Printable Biography of Cheryl Tiegs

The now-famous photograph, which featured Tiegs in a seemingly innocent white swimsuit, epitomized her perfect combination of girl-next-door innocence and innate sexuality. The Sports Illustrated feature lead to a wealth of opportunities, including the cover of Time magazine and a $1.5 million contract with Cover Girl cosmetics.

Growing up in Los Angeles, Tiegs auditioned for and was cast in a handful of television commercials. The exposure coupled with her all-American look landed her on the cover of Glamour magazine in 1964. Immediately inundated with offers, Tiegs moved to New York City in hopes of launching a professional modeling career while her plans to graduate college fell by the wayside. After initially struggling to find work, Tiegs eventually landed photo shoots with high profile magazines like Vogue and Elle, and finally Sports Illustrated.

In 1980, Tiegs published The Way to Natural Beauty and began using her name and knowledge of fashion to create signature designs for Sears, Roebuck and Co. Within a year, the Cheryl Tiegs casual sportswear line was sold at over 700 stores nationwide and accounted for an estimated $100 million in revenue. Considered one of the pioneers of celebrity-endorsed apparel and credited with bringing sex appeal to the 100-year-old chain, Tiegs was featured on the cover of Time magazine for a second time in 1984.

In 1995, 47-year-old Tiegs made a very visible comeback when she posed for her fourth Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. Recently, she reentered the fashion business with a new line of womenswear (sold exclusively on QVC), as well as a line of wigs and hair accessories for Revlon Cosmetics. In November 2000, at a gala at the Beverly Wilshire, Tiegs was honored as the first MAC Fashion Icon, a fitting tribute to the all-American girl who became the first American supermodel.