STYLE ICON: Anna Karina

Born Hanne Karin Bayer, in Denmark, Karina spent most of her childhood in the care of someone other than her parents. Her mother was a dress shop owner and her father was a ship captain, who abandoned the family the year she was born. Karin has since described her own childhood as “terribly wanting to be loved.”

After modelling in Denmark, Karina moved to Paris at 17, risking everything to get her start. While she was living off the streets, Karina was approached by a scout for an advertising agency who asked her to do some photos. She quickly became a successful fashion model, meeting Pierre Cardin and Coco Chanel. It was Chanel herself who helped Hanne devise her professional name, Anna Karina.

She rose to higher notoriety when she became muse to Jean-Luc Godard, one of the pioneers of French New Wave. Despite marrying in 1961, their relationship would not last, within 3 years they were barely on speaking terms. Karina would marry a total of 5 times, she lives quietly, and remains married to Maurice Cooks.