One of the original supermodels, Lauren Hutton celebrates her 82nd birthday on November 17, 2025, and she’s still a force on the red carpet. Just a few months ago, she was photographed front row at the Milan Womenswear Spring/Summer 2026 shows with celebrities including Cate Blanchett and Glenn Close, attending the Giorgio Armani presentation on September 28, 2025. Elegant, effortless and instantly recognisable, she proves time and again that true style has no age limit.
Born Mary Laurence Hutton in Charleston, South Carolina, she grew up between the South and Florida before eventually making her way to New York in the 1960s. Modelling agencies initially told her that her signature gap-toothed smile would hold her back, but Lauren refused to change it. Instead, she embraced the feature that made her different, and soon turned it into one of the most famous smiles in fashion.
In 1973 she landed what was then the biggest modelling contract in history with Revlon, a groundbreaking moment that helped redefine the business and elevate models to celebrity status. Over the years she appeared on dozens of Vogue covers, becoming one of the defining faces of 1970s fashion.
© WireImageBut modelling was just a means to an end for Lauren, as she explained in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar. “I became a model to see the world, to make enough money to travel and experience other cultures,” she said. “I knew I had to get to New York to get to Africa.”
© GC ImagesLauren also transitioned into acting, making her film debut in the late 1960s and going on to star opposite Richard Gere in American Gigolo in 1980, a role that cemented her reputation as both a fashion muse and a bona fide actress. She continued to appear in films and television throughout the 1980s and 1990s, although she remains humble about her work.
© Getty Images“I was never really in a hit,” she said. “I was doing all these bad movies to stay away from home.” Gigolo‘s success wasn’t enough to change that. “I was almost 40, a little late to start a movie career in a big way.”
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyOff-camera, Lauren spent nearly 30 years in a long-term partnership with her manager Bob Williamson until his death, later entering another long relationship with photographer Luca Babini. Though she never married or had children, she created a fulfilling and independent life that mirrored the trailblazing spirit of her career.
© Conde Nast via Getty ImagesEven now, Lauren remains a fixture at major fashion events, often stealing the spotlight from women half her age. Her appearance at Milan Fashion Week was a reminder of the legacy she built: a woman who challenged beauty standards, reinvented the role of the model, and proved that individuality is the most stylish asset of all.
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