16 undisputed “It Girls” of the 1970s — and their jaw-dropping transformations today

Jerry Hall ruled the ’70s with her Texan twang and long blonde hair, becoming one of the decade’s most sought after models. She also had the star dating life to match, coupling up with Mick Jagger and tying the knot with Rupert Murdoch.

She’s still modelling today, starring in a 2022 campaign for Saint Laurent and appearing with her daughters for Burberry in 2025. Jerry is set to star in the next instalment of Celebrity Traitors and is one of three former Vogue cover stars to do so.

‘I’m Coming Out’ and ‘Baby Love’ singer Diana Ross was the sound of the ’70s, complete with an enviable wardrobe of outfits fit for the spotlight. The decade saw her earn a Golden Globe and a Special Tony Award for her efforts.

She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 as a member of The Supremes, and in 2026, the mother-of-five is continuing to bring her hit tracks to the stage with the DIANA IN MOTION international tour.

Jane Birkin’s 1976 appearance in Je t’aime moi non plus made her a star of the screen as a waitress who sparks the interest of a truck driver passing through. The singer, actress and fashion icon left a lasting legacy on culture and fashion, with the invention of the Hermès Birkin bag. 

Her last on-screen roles came in the 2010s, including short film La femme et le TGV and TV series Les saisons meurtrières. She was a mother to three children, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kate Barry and Lou Doillon, and sadly passed in 2023 at the age of 76.

Songwriter, model and actress Grace Jones challenged the norms of what it meant to be a model throughout the ’70s with her now-trademark androgynous style. The decade also saw the release of albums Portfolio (1977), Fame (1978), and Muse (1979) making her a hit of the dance floor as well as the runway.

She’s still incredibly active in the music scene and has been touring for years, as well as appearing at festivals like Electric Paradise, Out Loud and Flower Power. Grace welcomed son Paulo Goude with Jean-Paul Goude in 1979. 

Stevie Nicks continues to be a fashion icon for every vintage-lover around the world today, but it’s her powerful stage presence and time with Fleetwood Mac that we remember best.

She’s toured again through 2025 and 2026, and rereleased 1973 album Buckingham Nicks with ex-collaborator and former partner Lindsey Buckingham in 2025.

Iman Mohammed, known as Iman, was discovered in the ’70s by photographer Peter Beard and soon rose to modelling fame, starring in editorials and on the catwalk. 

Now, she’s a passionate advocate and business owner as founder of IMAN Cosmetics. Iman wed Spencer Haywood in the ’70s but it was her marriage to David Bowie that fans best remember. She welcomed a child with each of her spouses, daughters Alexandria Jones and Zulekha Haywood.

Everyone wants their wedding day to be show stopping, but Bianca Jagger’s big day provided the ultimate masterclass in minimalist fashion with a white suit and wide brimmed hat. Of course, the fact it was Mick Jagger waiting down the aisle helped a little.

Now, she’s a powerful voice in politics as founder of the Bianca Jagger Human Right’s Foundation, campaigning on issues of global justice, women’s right and climate change. Daughter Jade Jagger has followed in her mother’s chic footsteps and works as a model and jewellery designer.

Anita Pallenberg was intimately connected with rock sensation The Rolling Stones, first dating founder Brian Jones and then dating Keith Richards between 1967 and 1980, welcoming three children during their 13-year relationship. 

She also contributed to the band’s tracks, including vocals on ‘Sympathy for the Devil’, and starred in 1970 crime thriller Performance. Anita sadly passed in 2017 at the age of 75.

Punky and pop, Blondie was founded in 1974 and fronted by the golden-haired bombshell Debbie Harry. The gritty but catchy tracks meant their 1976 debut album helped American music find a new sound and two years later they broke into the mainstream with 1978’s Parallel Lines. 

The ’70s made Farrah Fawcett an overnight star as Jill Munroe in the first season of Charlie’s Angels. Following her exit from the show, Farrah starred in films like The Burning Bed and Small Sacrifices, earning Emmy nominations along the way.

She had a high profile marriage with fellow ’70s icon Lee Majors between 1973 and 1982, later finding lasting love with Ryan O’Neal. The couple welcomed a son Redmond O’Neal and, following Farrah’s death in 2009, Ryan was buried next to her in 2023. 

Patti Smith’s ’70s tracks combined emotional lyrics with a powerful melody, including the release of hits like ‘Because the Night’, ‘Gloria’ and ‘Ask the Angels’. Her androgynous style and way with words made her a memorable presence on stage and we’re still playing Horses on repeat to this day.

Patti is still performing today and released memoir Bread of Angels in 2025, reflecting on her artistic awakening. She welcomed two children with late husband Fred Sonic Smith and has an older daughter from a previous relationship.

Charlotte Rampling might have started out as a model but she became a certified ’70s movie star with leading roles in fantasy feature Zardoz opposite Sean Connery and drama The Night Porter.

You can still see her on-screen today in blockbuster hits like Dune: Part One and Part Two, as well as cult classics like Benedetta and Melancholia, starring Kirsten Dunst. She’s a mother of two, welcoming sons David Jarre and Barnaby Southcombe during her previous marriages.

Marie Helvin found fame in the ’70s as a Vogue cover star, worked with the likes of Yves Saint Laurent and Versace and posed nude for her ex-husband, photographer David Bailey.

She’s since been diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoing a mastectomy and reconstruction on her right breast. Marie has been open about finding confidence again through a one night stand and is just as innately glamorous as ever.

When Yves Saint Laurent declares you “the girl of the Seventies”, it’s clear you’ve made an impact on the world of fashion. That was certainly the case for Queen of the Scene Marisa Berenson. It wasn’t just modelling that brought her fame: Marisa starred in features like Cabaret (1972) and Barry Lyndon (1975), earning Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations for the former.

Ali MacGraw taught us the (controversial) lesson that “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” in her 1970 hit Love Story. Two years later, she starred in The Getaway opposite Steve McQueen and fell for the leading man while filming.

She stepped away from the spotlight after her 1997 role in Glam, and has since provided voice work for documentaries like Split Estate (2009) and Valles Caldera: The Science (2012). She is mother to filmmaker Josh Evans, who has worked on projects like Glam, The Price of Air and Che Guevara.

There’s no-one more ‘It Girl’ than New York socialite Nan Kempner. She’s been immortalised by Andy Warhol and dubbed “the world’s most famous clotheshorse” by Vanity Fair. 

Vogue editor Diana Vreeland famously named her “the one chic American woman” and Nan proved her knowledge of fashion with extravagant couture as well as her wit. She sadly passed in 2005 at the age of 74. She was a mother of three and married to investment banker Thomas Kempner from 1952 until her death.