Claudia Schiffer's Fashion Life in 50 Looks

A personal appearance for Revlon—their first-ever fragrance campaign for Guess, which Ellen von Unwerth and I were signed up for. I remember flying around the U.S. to every major city for signings in department stores with massive crowds, only to be interrupted when a duck flew into one of the engines of Ron Perelman’s private plane. But only for a moment, then the tour continued to all major TV shows from Jay Leno to David Letterman.

When I came home afterward, I remember getting up the next morning sleepy-eyed and uncombed into my elevator in one of the high-rises in uptown New York near Central Park, when a person entered and said for the first time, “Are you the Guess girl?”

A rare '90s cardigan moment!

Leaving a photo shoot for Chanel and wearing it head to toe.

A 1991 Chanel show—it was an insane time, like being a rock star. You couldn’t get to your car unless a path was carved for you. People would cut holes into the fashion tents and try and take pictures of us. We had security at every fashion show to the extent that security was even employed to guard my underwear! When I was out on the runway, I’d come back and my underwear would constantly be gone.

A Valentino charity ball honoring all the supermodels.

This is at the Oscars, and [the dress] is an incredible full-length Chanel gown, which was made out of an umbrella fabric. I still have it in my archive wardrobe.

With the one and only Naomi for a Chanel event—still THE best body in the industry.

This was my first outing in Chanel Couture. I first met Karl [Lagerfeld] when I was 18 at a fitting in his studio in Paris on Rue Cambon. He had seen my U.K. Vogue cover by Herb Ritts and asked that I come in. Before I knew it, I was being fitted for his new collection, and then the next day, I found myself driving to Deauville to shoot my first Chanel campaign, photographed by Karl.

I remember us bonding over the fact that we were the only two people full of energy at 3 a.m. in the morning. In his case, he was always full of energy; I was just always full of adrenaline loving every second of working with him.

The much-lauded A/W 1992 Versace show—here, in one of their iconic sexy black dresses. Gianni’s shows were like rock concerts. He was the designer who made fashion a pop culture phenomenon. I would walk to an amazing Prince track with hundreds of photographers lining the catwalk, only to see him sitting there in the front row.

Wearing Alaïa for my annual calendar signing. A classic '90s look: big hair, lots of makeup, and, of course, double denim!

The tartan mini … still have this one.

I’ve always loved this dreamy Versace number, so much so that Barbie and Versace have re-created it for my birthday.

Crazy hair, backstage at a Chanel show with Cindy in 1994 Paris—she was always incredibly professional, and we first connected over that and our love of being creative in front of the camera. I also recall interviewing her at that show for Entertainment Tonight for whom I was covering Paris Fashion Week as a correspondent. I recall us discussing how Kate Moss had been unfairly blamed for girls wanting to be skinny and that we laughed that unlike Kate, we had to work out to stay slim.

Great '90s memories with the girls—this one also at a Fashion Café opening. There is a special bond between us all, because we lived and breathed such a unique time in fashion. We all live in different places around the world, but as soon as we see each other, it’s like a school reunion, as if no time has passed. We catch up as if we had never stopped talking, like it was the day before.

After a few Chanel campaigns shot by Karl, he tried to convince me to be in his fashion show, even though I’d said that it wasn’t for me as I was still very young and shy. I think he found it a fun challenge, but he explained that he wasn’t looking for the coordinated elegant catwalk of the moment, but rather something new. So he said to just imagine I was just walking to school, and that’s what I did!

Back in classic Alaïa for another of my annual calendar signings.

Straight off the Versace runway, head to toe in white satin.

In a Bulgari watch and elegant column gown.