Yasmin Le Bon
An original supermodel who defined 80s glamour with her exotic look and became a lasting icon of the era's extravagant fashion spirit.
Born 1964 (age 62)·English model·Birthday: October 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Yasmin Le Bon didn't just model clothes; she embodied the explosive, unapologetic glamour of the 1980s. Discovered at 17, her striking features—a blend of Persian and English heritage—catapulted her to the covers of Vogue and Elle, making her one of the most recognizable and highly-paid faces of the decade. She worked with every major photographer, from Patrick Demarchelier to Herb Ritts, becoming a muse who could channel cool sophistication or wild, untamed beauty. Her marriage to Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon in 1985 cemented her status as a pillar of pop culture royalty, but she never retreated from the spotlight. Le Bon gracefully transitioned through fashion's changing tides, maintaining a coveted career for decades and walking for luxury houses like Valentino well into her fifties. Her endurance speaks to a professionalism and personal style that transcended the big-haired era she helped define.
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.
Yasmin was born in 1964, 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 Yasmin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Yasmin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became one of the highest-earning models in the world during the peak of the 1980s supermodel era.
- Appeared on the covers of international editions of Vogue, Elle, and Cosmopolitan countless times.
- Was a featured model in iconic advertising campaigns for major brands like Chanel, Valentino, and Escada.
- Maintained a consistent presence on fashion runways for over three decades, including walking for Vivienne Westwood in her 50s.
Did You Know?
She is married to Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran; they met on a photoshoot and married in 1985.
She is of half-Persian descent through her father, and was born Yasmin Parvaneh.
Le Bon has three daughters, one of whom, Amber, has also pursued a career in modeling.
She was part of the famous 1990 George Michael 'Freedom! '90' music video, which featured other top supermodels of the time.
“I never thought of myself as a beauty. I just thought of myself as a model who was lucky to be working.”
