Tatjana Patitz: An Analysis of What Makes Her One of the Greatest Supermodels of All Time

January 1990 Issue of Vogue US

Shot by none other than the legendary fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh, this issue of Vogue catapulted a generation of celebrity models, who were further added into the supermodel status, including the likes of Claudia Schiffer, Stephanie Seymour, Helena Christensen, Yasmeen Ghauri, Karen Mulder, Carla Bruni, Nadege du Bospertus, Kristen McMenamy, Nadja Auermann, Eva Herzigova, Stella Tennant, Shalom Harlow, Kate Moss, Amber Valletta, Carolyn Murphy, etc. Tatjana, along with the other four original supermodels, was further featured in George Michael's music video of his 90s hit single "Freedom! ‘90" which remains till this day one of the most iconic moments in modeling history.

 

George Michaels’ “Freedom! ‘’90”

George Michael - Freedom! ’90 (Official Video) - YouTube

 

Among the late 80s to early 90s supermodel generation, Tatjana was the only one who can best rival the "Fashion Chameleon" Linda Evangelista in terms of print work (though Kristen McMenamy was no slacker either). Arguably, they were the greatest muses of the supermodel generation. Linda was a very Italianate beauty: melodic, elegant, and sophisticated, yet spontaneous and full of vigor and drama. Tatjana, on the other hand, was a very Germanic beauty: edgy, cool, and steely, yet hypnotic, intense and sinfully seductive. Comparing the two is like comparing the beauties of Sophia Loren and Marlene Dietrich, or the musical geniuses of Verdi with Wagner. Just an endless debate on who is the better artist, but regardless both excellent and masters of their own craft.

 

Linda Evangelista

 

Tatjana Patitz

 

What makes Tatjana Patitz so great? For starters, Tatjana was extremely photogenic and magnetic in front of the camera lens. She possessed extremely well defined cheekbones with dangerously hypnotic blue eyes. Though not a conventional and mainstream beauty, as she didn't fit the mold of perfection like the "Classic Beauty" Christy Turlington, Tatjana possessed an imposing yet mesmerizing charm that demanded its own category of attention. For me, every time I stare at an image of Tatjana, it is a transcendental experience. Note that I don’t say this often about models, as few models ever had this impact on me. What Tatjana possessed were eyes that had the perfect combination of fire and ice. A smoldering seductive gaze like fire juxtaposed by those icy cold blues. Just like Tyra Banks teaches young models the importance to smile with one's eyes or "smize," Tatjana very much understood and applied that philosophy, as one's eyes are truly the windows to one's soul. When one sees a photo of Tatjana, one can't help but stay transfixed at her eyes. The versatility in her expressions with her eyes was her very arsenal that made her such a great fashion model. At times, the gaze could be intense and magnetic, drawing the viewer inward, almost as if she casted a spell of hypnosis, yet at other times, it can also be soft and vulnerable, drawing sympathy from the viewer, or at other times, it could be mysterious like a true poker face. The command of expressions she had with her eyes was quite astonishing. Here are some examples:

 

Hypnotic gaze

 

Intense gaze

 

Soft gaze

 

Seductive gaze

 

Intimidating gaze

 

Confident gaze

 

Disillusioned gaze

 

Bored gaze

 

Happy gaze

 

Clueless gaze

 

High gaze

 

Suspicious gaze

 

Mysterious gaze

 

Regretful Gaze

 

Sad Gaze

 

Hopeful gaze

 

Distraught gaze

 

Mellow gaze

Often, a lot of breathtakingly gorgeous models can leave you impressed and blown away with their sheer perfection, yet still leave you feeling empty inside. When perfection becomes the standard, it starts to become overused, predictable and boring. You feel nothing but sheer perfection. In the words of Charles Wuorinen, "In any medium, entertainment is that which we can receive and enjoy passively, without effort, without our putting anything into the experience. Art is that which requires some initial effort from the receiver, after which the experience received may indeed be entertaining, but also transcending as well. Art is like nuclear fusion: you have to put something into it to get it started, but you get more out of it in the end than what you put in. Entertainment is its own reward, and generally doesn't last."

