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Donna Jordan

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Donna Jordan
Bornc. 1951 (age ~75)
OccupationsModel, actress, journalist
Years active1969–present (sporadically since the late '70s)
Children1
Modelling information
Hair colourBlonde (dyed)
Eye colourGreen
AgencyWilhelmina Models

Donna Jordan (born c. 1951)[1][2] is an American model and actress known as "Disco Marilyn" and the "Queen of Kitsch" for her striking platinum blonde hair and 40s style. A Warhol Superstar and muse to illustrator Antonio Lopez, among the group known as “Antonio's Girls.”[3]

Early life

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Jordan grew up near Gramercy Park in New York City.[4]

Career

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In 1969, illustrator Antonio Lopez discovered Jordan at a Central Park be-in, Jordan was working as a sales girl.[5][1] Lopez recalled “she had buck teeth and mousey brown hair,”.[6] She then began some humble modelling jobs, then joining the milieu at the Factory, leading her to be deemed a Warhol Superstar.

She starred alongside her best friend Jane Forth in L'Amour (1972, filmed in 1970),[7] co-directed by Andy Warhol.[3][8] After the November 1970 filming of L'Amour, Jordan would stay in Paris where Lopez and the makeup artist Corey Tippin transformed her look.[2][1] Her hair was dyed platinum blonde by the hairdresser Jean Louis David, her eyebrows shaved, and her bold makeup look created.[9][7] Lopez, would exaggerate the look in his drawings and then Tippin would copy the drawings to exaggerate her look in real-life.[7] This makeover made her one of the most sought-after models in Europe.[7] Jordan became the favourite model of Karl Lagerfeld, who at the time was designing for Chloé.[1] During this time Jordan accompanied Warhol for many interviews, notably a 1971 interview by Regis Philbin on Tempo, for Los Angeles Channel 9.[10] It was at this time that the Daily News dubbed her as “Queen of Kitsch”,[11] and she featured on the covers of Grazia, Interview, Vogue Italia, Vogue Paris, and more.[12][13] During this period Jordan was photographed by Guy Bourdin, Barry Lategan, Helmut Newton, Irving Penn, Chris von Wangenheim, and more.

After the wide release of L'Amour in 1973, Jordan had her platinum blonde hair cut into a Mia Farrow-style crop by Leonard of Mayfair.[4] In an interviews with WWD Jordan stated that because of the new look she was no longer getting work with Vogue or Harper's Bazaar, "... since I don't have the Karen Graham look anymore. My image is Mademoiselle now,” and later “they all remember me as that blonde goddess-type. Well, that look is finished. I'm no longer a fake blonde, kewpie doll. It's not me today.”[14][4] She also said that she was not interested in pursuing an acting career, preferring modelling, and if no work appeared she would relocate to Europe.[4]

In 1974, Jordan moved to Milan where she would own a boutique.[15][16] She would appear in a controversial advertisement for Jesus Jeans, the first billboard featured Jordan in front, from the waist to her thighs, with her pants' zipper open. “Though shalt have no other jeans but me” was the slogan.[15] The second billboard with the slogan “Whoever loves me, follows me,” showed Jordan from the backside in high-waisted shorts. The campaign was shot by her then boyfriend, photographer Oliviero Toscani.[17][18] Causing huge controversy in Italy, the campaign was defended by Pier Paolo Pasolini.[17] Later she would work as an editor at Italian Glamour.[19]

Throughout the 1990s she appeared sporadically in the pages of Vogue Italia and modelled for John Patrick in 2010.[20][21] In 2013, she appeared in CR Fashion Book.[22] In 2018, Jordan and Pat Cleveland celebrated the work of Kenzō Takada for Document Journal.[23] Jordan was featured on the cover of the September 2020 issue of Vogue Italia, alongside 99 other covers.[24] In 2022, she returned to the runway for a Warhol-inspired Tommy Hilfiger fashion show.[25]

Personal life

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Jordan has one child, Kate Ballo.[5] Ballo previously worked as a model and featured on the covers of Lei/Glamour, Lucky, Madame Figaro, and Town & Country.[5][26] Ballo is now a “business witch”.[27] As of 2023, Jordan resides in New York state and owns an organic food store.[28][17]

Legacy

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Jordan has been credited with inspiring the “bottle-bleached” Marilyn Monroe look that would later be adopted by Madonna.[7] Madonna would also pay homage to Jordan's November 1970 Guy Bourdin photographed Vogue Paris “Pop” cover for the cover of her Vogue single in 1990.

