Fashion Capital of the World - Modelinia.com is launching the History of Models, an interactive timeline and original concept series that spans 80 years in the evolution of models. From the socialites who doubled as models to the faces that launched international brands, History of Models reflects and investigates how models represent the changing values of the general public. The idea of beauty has changed dramatically over time, so the "It girl" of the 1940s may have been considered a "plain Jane" in the 1990s.

Through images and videos, the History of Models demonstrates that the rise to prominence of different types of models is an indicator of what was happening in the political, economic, and social spheres of any certain era. When American women were looking to free themselves from the home and enter the workplace, Twiggy, a free-spirited model with a pixie cut, reigned supreme. When consumers recoiled from the overindulgences of the 1970s and gravitated towards the health consciousness of the 1980s, Christie Brinkley catapulted to fame.

    "Why the model is important is that she is transmitting the changes in women's lives and not just the changes in fashion," stated Kohle Yohannan, cocurator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's "The Model as Muse" exhibit. "It's the power of personae that is being developed," he continues. "Do you represent the look and value of the time?"

    Modelinia.com's History of Models timeline also allows visitors to spot fun facts and expose unexpected coincidences. Did you know Elle Macpherson was born in 1964, the same year Sports Illustrated launched their now famous Swimsuit Issue? She went on to grace the most SI Swimsuit covers in the magazine's history.

    The History of Models original video series includes interviews with founder of Elite models, John Casablancas; Kohle Yohannan and Harold Koda, cocurators of the Met's "The Model as Muse" exhibit; renowned fashion photographer Roxanne Lowitt; supermodels Carol Alt, Dayle Haddon, Linda Evangelista, and Heidi Klum; and also features supporting articles by
author Camilla Morton.

    To learn more about models on and off the runway and the fashion pages, check out the History of Models timeline and the original video series.
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    Modelinia, a cross platform media brand for all things Supermodel, launched in February 2009. http://www.modelinia.com is the first entertainment web destination dedicated to the life of the Supermodel, beyond the pages of fashion magazines and far off the catwalks of New York, Paris and Milan. Modelinia. Because models don't get enough attention.