 

So many models can look strikingly beautiful upon initial sight. There is no effort required to acknowledge their beauty. One simply accepts it subconsciously, and that is because we have been conditioned by the society to think that they have the desirable features that make a perfect beauty. Their beauty is impressive and enjoyable to watch and admire, very much like entertainment is. It is consumed passively and involuntarily simply because it is enjoyable and easy to watch. Their beauty offers an instant yet evanescent sense of pleasure that often does not stand the test of time, because, as mentioned, when perfection becomes the norm, it becomes predictable, common, and boring.

 

Tatjana, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Her beauty was not meant for the masses. It was to be consumed and understood by only a select few who had an understanding and appreciation for the distinct and the unconventional. Initially, she may not be strikingly beautiful for the average straight male or even the average female, but when one puts the effort to study and analyze her appeal, one is rewarded with more than he/she initially invested in. She was not perfect, but she was invigorating and exciting to look at. She left you in awe because her images told a story. She was a model with substance. Ms. Patitz's eyes not only connected with the camera, but would penetrate through the lens and pages of a magazine, and directly affect your soul. She left you feeling moved. She left you amazed. She left you with an "emotion." That is what separates an average model from an excellent model.

 

Tatjana’s images transcend the pages of a photo and persist in the realm of reality, thriving in the viewer's mind. This image, thus, becomes a source of inspiration and admiration. That is why she was a muse to so many designers like Karl Lagerfeld, photographers like Peter Lindbergh and Herb Ritts, and fashion editors, including editor-in-chief of American Vogue Anna Wintour, who considered Tatjana one of her all-time favorite models. The ones knowledgeable and educated enough to recognize her beauty dedicated their careers on creating timeless pieces of visual art. That is why, for me, Tatjana Patitz is one of the greatest supermodels of all time.

 

TL:DR: Sorry for the lengthy post. But clearly, I am a very big admirer of Ms. Patitz. As a reward, here are some quotes and images that showcase Tatjana’s beauty and talent as a model. But be warned, it is a shit ton of pictures.

 

Shot by Herb Ritts

"Her features are a bit off; she's not a typical, commercial beauty, but when I shoot her, I'm never bored. Her looks have power, strength, intensity," Herb Ritts.

 

Daughters of Poseidon

 

Lost Siren

 

Beached Siren

 

Serene Death

 

Birth of Venus

 

Rise of the Bombshell

 

Bedazzled Temptress

 

Sylvan Nymph

 

Amazonian Goddess

 

Woman Underneath the Veil

 

Darkness Consumes

 

Au Naturel

 

In Bathing Suit

 

Shot by Peter Lindbergh

“I admire Tatjana because she always stays herself. She's very soft, but at the same time she's very strong and knows how to stand up for what she thinks, and it's always very enriching to be with her. It's impossible not to admire her and over the years not to be just a little bit in love with her,” Peter Lindbergh.

 

Morning Coffee in Paris

 

Morning Stroll in Paris

 

Desert Bandits

 

Disillusionment

 

Rough & Disheveled

 

Humble Beginnings at Modeling

 

Seductive Wet Look

 

40s Interbellum Fashion

 

Strike the Pose

 

Vedette by the Beach

 

In Foreign Lands

 

Morning Coffee With Doggy

 

The Supermodels

 

Gangs of New York

 

The White Shirt Campaign

 

Reunited and It Feels So Good

 

Behind the Scenes

 

Gone Is the Youth But Love Is Forever

 

Shot by Nick Knight

Madame Patitz

 

Jil Sander Campaigns

 

Shot by Terry O’Neill

Midsummer’s Night Dream

 

Shot by Patrick Demarchelier

“It's hard to get a bad picture of Tatjana. She's very photogenic, which is very rare, and she looks different in every light. While some models develop one look, she has many," Patrick Demarchelier.

