We don’t have to tell you that the fashion industry can be brutal at times. Well, the models who walk the runways and front the campaigns will attest to that. Last September, iconic fashion model Linda Evangelista came clean about her reasons for staying away from the spotlight, especially during a period in which OG supermodels were lighting up runway shows (again) and making headlines the world over. It turned out that the 57-year-old Canadian didn’t sail into the sunset and lived happily ever after as many would have predicted. She was holed up at home, traumatised from the unexpected result of a cosmetic procedure called CoolSculpting, a so-called fat cell-eliminating treatment that left her permanently disfigured and mentally scarred. She shared her experience on her official Instagram page: “To my followers who have wondered why I have not been working while my peers' careers have been thriving, the reason is that I was brutally disfigured.” However, Evangelista didn’t receive the kind of criticism that she was fearful of. Instead, many of her peers came out in support of her and even had moer than a encouraging words. Now, the Karl Lagerfeld muse is ready for her close-up again. Fendi is the first to get in touch with the model and commissioned a new Baguette bag campaign that teases the 25th anniversary of the iconic Silvia Venturini Fendi-designed carrier as well as a celebratory New York City event to be held in September that marks Kim Jones’ second year in the Fendi hot seat. These images were lensed by Steven Meisel, her trusted collaborator who oversaw several iconic editorials and memorable campaigns with her ranging from from Moschino to Alberta Ferretti to Prada. Will she make an in-person appearance at the event? Only time will tell. We’re all rooting for you, Linda.

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