Carol Alt
Appeared on over 700 magazine covers in the 1980s, establishing the commercial template for the modern supermodel business empire.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American model and actress·Birthday: December 1·Baby Boomers
Biography
Carol Alt's 1982 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover sold 5.3 million copies, the highest in the publication's history at that time. She signed her first major contract with LensCrafters in 1985. Alt launched a skincare line, 'The Raw Essentials', in 2009 based on a raw food diet philosophy. She authored six books on nutrition and raw food between 2004 and 2013. The model starred in 65 Italian films and television series after moving her career to Europe in the 1990s. Alt hosted the reality competition 'Make Me a Supermodel' in 2008. Revlon named her its first global spokesmodel in 1984. She designed a line of eyewear for Tura in 1987. Alt negotiated a profit-sharing deal for her product endorsements, a novel practice in early-1980s modeling contracts. Her business ventures expanded into infomercials, exercise videos, and a line of raw food snacks. Alt's career demonstrated that a model's name could function as a multinational brand. She continues to act and publish on health and wellness.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Carol was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Carol Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Carol's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- First American model to grace the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (1982).
- Named the world's highest-paid model in 1985 by Forbes magazine.
- Inducted into the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Hall of Fame in 1994.
Did You Know?
She is a certified raw food chef and follows a 90% raw diet.
Alt played professional hockey in a charity league and trained with the New York Rangers.
She speaks fluent Italian and German from her years working in European media.
“A cover is a billboard. You have one second to tell the entire story.”