50s Swimswear

 

Meditation by Pool

 

Princess Tatjana

 

Breakfast in Cairo

 

Hookah Afternoon

 

Archeologist in Full Fashion

 

Vogue’s 100th Anniversary Issue: The Supermodels

 

Shot by Arthur Elgort

Life in the Wild West

 

Shot by Mike Ruiz

Tatjana Enterprise

 

Shot by Helmut Newton

Biker Girlfriend

 

Shot by Sante D’Orazio

Lady Under the Robe

 

Sun-Kissed Glow

 

Shot by Djeneba Aduayom

Etherial Look

 

Shot by Max Vadukul

Noir Film Star

 

My Curls Don’t Lie

 

Shot by Bruce Weber

Steamy Versace Versus Campaign

 

Shot by Mikael Jansson

A Typical Life in Winter Siberia

 

Shot by Gianpaolo Sgura

Chic Beret

 

Shot by Fabrizio Ferri

Back to the Manor

 

Shot by Andrew Macpherson

Portrait

 

Sultry Look

 

Shot by Ellen von Unwerth

A Tale of Two Women

 

Shots by Philip Dixon

Inside the Queen’s Lair

 

Shot by Pamela Hanson

Life in New York

 

Shot by Kurt Markus

Equestrian Bombshell

 

Here are some of her runway looks, though I admit that her runway walk was not particularly good.

 

Azzedine Alaïa (Fall/Winter 1990–1991 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Chanel (Fall/Winter 1991–1992 Haute Couture)

 

Dior (Fall/Winter 1991–1992 Haute Couture)

 

Valentino (Fall/Winter 1991–1992 Haute Couture)

 

Chanel (Spring/Summer 1992 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Dolce & Gabbana (Spring/Summer 1992 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Prada (Spring/Summer 1992 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Chanel (Fall/Winter 1992–1993 Haute Couture)

 

Prada (Fall/Winter 1992–1993 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Dolce & Gabbana (Fall/Winter 1992–1993 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Jil Sander (Fall/Winter 1992–1993 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Jean Paul Gaultier (Spring/Summer 1994 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Versace (Spring/Summer 1994 Haute Couture)

 

Prada (Spring/Summer 1994 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Vivienne Westwood (Fall/Winter 1994–1995 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Calvin Klein (Spring/Summer 1995 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Donna Karan (Spring/Summer 1995 Ready-to-Wear)

 

Chanel (Cruise 2010)

 

Etro (Fall/Winter 2019–2020 Ready-to-Wear)

 

More Quotes:

"In pictures, her sensitivity is what comes through; something delicate, fragile, exciting. It's a strange mixture of lazy sensuality and moments of intense emotion,” John Casablancas (former President of Elite Model Management).

 

"I look for more than beauty. There must be a memorable quality. Tatjana has it more than anyone else. She sticks in your mind. There's a depth, an emotional quality to her that's truly extraordinary. She's very dear, charming and extremely feminine. She's very open and her priorities are natural things - animals, the sea, the environment. That's what's so interesting about her. She's not what she seems,” Matthew Rolston (American fashion photographer).

 

“At just shy of six feet tall, Teutonically self-composed, and dominating any room she cared to walk into [sic], Tatjana was the biggest beast in the seething jungle; Vogue amplified the comparison by fixating on her lynx-like eyes, impossibly blue and curved around the temples like a cat's,” Vogue magazine.

 

“Like other famous beauties before her, Tatjana Patitz possesses a certain extraterrestrial quality, an aura of exquisite otherworldliness only too effortlessly capable of freezing mere mortals in their tracks...She's the fitting embodiment of the nineties ideal: a cool customer who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. Rarely have blonde hair and blue eyes managed to look quite so exotic - with her trademark world-weary gaze and her loose-limbed aristocratic bearing, Patitz often seems as if she's just been awakened from a divinely decadent dream,” ELLE magazine (April 1990).