Fashion designer Donaltella Versace walks the runway finale with the supermodels of the 90s. Photo / Getty Images
Fashion designer Donaltella Versace walks the runway finale with the supermodels of the 90s. Photo / Getty Images
They were known as the original 'supers' in their modelling heyday.
But Claudia Schiffer, 47, Naomi Campbell, 47, Helen Christensen, 48, Carla Bruni, 49, and Cindy Crawford, 51, reunited on the catwalk on Friday night, for the Versace SS18 show at Milan Fashion Week.
Showing the young guns how it was done, fashion's golden girls brought the show to a stunning climax, after it was opened by 21-year-old Kendall Jenner and model sisters Bella, 20, and Gigi Hadid, 22.
The Nineties supermodels walked designer Donatella Versace down the runway to rapturous applause as they paid tribute to her late designer brother Gianni Versace, who was killed in 1997.
Supermodels (left to right) Carla Bruni, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Helena Christensen line up for the Versace runway finale. Photo / Getty Images
On the 20th anniversary of his death, it was a fitting tribute to a man with whom each of the women worked personally during their modelling days.
The women were all dressed in glittering gowns, proving that their supermodel figures were all looking impeccable into their late forties - and early fifties, for some.
Kendall, Gigi and Bella initially led the catwalk, before the original 'supers' showed them how it was done.
It was an extra special moment for mum-of-two Cindy, who shared the runway with her 16-year-old model daughter Kaia Gerber for the first time.
This has been teenager Kaia's Fashion Week debut and, clearly following her mother's strong lead, has already seen her booked for some of the most note-worthy shows.
At Milan, Kaia has already walked for Italy's biggest fashion houses, including Moschino, Prada and Fendi Spring/Summer 2018.
Before that, serving as her introduction to the bi-annual fashion extravaganza, Kaia walked for Marc Jacobs and Calvin Klein, which was her first ever catwalk show.
Cindy herself quit full-time modelling in 2000 to focus on her Kaia and her 18-year-old male model brother Presley, both of whom Cindy shares with husband Rande Gerber.
Models Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid on the runway for Versace. Photos / Getty Images
The all-American beauty is said to have featured on around 500 magazine covers and walked for shows including Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Christian Dior, DKNY, and previously, Valentino.
Having celebrated her 50th in February 2016, she is the eldest of the golden girls, famously sharing her heyday with the quartet throughout the late Eighties and Nineties.
The model, whose net worth is an estimated $100million according to The Richest, moved on to acting after her success on the runway, as well as venturing into business with her eponymous furniture range.
She recently revealed that her pride for her children and their accomplishments. Talking to Vanity Fair last month, she said: 'You know what, it's been really fun for me to see my kids get their feet wet in the fabulous world of fashion.'
"The advice I give them is more about reminders - like be on time, be prepared, be professional, don't be on your phone, talk to people, and have fun," she said. "They both have good heads on their shoulders, and I'm not worried."
Turin-born Carla Bruni retired from modelling in 1998 after earning a healthy $7.5 million that year, according to BusinessAge.
Since she married Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French President, in 2008, the stunner became the first First Lady to have nude photographs made publicly available.
But the model, who grew up in Paris, hit out at critics of her nude shoots - including Donald Trump - as she said her body had always been 'skinny' and not 'overly sexy' so the nudes were not as bold as those of, for example, Trump's wife Melania.
Trump was dating Marla Maples in 1991 when a story appeared in the tabloid press that he was having an affair with Carla. Carla slammed it as a lie, called him a 'lunatic' and said she was 'deeply embarrassed' by the whole ordeal. Trump married Maples the following year.
Meanwhile, originally from south London, Naomi established herself among the top three most recognisable and in-demand models of the late 1980s.
Just before she turned 16, she was on the cover of British Elle and in 1987, she became British Vogue's first black cover girl since 1966.
Helena was originally Miss Universe Denmark in 1986 before going on to become Miss Universe, soon after, she left for Paris to begin a career in modelling.
Claudia has similarly spent 30 years in fashion, having been scouted by a model agent at a nightclub in Düsseldorf.
In 1988, she achieved the same feat with French Vogue and the next year, she was the covergirl for the September Issue of American Vogue, which set a precedent for their best-selling issue.
Before the show on Friday, Donatella paid tribute to her brother, saying that the show would not be a sad occasion, but a happy one, because the models were up to their old tricks as they came together again.
The Norwegian-born Model and soon to be actress, Kat Hessen walked specially for Versace and for Alexander Wang in New York.
Kat will make her acting debut in the indie film The Iron Sisters alongside actress Anna Newell by photographer and director Robert Lang.
"Today I am not sad," she said. "I am happy that after 20 years I can finally do this with a smile on my face. They have a green room each, but they are running in and out of each other's rooms all day.
"And because they walk the runway together they are arguing about who gets to go in the middle, just like the old days."
The forthcoming collection also features a nod to Gianni, 20 years after he was tragically shot. Donatella explained that the pop-art references and scarf prints are an 'homage' to Gianni because "Gianni was all about joy, and so full of life, and the prints really express that spirit."
Parts of the Animalier collection of 1992, the Baroque collection of 1991 and the 1991 Warhol show were revisited for this season.
And the finale with the original supermodels, soundtracked by George Michael's Freedom, was a re-enactment of one of Gianni's history-making moments from 1991, when four supermodels walked arm in arm with him on the runway with George Michael watching from the front row.
Helena paid ode to the 'much missed' late designer on Instagram, as she admitted her Versace return was 'very emotional'.
Sharing a snap of the group together, she wrote: "A very emotional moment, walking down the runway with my girls honoring the wonderful and much missed Gianni Versace with @donnatelaofficial who created the most incredible collection."
Her fellow models soon followed suit, with Naomi adding: "Words cannot describe this moment# congratulations !! @donatella_versace Amazing show !!! Thank you for bringing us all together again #I LOVE YOU #longliveGianniVersace."
And Cindy posted: "I can't even describe the feelings I had today. Thank you @Donatella_Versace for allowing us to pay tribute to Gianni and #Versace. Such a moment!"
