Gia Marie Carangi

Gia Carangi was born on January 29, 1960 in Philadelphia. In 1977, Gia traveled to New York to begin her modeling career. She became a model by mere accident. As Gia was letting lose at a local Disco, a photographer saw her, and asked to take her Picture gia began dancing wildiay around the bar, arms out stretched, hair in her eyes, and squealing like a school girl. When the pictures reached the desk of Vogue magazine, there was no stopping her.

Her first major modeling job was with Gianni Versace when she was 18. She was quite a change from the typical blonde hair-blue eye model everyone saw as the most beautiful type of women. Gia changed all that. Within the next year Gia became one of the biggest models of the late 1970s.Gia was immediately swept into the fashion world. She never went through the tough rejections that other models faced; she was considered a “rare gem” in the modeling business. Partly due to supermodel Janice Dickinson’s success, a demand for more ethnic looking models was in. She was visibly striking, and was a hit with all the photographers.

By the end of 1978, Gia had already rocked the fashion world at age 18. However, she was extremely lonely and still looking for stability in her life.

Gia began to develop a serious cocaine addiction. Common for the time, but lethal to most everyone who took it up. Kelly LeBrock, a top model at the time, remembers the time she spent with Gia.

In October of 1978, Gia did her first major shoot with top fashion photographer Chris von Wangenheim. Wangenheim had Gia pose nude behind a chain link fence, with makeup assistant Sandy Linter.

By January of 1980, Gia’s surrogate mother and agent, Wilhelmina Cooper was diagnosed with lung cancer. Gia quickly turned to drugs to escape the harsh reality.

A month after she returned, Wilhelmina passed away at the age of 40. This was something Gia never quite got over. Combined with her confusing sexuality, her Mother’s persistence at her becoming successful, and her now newly formed heroin addiction, Gia’s life began to slowly crumble.

To the world, 1980 was a great year for Gia in fashion. She was seen on covers of Vogue and Cosmopolitan, but behind the scenes she was a very different person. She would have violent temper tantrums, walk-out of photo shoots and even fell asleep in front of the camera. In a 1980 November issue of Vogue, has since been the butt of many rumors about her drug use. It was said for many years that the nor famous cover, with Gia’s arms tucked stealthily behind her back, were posed that way in order to hide track marks when she was supposed to have been sober. This is not true; it was disputed most recently by Scavullo himself, who shot the cover. For three weeks, Gia was signed with Eileen Ford, but was dropped because she had little tolerance for Gia’s behavior.

Her attempt to quit drugs was shattered when news that good friend and fashion photographer Chris Von Wangenheim had died in a car accident. It is said that Gia locked herself in a bathroom for hours, shooting heroin. In the fall of 1981, Gia looked far from the top model she once was. Drugs had ravaged her body, and in time, her face as well. However, she was still determined to make a comeback into the fashion industry. She contacted Monique Pillard (who was largely responsible for Janice Dickinson’s career), and who was hesitant to sign her.

In West Germany, a budding fashion industry was being created. Although seen as tacky by the designers from New York, Paris and Milan, the Germans were willing to pay 10,000 a week to shoot Gia abroad. However, no one in the states would book her. In the spring of 1983, Gia was caught with drugs in a shoot in Africa. Her career was over.

After six months, Gia was released from the program. She moved back to Philadelphia, and it seemed as if she was getting her life back on track. She started taking classes in photography and cinematography. But, three months later, Gia had vanished once again, and had returned to Atlantic City, and started shooting heroin again. She sexually prostituted herself and was raped on several occasions. She soon became sick with pneumonia, and her mother came and checked her into a hospital.

She was diagnosed with AIDS, then a newly-known disease. As her condition worsened, she was transferred to Philadelphia’s Hahnemann Hospital. Her mother stayed with her day and night, allowing barely anyone see her. By this time, AIDS had taken a toll on her body; her once beautiful face was vanishing.

On November 18, 1986 at 10 in the morning, 26-year-old Gia Carangi died. Her funeral was held on November 23 at a small funeral home in Philadelphia. Gia’s mother and father did their best to contact people in Philadelphia and in New York.

Although her death was tragic, it was surely not in vain. Gia was the first well known woman to die from AIDS. She brought AIDS into the forefront of the American conscience. She was a fighter. Although she eventually succumbed, no one could ever say she didn’t try. She searched her entire life for honesty and love, two things she cherished and rarely attained.


“There’s only been maybe 3 girls in my whole career that have walked into my studio and I went ‘wow’. Gia was the last who came in here and I said ‘wow.’”

-Francesco Scuvallo.