Pioneering model, fashion icon and media entrepreneur Maggie Tabberer has died aged 87.

She was born Margaret Ann Trigar on December 11, 1936 in the Adelaide suburb of Parkside, the youngest of five children in a working-class family.

“This morning we lost our beautiful mother and Nanna,” her daughter, author Amanda Tabberer posted on social media.

“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.”

With her strong features and confident gaze, Tabberer was effectively Australia’s first supermodel.

She began working with famed photographer Helmut Newton in the late 1950s on assignment for Vogue magazine.

That was just the start as Tabberer went on to become a journalist as well as founding a fashion label and public relations company as well as creating several television shows.

With her daily TV chat show Maggie, she won back to back Gold Logies in 1970 and 1971 for her television work.

In the 1980s she became fashion editor of Australian Women’s Weekly, an influential post she held for 15 years.

She also founded the popular Maggie T clothing label, for women sized 12 to 24.

Tabberer was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the 1998 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

She is survived by her daughters, Amanda and Brooke.