Janice Dickinson

(Lisa Fonssagrives is widely considered to have been the world's first supermodel, with a career that began in the 1930s.) One of the most successful models of the 1970s and 1980s, she also served as a judge on four cycles of the reality series America's Next Top Model (2003–2006).

The writer Judith Cass used the term in 1942 in her Chicago Tribune article "Super Models are Signed for Fashion Show".

In 1943, author Clyde Matthew Dessner used the term in his book So You Want to Be a Model!

Janice Doreen Dickinson (born February 16, 1955) is an American model, television personality, and businesswoman.

Initially notable as a model, Dickinson has been disputably described by herself as the first supermodel.

The New York Times, on March 21, 1967, and The Daily Times of Salisbury, Maryland on May 19, 1967, both referred to Twiggy as a supermodel.

In 1968, an article in Glamour described Twiggy, Cheryl Tiegs, Wilhelmina, Veruschka, Jean Shrimpton, and 15 other models as "supermodels".

In the early 1970s, Dickinson moved to New York City to pursue work as a model after winning a national competition called "Miss High Fashion Model."

At a time when blue-eyed blondes dominated the fashion scene, Dickinson was turned down several times by modeling agents, including Eileen Ford, who informed Dickinson she was "much too ethnic. You'll never work."

She was discovered by the fashion photographer Jacques Silberstein when his girlfriend, actress Lorraine Bracco, mentioned she liked Dickinson's look.

Wilhelmina Cooper became Dickinson's first agent.

Her modeling pursuits led her to Paris, France, where her "exotic looks" secured her reputation within the European fashion industry.

Syndicated columnist Suzy Knickerbocker in 1970 described Penelope Tree as a supermodel.

The April 23, 1971, issue of The Hour headlined one of its articles "Supermodels Reveal Their Beauty Secrets", including an advertisement with the caption "Supermodel Cheryl Tiegs".

The article also says, "The fashion/beauty world is dotted with Supermodels" and "Cybill Shepherd a Supermodel who may turn into a Superstar."

Jean Shrimpton was described as a supermodel by Time in 1971, as were Margaux Hemingway by Vogue on September 1, 1975, Beverly Johnson by Jet in 1977, and Naomi Sims in the 1978 book Total Beauty Catalog by K.T. Maclay.

Lisa Fonssagrives and Dorian Leigh, whose careers began before Dickinson was born, have been retroactively recognized as the 20th century's first supermodels.

She returned to New York City in 1978, and spent the next several years working steadily, earning $2,000 per day, nearly four times the standard rate.

Dickinson eventually signed with Ford Models to land a major ad campaign for a new JVC camera.

Dickinson, who had not forgotten Ford's initial rejection, was intent on revenge.

She soon orchastrated some twenty Ford models to defect to John Casablancas's upstart Elite Model Management.

While Dickinson claims to have coined the term supermodel in 1979, and to be the first "supermodel", the word already was known in the 1940s.

By the 1980s, Dickinson was considered a supermodel, as she "possessed the kind of name and face recognition" that the majority of women in the modeling industry strive to achieve.

She appeared within and on covers of magazines including Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Photo, Vogue, Marie Claire, and Playboy, and worked with some of fashion's best-known names, including Bill Blass, Gianni Versace, Valentino Garavani, Azzedine Alaïa, Pino Lancetti, Halston, Oscar de la Renta and Calvin Klein.

She has appeared on the cover of Vogue (International editions only) 37 times.

She was seen on the cover of Elle seven times in a row and has been the face of ad campaigns for brands including Revlon, Alberto VO5, Balmain, Obao, Christian Dior, Clairol, Hush Puppies, Orbit gum, Max Factor, Virginia Slims, and Cutex.

Dickinson looked for ways to sustain her relevance within the fashion industry as she aged, becoming a fashion photographer.

Dickinson has released three autobiographical books: No Lifeguard on Duty (2002), Everything About Me Is Fake… And I'm Perfect (2004), and ''Check Please!

Dickinson opened a modeling agency in 2005 which was documented on the reality series The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency (2006–2008).

Dating, Mating, and Extricating'' (2006).

Dickinson was born in Brooklyn, New York, the second daughter to Jennie Marie (née Pietrzykowski) and Samuel Ray Dickinson.

Her mother was of Polish descent and her father was of Irish descent.

She was raised in Hollywood, Florida with her elder sister, Alexis, who became a real estate agent, and her younger sister, Debbie, who also became a model.

Dickinson has been open about the emotional and physical abuse she suffered as a child and teenager, and how her father used to sexually abuse one of her sisters.

Of her childhood with her "rageoholic pedophile" of a father, Dickinson stated, "Because I wouldn't give in and let him have sex with me, I was verbally and physically abused on a daily basis. I was told that I looked like a boy and wouldn't amount to anything."

In 2007, Dickinson was a contestant on the seventh series of the British television show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! which she finished as runner-up.

In 2008, she starred on the reality series Janice & Abbey, alongside British model Abbey Clancy.

In 2008, she launched her own jewelry line on HSN.

In 2009, Dickinson recorded a song entitled "Crazy", which was written and produced by Craig Taylor.

In 2010, Dickinson appeared on the fourth series of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, and in 2015, she appeared on Celebrity Big Brother 16.