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Australia’s first supermodel Maggie Tabberer dies at 87

Australia’s first supermodel Maggie Tabberer dies at 87

Australia’s first supermodel Maggie Tabberer has died aged 87. Maggie’s daughter, stylist and author Amanda Tabberer posted the news to her Instagram account today.

“This morning we lost our beautiful mother and Nanna,” the post says. “She was an icon in every sense of the word and we will miss her dearly… Along with the rest of Australia. Rest in peace Nanna. We love you to bits forever.”

Maggie gained international attention working with photographer Helmut Newton before becoming a television personality and two-time Gold Logie winner. She worked at the Australian Women’s Weekly, launched the clothing label Maggie T. Her 1998 autobiography Maggie, capturing her independent spirit, became a bestseller.

Maggie died five days before her 88th birthday.

Australia’s first supermodel Maggie Tabberer in 2017.

For many Australians Maggie’s slick hair, imperious gaze, powerful frame and billowing minimalist outfits represented chic, long before they knew how to use the word correctly. Her style signature was as impressive and intimidating as Anna Wintour with her bob and sunglasses, enhanced in later years with dramatic turbans.

Raised in Adelaide, where she married car dealer Charles Tabberer at 17, the father of her two daughters Amanda and Brooke, her good looks and ambition were never going to be satisfied by courses at a modelling school in Rundle Street.

After moving to Melbourne, her profile rose alongside German-born photographers Henry Talbot and Helmut Newton. It was the association with Newton that would make her Vogue Australia’s first local cover star in 1961.

“Helmut would yell at you,” Tabberer told me in 2016. “He would tell you to raise your left eyebrow a fraction just to get the shot.”

“Helmut was always going to be the star. I modelled for Henry but was Helmut’s girl.”