Supermodels Discovered: The inspiring origin stories of the biggest names in the fashion industry

Leaper looks back on the careers of supermodels from China Machado, Veruschka von Lehndorff, Carla Bruni and Gisele Bündchen to Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid. She also interviewed nine of them, including Pat Cleveland, Beverly Johnson, Janice Dickinson, Claudia Schiffer, Karen Elson and Halima Aden in a Q&A format about what inspired their signature walks; key memories over the decades; first impressions of the fashion industry, and setting boundaries on their own terms.

Elson is candid about her journey into modeling and the difficulties she faced growing up in the north of England when the beauty ideal was either Pamela Anderson on "Baywatch" or Cindy Crawford [...]

Another standout interview for Leaper was Schiffer, who she said still remembers every detail of how she was approached by scout Dominic Galas and the agent Michel Levaton. [...]

There are tender moments in the book, such as Aden's story in the fashion industry and setting out a contract on her own terms.

Supermodels Discovered explores the career of 53 models, from the pioneers of the 90s to today's stars such as Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner. The book imparts anecdotes, fascinating facts and behind-the-scenes views of the world of fashion, from the origins of modelling in 1911 to the present day.
The volume also reveals the first use of the term 'supermodel' in 1942, and includes interviews and personal stories like that of Halima Aden.

Thanks to Leaper's keen investigative abilities and interviewing know-how, the fashion journalist is able to take readers on intimate journeys inside the origin stories of 53 models-slash-celebrities, who were able to shape their industry from 1911 to the present day... The recollections in Supermodels Discovered vary from the funny to the heartfelt, but absolutely every last one of them is equipped with an important lesson: on how to persevere under pressure, as the whole world watches on.