The fashion world has lost a supermodel.
Georgina Cooper, a British model best known for her work during the ‘90s “Cool Britannia” wave and her iconic gap tooth, has passed away. She was just 46. According to Dailymail.com on Friday, she was staying on the Greek island of Kos at the Marianna hotel apartments with her husband when she suddenly fell ill on October 21. Staff members called an ambulance, and she was transported to the hospital on the island. However, her condition was so serious that the hospital flew her to a more well-equipped facility in Crete for better care. She was treated in the intensive care for five days there, but sadly, Georgina did not make it.
Related: Rashida Jones Posts Sweetest Memory Of Late Father Quincy Jones
Her official cause of death has yet to be revealed, but a source close to the runway star claimed to WWD that she suffered from a blood-brain hemorrhage as a result of long COVID. Oof. Her former agent, Dean Goodman, confirmed Georgina had some medical issues, revealing it all started after she became “unwell” during the coronavirus pandemic:
“She loved Greece and told me that she was going back with her new husband – but she has tragically died there a fortnight ago. Georgina had been unwell during Covid and had developed some health problems and had been in and out of hospital.”
Despite her ailments, Goodman said that “she had plans for the future.” What makes this situation even more awful? Georgina got married just months ago. He continued:
“She had just married and was looking forward to her life. Everybody is devastated. She was a genuine superstar.”
It’s so heartbreaking. Georgina was young and still had so much life ahead of her. A source on Kos added that her death was “a shock” to everyone who knew her:
“She has been coming here on holiday for more than 20 years. Her parents are friends of the hotel owners and she is a good friend of theirs. She came here in July for her honeymoon and she came again in October for a holiday. She was taken ill the day before she was supposed to fly home. Georgina loved Greece and was always coming here but she had health problems and was ill once before when she was here. But this was all very sudden and it is a shock for all of us. She was talking about coming back in May because she wanted to find somewhere to live and maybe start a business. It’s so sad.”
Georgina’s friend and fellow model Jade Parfitt went on to say that “friends and family are absolutely devastated” right now, adding:
“Georgina was a ray of light, a very popular model who was riotous fun, always laughing and being naughty in all the best ways. We all wanted to hang out with George backstage. Her achievements in the industry were huge.”
For those who don’t know, Georgina said in an interview with the Cultural Omnivore in 2018 that began modeling at the age of 13 when she was discovered at the Elite Look of The Year contest in 1992. She then signed with Premier Model Management. At 15 years old, she starred in a music video for Jon Bon Jovi and began a longtime partnership with a major fashion photographer, Corinne Day. She soon became one of the most recognizable models in the industry in the ‘90s, landing magazine covers like US Vogue and The Face.
But Georgina told Cultural Omnivore that once she had her son, Sonny, she “couldn’t bear to leave him alone” and “wanted to be there for him,” so she retired from modeling. At the time, she said she went on to work in the hospitality industry.
Our hearts go out to Georgina’s loved ones. Reactions to the news, Perezcious readers? Let us know.
[Image via Steve Spiller/WENN]
