Cheryl Tiegs

Explore the life of Cheryl Tiegs—often called America’s first supermodel—her groundbreaking modeling career, entrepreneurial ventures, advocacy work, and lasting impact in fashion and culture.

Introduction

Cheryl Rae Tiegs (born September 25, 1947) is an American model, fashion designer, and cultural icon. Frequently described as one of the first American supermodels, Tiegs rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s through striking magazine covers, memorable swimsuit photographs, and a sense of accessible glamour. Over her decades-long career she expanded into business, activism, and media, leaving a lasting imprint on both fashion and popular culture.

Early Life and Background

Cheryl Tiegs was born on September 25, 1947, in Breckenridge, Minnesota.

When she was about five years old, her family relocated to Alhambra, California, where she grew up and attended local schools. Cole of California, which appeared in Seventeen magazine. That early publication helped launch her modeling career.

She briefly enrolled as an English major at California State University, Los Angeles, but left before her junior year to pursue modeling full time.

Modeling Career & Cultural Breakthroughs

Rise to Prominence

Tiegs’s early exposure in Seventeen opened doors. Soon she was booked for shoots and covers of prestigious fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Time.

She became especially known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, appearing in it nine times and gracing the cover three times (1970, 1975, and 1983). pink bikini poster (and her later “white fishnet swimsuit” shot) became iconic images associated with 1970s pop culture.

One notable moment: Tiegs discussed in a recent documentary that her now-famous white fishnet swimsuit shot was something of a spontaneous, “throwaway shot” taken under suboptimal lighting conditions—but it became culturally resonant.

Business & Branding Ventures

Beyond modeling, Tiegs moved into fashion entrepreneurship. In 1980, she launched a signature clothing and accessories line sold through Sears—a pioneering move for a model at that time. $1 billion in sales.

She later introduced Cheryl Tiegs Sportwear, sold via QVC, along with hair and wig products for Revlon.

Media Appearances & Acting

Tiegs made periodic forays into television and film:

• She appeared on shows like Moonlighting, Just Shoot Me!, and hosted or judged in reality / lifestyle series.

• She had film credits including The Brown Bunny (2003) and a cameo in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

• She also appeared as herself (or in cameo roles) on shows like Family Guy and Childrens Hospital.

Personal Life, Relationships & Family

Cheryl Tiegs has been married four times:

1. Stan Dragoti (film director) — married 1970 to 1979

2. Peter Beard (photographer) — 1981 to 1983

3. Anthony Peck (son of Gregory Peck) — 1990 to 1995; they had a son, Zachary (born 1991)

4. Rod Stryker (yoga instructor) — 1998 to 2001; their twin sons, Theo and Jaden, were born in 2000 via surrogacy

Tiegs lived in Bel Air, California, and in 2015 put her home on the market for $15 million.

Advocacy, Philanthropy & Later Impact

Tiegs has remained active in philanthropic and environmental causes:

• She has served on boards or as a spokesperson for organizations such as C.O.A.C.H. for Kids, Earth Conservation Corps, Planned Parenthood, City of Hope, Farrah Fawcett Foundation, and Macula Vision Research Foundation.

• She participated in environmental awareness efforts, such as expeditions to the Arctic and driving hydrogen-fuel cell vehicles to promote lower emissions.

• She has also appeared on reality/travel shows, such as Pathfinders: Exotic Journeys, and served as a judge on True Beauty.

In 2004, Tiegs was inducted into the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue “Hall of Fame” for her contributions to the magazine’s legacy.

Personality, Influence & Legacy

Cheryl Tiegs is often remembered for being glamorous yet approachable—a model who bridged high fashion and mainstream appeal. Her success in transitioning from modeling to branding, her role in bringing swimsuit imagery into pop culture consciousness, and her business acumen helped shape how models could leverage their image beyond photo shoots.

Her enduring recognition—as a face of the 1970s and 1980s, as a trailblazer in model entrepreneurship, and as a figure of reinvention—cements her place in fashion history.

Memorable Quotes & Reflections

While not known for an exhaustive list of quotable lines, here are a few reflections attributed to Tiegs:

“I had the confidence and the security to do what I had to do.” (on being comfortable in vulnerable photo shoots) On the fishnet swimsuit shot she said: “It was a throwaway shot … It’s not my favorite.”

These reveal a humility about her image, and a perspective that not every iconic moment was orchestrated or comfortable.

Lessons from Cheryl Tiegs’s Journey

1. Image + agency: She helped pioneer the idea that models can control their brand, not just their pose.

2. Reinvention and longevity: She went from modeling to designing, to activism—evolving across eras.

3. Cultural resonance: Some images (like her swimsuit photos) become more than fashion—they become part of collective memory.

4. Balance public and private: Her multiple marriages, motherhood decisions (like surrogacy), and personal choices show a model’s life has complexity behind the glamor.

5. Using visibility for cause: She channeled her fame into advocacy, especially environmental and health causes.

Conclusion

Cheryl Tiegs remains a seminal figure in American fashion—a woman whose face symbolized the ideal of a generation and whose career paths broke new ground for models as entrepreneurs and public personalities. Her life offers insights into image, resilience, purpose, and change over time.