Before the emergence of Doutzen Kroes, Lara Stone, Daphne Groeneveld et al, the Netherland's was duly represented by supermodel Karen Mulder. Mulder was discovered in 1985 at the age of fifteen year when a friend sent in pictures of her to the Elite Agency's reknowned Elite Model Look competition. Mulder placed second and was swiftly signed onto Elite's books. Standing at 180 cm with honey blonde tresses and classically beautiful features, Mulder quickly ascended the ranks of the modelling ladder working for high-profile clients like Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace and Calvin Klein. Mulder came to represent the epitome of the classic blonde however with a refined European elegance and sophistication that was missing amongst her American counterparts.
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| US Harpers Bazaar - March 1994 Photographer - Patrick Demarchelier |
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| US Vogue - March 1991 Photographer - Patrick Demarchelier |
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| US Vogue - Unknown Photographer - Helmut Newton |
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| US Harpers Bazaar - September 1994 Photographer - Wayne Maser |
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| US Vogue - June 1991 Photographer - Marc Hispard |
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| British Vogue - Unknown Photographer - Mikael Jansson |
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| US Vogue - April 1991 Photographer - Irving Penn |
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| British Vogue - April 1991 Photographer - Peter Lindberg |
Mulder became a regular fixture within the pages and on the covers of high fashion publications like British Vogue, Paris Vogue and American Vogue, and was photographed habitually by influential photographers of the day; Arthur Elgort, Patrick Demarchelier, Peter Lindberg, Francesco Scavullo, Helmut Newton and Irving Penn. By 1991, Mulder had hit her stride professionally, landing multi-million dollar contracts with Guess, Calvin Klein and Chanel cosmetics. Mulder formed part of an exclusive group of supermodels during the nineties including Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer and Tatjana Patitz, appearing together on the cover of the 100th Anniversary issue of American Vogue shot by Patrick Demarchelier.
During the latter part of her career, Mulder capitalised on her wholesome good looks by appearing in the coveted Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and became a Victoria's Secret staple model. Mulder retreated from modelling in 2000 and has gone on record as saying that "From the beginning I hated being photographed. For me, it was just an assumed role, and in the end, I didn't really know who I was as a person. Everybody was saying to me, 'Hi, you're fantastic.' But inside, I felt worse from day to day." Mulder's life post-modelling has since been characterised by personal and emotional issues which have been widely documented in the international press.
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| Supermodels of the Nineties US Vogue - April 1992 Photographer - Patrick Demarchelier |
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| Guess - 1991 Photographer - Ellen Von Unwerth |
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| Calvin Klein - 1991 Photographer - Bruce Weber |
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| British Vogue - July 1992 Photographer - Sante D'Orazio |
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| US Vogue - July 1992 Photographer - |
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| French Elle - July 1992 Photographer - Unknown |
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| British Vogue - April 1991 Photographer - Tyen |
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| US Cosmopolitan - September 1991 Photographer - Patrick Demarchelier |
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| Italian Elle - August Photographer - Unknown |
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| US Vogue - July 1991 Photographer - Marc Hispard |
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| Mademoiselle - February 1994 Photographer - Unknown |
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| Glamour - July 1993 Photographer - Unknown |
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| US Vogue - March 1992 Photographer - Marc Hispard |
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| Cosmopolitan - June 1992 Photographer - Francesco Scavullo |
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| British Vogue - March 1991 Photographer - Patrick Demarchelier |