Naomi Campbell: Exhibition in Berlin honors career of the supermodel

Naomi Campbell dreamed of a career as an actress as a student. It has become one of the most successful and influential models ever. In 1988 she was the first black mannequin to make it onto the cover of the French “Vogue”. The starting signal for a career in which Campbell had to fight against resistance again and again. Racism and discrimination were not saved. But with her iron will, her ambition and her persistence, she made it to the top – and paved the way for many models. She herself says: “I appreciate the work of the women in front of me. But I wanted more. I wanted to move the limits. I wanted what white model got.”

She explains with her determination that she had long had the image of being difficult and bitchy. She knows exactly what she wants and what doesn’t – and she says it. The fact that it always teases is in the nature of the matter. Most recently there were negative headlines around Campbell because of their now dissolved foundation “Fashion for Relief”. It was about the embezzlement of donations. Campbell rejected the allegations. It was “never involved in any form of financial misconduct”. A lawyer was in control of the foundation.

Campbell found her luck privately as a mother. In 2021 she announced the birth of her daughter, followed by her son in 2023. Both children were born thanks to a surrogate mother. As a model, she only accepts selected jobs. In February of this year she stepped over the catwalk at the fashion week in London for the luxury label Burberry.

Campbell’s extraordinary career is now in the focus of a photo exhibition. “Naomi”, according to the title, runs from April 5, 2025 to May 31, 2025 in the and shows 30 works by renowned photographers who have worked with Campbell in the past decades.