this slim lady and how did she become famous? Read more on newyorkski.
Illness and unexpected success in the modeling business
The future star of magazine covers and catwalks was born in the capital of world fashion, New York. She lived in a family of emigrants. Her mother was Irish and her father was Polish-American. As a child, Dorothy dreamed of becoming a ballerina or an artist. However, her fate turned out differently. Young years became a test for her, which she bravely passed, and got what others could only dream of.
At the age of 10, Dorothy contracted rheumatic fever. Doctors prescribed her bed rest and home education. The girl had to give up many creative activities in the groups she wanted to attend. She spent most of her time alone and suffered from a lack of communication. Her childhood was not like that of her peers: no entertainment, traveling and meetings with friends. Her parents were her only support. They were engaged in her upbringing and education.
When she turned 18, things started to improve. The disease, which had troubled her for many years, finally receded. Since that time, she was no longer as lonely as in childhood. She married her neighbor who worked in a bank. They lived together in the apartment of Dorothy’s parents.
At that time, she still did not know what she would do in life. She boldly tried new things and looked for a job to her liking. She worked as a salesperson in a candy store and as a designer’s assistant in an advertising agency. Despite her attractive appearance and ideal figure, Dorothy did not even dream of a career as a model. One acquaintance in New York changed her life and helped her decide on a career choice.
Dorothy was accidentally spotted on the street by an employee of Vogue magazine. The publication urgently needed a model. The girl who was supposed to take part in the photo shoot fell ill. Dorothy agreed to the offer and received the first salary, $17.50.
She immediately liked working in front of the camera. Even without experience, the girl was able to pose well. She seemed to guess the wishes of the photographers. Her career in the modeling business began at this moment.
Dovima made a good impression and continued to work as a model for Vogue magazine. After one year, she was earning $30 an hour and was very proud of it. Her husband earned the same amount for a week at the bank. Such rapid success took place after signing a contract with the Eileen Ford modeling agency. Soon, its models became successful all over the world. Dovima was among them.
How did Dovima differ from other models and how did she become popular?
Dovima entered the history of fashion as the first model known only by her first name. She invented the word herself in childhood. She made it up from the first syllables of her full name, Dorothy Virginia Margaret Juba. As a child, she began to sign her drawings with the word Dovima. As an adult, she signed autographs for fans and acquaintances who saw her in magazines, advertisements and on the catwalk.
After filming for many publications and participating in fashion shows in New York, Dovima became a sought-after model. She was invited to photo shoots and interviewed. Her appearance, like other models, often became a reason for discussions in the press. Journalists called her aristocratic due to her very pale skin, thin arms and waist. Her smile was compared to Mona Lisa’s.
As it turned out later, Dovima only opened her mouth a little because she was ashamed of her broken tooth. The model injured it as a child while playing. In addition, she admitted that she never considered herself beautiful in many interviews. Even at the height of fame, when she received large fees, her opinion about herself remained unchanged. Meanwhile, fashion professionals highly appreciated her appearance and considered it an honor to work with her.
She starred in 500 covers! How did a beauty from New York conquer world fashion?
From the first years of working as a model, she began to appear in popular magazines, such as Glamour, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. A slim and fragile woman with a thin waist was a standard of beauty and style. Dovima looked perfect in almost any outfit. She was a role model for many American women. Women wanted to look just like her. The photographers watched with interest how the model posed.
Many fans of fashion admired her ability to show beauty and femininity in photographs. One of them was photographer Richard Avedon. Dovima was his muse:
‘She was the last of the great elegant, aristocratic beauties’. So he said according to vanityfair.
He also did a photo that entered the history of world photography. It is called Dovima with Elephants. The shot was taken in 1955 in a Paris circus. At that time, a photo session in such places was considered something new and unusual. Since then, new genres of photography and the fashion for taking photos outside of photo studios have emerged in New York.
In addition to the photo shoot with elephants, Dovima impressed fashion fans with many other shots. Once, she stood on the Eiffel Tower and almost fell from a height. She also posed in front of the Sphinx in Egypt. Then, the photographer Richard Avedon called her Queen Nefertiti.
For many years, she traveled, met new people and took part in photo sessions that took place in the most amazing parts of the Earth: against the background of historical monuments, the ocean, wild nature, skyscrapers and the desert.
Dovima made her native New York famous in many countries. She became one of the most popular models of the middle of the XX century. She inspired and impressed thousands of women and men with her beauty and slimness. However, she decided to leave the modeling business at the peak of her popularity.
The end of a modeling career
Dovima loved to take part in photo shoots and work in front of the camera. Surprisingly enough, she ended her career very early. At the age of 35, she left the modeling industry forever. The model did not want to wait until she started to age and look bad.
For the next few years, she played small roles in movies, but did not dream of becoming an actress. Then, Dovima tried to open a modeling agency. However, difficulties arose and everything turned out differently. She failed to realize herself in other areas and she never got a good education. After unsuccessful attempts to find a new profession, Dovima left New York to live with her parents in Florida.
She began a different life without glamor, photo shoots and high fees. Dovima worked in sales and the restaurant business to earn a living. Love also appeared in her life. She married another man with whom she had been in love for a long time.
They lived together for 11 years, after which Dovima was left alone and for a long time experienced the death of a loved one. She lived an interesting life, full of various events and often recalled them in her old age. Working as a model, she achieved great success, which brought her fame and a lot of money. However, everything comes to an end. 1990 was the last year in the life of New York model Dovima. She died of liver cancer at the age of 62.