The German model Tatjana Patitz has died, aged 56.
This is confirmed by her agent, Corinne Nicolas at the Model Coop agency, who also says that the model had been ill, reports news agency AP.
Patitz was a resident of California. She leaves behind a son.
Cindy Crawford, Tatjana Patitz, Helena Christensen, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Karen Mulder and Stephanie Seymour pictured by photographer Peter Lindbergh. Photo: LIONEL BONAVENTURE /AFP
She is known for being in the elite group of models who were called “the Big Five”, or the “original supermodels”, along with Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell. She was also one of the models who starred in George Michael’s music video “Freedom! ’90”.
Several industry names have expressed their grief after the death became known, including the Danish model Helena Christensen. On her Instagram story, she has shared a video of Patitz, and writes “heartbroken”.
