Gisele Bündchen says she cried after seeing the third look she was scheduled to wear at Alexander McQueen’s 1998 show: a fishtail skirt with no top. Makeup artist Val Garland painted a white top on her before she walked, so “topless” describes the planned outfit—not what Bündchen ultimately wore on the runway.
What happened at Alexander McQueen’s 1998 show
Bündchen was 18 and described the show as her first major international runway experience. In her memoir, Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life, she recalled being scheduled for three looks. The first two went smoothly; the third was a fishtail skirt without a top.
After seeing it, she began to cry and worried that her parents would be disappointed or embarrassed. Garland painted white makeup on Bündchen’s torso to give the appearance of a top. The show also used simulated rain, which helped conceal her tears, according to the memoir account reported by People en Español.
Why Bündchen later said she was frightened
In British Vogue’s 2022 Life in Looks video, Bündchen recalled that she did not speak English, had no fitting, and did not understand what she would be wearing. She said, “So I started crying,” and later recalled thinking, “Oh my god, I hope my dad never sees this picture.” Those are her words in the video, not a description of her walking with bare breasts.
#1 Best Overall
What “forced to walk topless” leaves out
That wording can blur the difference between the outfit she was shown and the look she wore. Bündchen’s account says she saw the skirt without a top, cried, and then had a white top painted on before the runway walk. Vanity Fair’s 2023 profile says McQueen intended her to walk in the unpainted look; that is Vanity Fair’s account of his intent, not proof of what Bündchen had been told or agreed to beforehand.
The most precise summary is that Bündchen recalled being booked for a top-less third look, feeling distressed when she saw it, and walking after Garland painted a top on her.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
Rank #3
Rank #2
- This refurbished product is tested and certified to look and work like new. The refurbishing process includes functionality testing, basic cleaning, inspection, and repackaging. The product ships with all relevant accessories, and may arrive in a generic box
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
