Naomi Campbell has shot her own cover image for ESSENCE magazine during self-isolation.
The 49-year-old supermodel – who is set to celebrate her 50th birthday later this month – snapped a series of shots from her home on her iPhone to grace the cover of the longest-running Black media platform for its 50th anniversary, marking history as the first cover star to shoot her own photos.
Sharing a snap of the May/June magazine cover on her Instagram account, she wrote: “It was a very special honor and unusual experience for me to be able to shoot and style my own cover for Essence’ 50th Anniversary Issue on my iPhone .
“While it was a sad reminder for me of all the people in media and production who are not able to work due to the coronavirus, it also brought me hope and encouragement to know that our people and our infrastructures are resilient.
“We are rooted in knowledge and creativity and continue to take back full control of our narratives. We will come out of this stronger than ever. Happy Anniversary @Essence magazine. As we both turn the century together.”
Naomi donned a vintage Chloé dress from her own closet on the cover, which she styled herself – along with her hair, makeup and the rest of her shoot.
It marks the model’s seventh appearance on the cover of the publication – which is aimed at a readership of African-American women – and, despite turning 50 on May 22, she has no intention of stopping working as a model until “God wants me to”.
She told the magazine: “I’m embracing being here, living, breathing. All the simple things we took for granted now matter so much more than ever before … I do believe that I will rest when God wants me to. But until then, I’ll keep going.”
Discovered at the age of 15, she established herself amongst the most recognizable and in-demand models of the late 1980s and the 1990s and was one of six models of her generation declared supermodels by the fashion industry and the international press.
In addition to her modelling career, Campbell has embarked on other ventures, including an R&B-pop studio album and several acting appearances in film and television, such as the modelling-competition reality show The Face and its international offshoots. Campbell is also involved in charity work for various causes.