Her gap-toothed platinum blonde look, has led to her being compared with models such as Lara Stone and Lili Sumner.[12][29] The infamous Spring 1971 “Scandal/Libération” collection of Yves Saint Laurent was reported to have been inspired in part by Jordan's 1940s fashion style.[30][31] As “Queen of Kitsch”, her look was imitated by many other models close to Andy Warhol.[32]

Linda Evangelista (photographed by Steven Meisel) embodied Jordan for the November 1994 cover of Vogue Italia. The December 2012 issue of Vogue Italia includes an editorial featuring Iselin Steiro (photographed by Paolo Roversi), heavily inspired by the look of Jordan.[33]

Selected filmography

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Year Title Director Role Note
1972 L'Amour Paul Morrissey, Andy Warhol Donna
1973 La Dolce Vita Grande Anton Perich Short film
1974 The Perfume of the Lady in Black Francesco Barilli Francesca

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 Monique (May 31, 1972). "She goes platinum, finds gold". New York Daily News. New York. p. 56. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Donna Jordan, a 19 Year old fag moll". Women's Wear Daily. October 2, 1970. p. 2. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Christy, Marian (February 7, 1971). "Andy Warhol doesn't trust you". The Boston Globe. pp. 76–A. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Kent, Rosemary (May 23, 1973). "L'Amour No More". Women's Wear Daily. 126 (102). New York City: Fairchild Fashion Media: 18. ISSN 0043-7581 – via ProQuest.
  5. 1 2 3 Yaeger, Lynn (June 17, 2010). "A Look at Resort 2011: Organic, as Worn by Donna Jordan and Her Daughter". Vogue. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  6. ↑ Corbett, Patricia (February 2, 1976). "Illustrator prefers functional fashions". Syracuse Herald-Journal. p. 15.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Padilha, Roger (2012). Antonio Lopez: Fashion, Art, Sex & Disco. New York City: Rizzoli Libri. pp. 146–149, 153. ISBN 978-0-8478-3792-2.
  8. ↑ Gopnik, Blake (2020). Warhol. New York, NY: Ecco. pp. 721–722. ISBN 978-0-06-229839-3.
  9. ↑ ""I Want to Be Donna Jordan"". Vogue. 159 (5). New York City, United States: Condé Nast: 123. March 1, 1972. ISSN 0042-8000.
  10. ↑ Hallowell, John (June 27, 1971). "Mr. Warhol Comes to Hollywood". The Los Angeles Times West Magazine. pp. 7–10, 12–13. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  11. ↑ Cunningham, Bill (November 24, 1971). "Paris babes stage a kitschy coup". Daily News. New York. pp. 9C.
  12. 1 2 "Donna Jordan, among the Most Influential Models of All Time". A.G. Nauta Couture. September 13, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  13. ↑ "HALSTON Donna Jordan PETER BEARD Ryan O'Neal LIZA MINNELLI Warhol Inte". ELEGANTLY PAPERED Vintage Fashion Magazines. Retrieved August 15, 2026.
  14. ↑ "CRIES AND WHISPERS". Women's Wear Daily. 126 (44). New York City: Fairchild Fashion Media: 8. March 5, 1973 – via ProQuest.
  15. 1 2 "'Jesus jean' ads cause Italian furor". The Albuquerque Tribune. April 17, 1974. pp. D-1.
  16. ↑ "Who loves me, follows me. - Art & Glamour Magazine". Art & Glamour Magazine. December 2, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 Brambilla, Michele (May 25, 2023). "Ecco Se L'Hanno Seguita". Oggi: 41–42.
  18. ↑ "Storia e successo di Jesus Jeans, il denim più clamoroso della storia". Harper's BAZAAR (in Italian). May 21, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  19. ↑ Jordan, Donna (April 4, 1978). "Italian join the army". Daily News. New York. p. 36.
  20. ↑ Yaeger, Lynn (June 17, 2010). "A Look at Resort 2011: Organic, as Worn by Donna Jordan and Her Daughter". Vogue. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Organic by John Patrick Resort 2011 Fashion Show". Vogue. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Utopia (CR Fashion Book)". MODELS.com. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  23. ↑ Glass, Joshua (January 31, 2018). "Pat Cleveland and Donna Jordan relive Kenzo's glory days". Document Journal. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  24. ↑ Italia, Vogue (August 27, 2020). "Vogue Italia's September issue: the 100 covers". Vogue Italia (in Italian). Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  25. ↑ Ottenberg, Mel (September 12, 2022). "Enter Tommy Hilfiger's Factory". Interview Magazine. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Kate Ballo". Fashion Model Directory. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  27. ↑ "About Me". Kate Ballo. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  28. ↑ Jordan, Donna (May 2, 2023). "Back at Omi dog walking, after ban was lifted! Yay!". Instagram. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  29. ↑ Awha, Dan (November 18, 2015). "The worlds of fashion and music collide when Lili Sumner gets in front of the camera". Dan Ahwa. Viva (The New Zealand Herald fashion supplement). Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  30. ↑ Fury, Alexander (February 17, 2017). "Ten Looks That Defined Yves Saint Laurent". T Magazine.
  31. ↑ Christy, Marian (March 23, 1971). "New troops for Halston's tents". The Boston Globe. p. 19. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  32. ↑ Dryansky, Gerry (November 12, 1971). "Paris and kitsch sink". Women's Wear Daily. 123 (93). New York City: Fairchild Fashion Media: 41 – via ProQuest.
  33. ↑ "Iselin Steiro: A Singular Blond Beauty". TEAM Models. January 9, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2026.
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