The Heartbreaking Reason Cindy Crawford Keeps Her Hair Long

When you think of OG supermodels like Cindy Crawford, you probably imagine designer outfits, glamorous catwalks, and Vogue-esque poses splashed across magazine covers. But the more insight we get into the industry, it becomes pretty obvious that there's a dark side to modeling. In 2023, the supermodel teamed up with Apple TV and several of her colleagues (Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, and Naomi Campbell, one of the celebs who is more gorgeous in real life) to share the story of her rise to fame through a documentary titled "The Super Models." 

During its first episode, Crawford shared a heart-wrenching story that shaped her life and styling choices forever. It all started when she got her first major modeling gig after being contacted by Patrick Demarchelier, who was once Princess Diana's photographer. Crawford was excited about the opportunity until Demarchelier informed her that she would need to chop off her hair for the shoot.

The aspiring model and her agency at the time decided that was much too big an ask and turned the offer down. But the photographer told them that she could have the job despite her refusal. "I was so excited, it was just a great opportunity," she said (via People). But Crawford had no idea what lay ahead. "The very first night, they send the hairdresser to my room to give me a 'trim.' They comb my hair, put it in a ponytail, and chop my ponytail off without asking." With no voice as a young model, Crawford could do little but cry. "People wonder why I've never really cut my hair since then — that's why. I was so traumatized."

"The Super Models" documentary wasn't the first time Cindy Crawford spoke about the traumatic incident. Back in 1995, she went into even more detail: "I was crying and Patrick was laughing and taking pictures and he thought it was very funny," she recalled (via YouTube). Considering that a big chop is a major decision and that several celebrities have admitted they regret their drastic hair changes, this was unbelievably cruel. "At the time I hated him," Crawford continued. "Because of Patrick, I wanted to go back to Chicago and stop modeling. It was awful."

Still, in that same interview, the model attempted an unconvincing defense of Demarchelier, with whom she was still shooting nude photos at the time: "Now we joke about it [...] I don't feel violated by him. I don't feel like he's being a voyeur. I just feel like we're working together to make my body look good."

Bold words, but given the era, the power dynamics, and the fact that Demarchelier was one of the most famous, connected photographers in fashion, you have to wonder how much of that was honesty and how much was survival mode. Adding to the discomfort, Demarchelier later denied accusations of sexual misconduct and improper behavior by multiple models, per a 2018 Boston Globe investigation.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Cindy Crawford didn't let her early experiences derail her career. She went on to inspire thousands, including her own children, Presley, and Kaia Gerber, who's had a stunning transformation. In fact, Presley and Kaia are two celebrity kids who inherited their parents' famous styles and became models, and Kaia believes that her mother's vast experience is partly why she's a great mom. "You are so not a stage mom," Kaia said in a Today interview in 2025. "It's in a way where I'm like I kind of wish you were a little bit more, but she's so not a stage mom at all, because she's had her own life experiences, and she has never lived vicariously through us." Crawford has never pushed her kids too far out of their comfort zones for the sake of a career, and this may well have come from her own traumatic experience with having her hair cut without her consent.

While her kids find their footing on the runway, Crawford keeps her recommendations for the happiest possible career straightforward: "If I had one piece of advice to give someone just starting out in modeling or really in any other career, it would be three pieces of advice, which I tell my kids: Show up on time, stay off your phone, and be prepared" (via WWD). Not that they should have to, but armed with this advice, Presley and Kaia will know to look out for and avoid any potential violations lurking on set.