WHY I'VE BECOME A RECLUSE

Former supermodel Linda Evangelista has revealed that botched cosmetic procedures have left her disfigured, depressed and unable to work

- LINDSAY DE FREITAS

SHE was one of the standout models of the 1990s supermodel era and her heavily arched brows, feline eyes and razor-sharp cheekbones graced the pages of nearly 700 glossy magazines.

Linda Evangelista was also one of the most bankable faces of her generation and at the peak of her prowess was making $25 000 (then R62 500) a day. “I won’t wake up for less than $10 000 a day,” she once famously said.

Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld described her as the best in the business. “She’s a true model, pure and simple. She doesn’t pretend or aspire to do anything else. She’s just brilliant at what she does,” he said.

Linda was one of the “Big Six”, along with Naomi Campbell (now 51), Claudia Schiffer (51), Kate Moss (47), Cindy Crawford (55), and Christy Turlington (52) who ruled the catwalk and launched a thousand dreams.

Yet while many of her fellow “supers” are still in the limelight some three decades later, Linda vanished from public view five years ago. And now the 56-year old is finally shedding light on her mysterious disappearing act.

Earlier this month she took to Instagram claiming she was left “brutally disfigured” from the rare side-effects of a cosmetic procedure she underwent in 2016.

She says she had multiple cryolipolysis procedures to “decrease” fat cells on her thighs, abdomen, back, flanks and chin – but instead of sculpting her face and figure, the procedure “increased” her fat cells.