Twiggy now

Even Twiggy herself relegated that period of her now long, remarkably multi-faceted and rewarding career as her "clothes hanger" years.

But let's stop for a moment, for Twiggy is the perfect example of what is wrong with that pop culture picture. Good models are rare; great models happen once, maybe twice, a generation. Consider that the shots of Twiggy, a 16-year-old girl from suburban London, look as fresh today as in 1966: Mary Quant minidress, androgynous cap of hair, massive doe eyes. Kids, it takes a really smart girl with bucketsful of personality to make that caricature work. Leaving the train wreckage to Edie, the giggles to Goldie, Twiggy followed through with the promise of those photos. She kept her head in the headlights of instant fame, saying now, "I just thought the world had gone mad. I grew up very happy, in a very happy family environment. I was quite in control of myself." It is that security we see in those shots: Twiggy was a doll we dressed. The style was fresh, radical looking. But the bones underneath were solid, even on her 90-pound soaking wet frame.

Twiggy Lawson (she now uses the name of her second husband, actor Leigh Lawson, to whom she has been married for 21 years) turns 60 this month. With typical élan, Twiggy is embracing the moment. "Can't do anything about it, can you?" she says, laughing her contagious, earthy, womanly laugh. "Might as well celebrate it and hope to get lots and lots of presents." Indeed, Britain's National Portrait Gallery is celebrating for her with a show of images from throughout her career. Highlights include a portrait she did with Bryan Adams in 2000 (they reunited in London for this new Zoomer cover shoot) along with the bright stockings and lime green Ferrari Technicolor images from back in the day.

Twiggy is, remarkably, just a regular gal. "Well, I must say it is exciting! It is very posh gallery. Very classy."