Born on February 2, 1954, in Monroe, Michigan, Christie Brinkley—originally Christie Lee Hudson—was raised amid the sunny glamour of Los Angeles. She attended Palisades High School before following her artistic passions all the way to Paris, where she pursued her studies in art.
Modeling Career
Christie Brinkley’s rise to fame began with a twist of fate—she was discovered in a Paris post office by American photographer Errol Sawyer.
Her all-American beauty and vibrant charisma quickly made waves in the fashion world. In the late 1970s and 1980s, she became a household name, most famously as the face of CoverGirl, a role she held for a record-breaking 25 years. Brinkley also made history as the first model to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue three years in a row, from 1979 to 1981—securing her place as one of the most iconic supermodels of her era.
