Cindy Crawford may be one of the most recognizable supermodels in the world, but she insists she was far from the “dumb model” stereotype people assumed she was when she left college to chase her career.
Raised in Illinois, Crawford graduated as valedictorian of DeKalb High School in 1984 and earned an academic scholarship to study computer engineering at Northwestern University. However, the now 59-year-old ultimately chose to leave school and commit fully to modeling — a decision that drew criticism.
“People immediately treated me like I was dumb,” she recently told OK! Magazine. “I wasn’t.”
The Meaningful Beauty co-founder explained that as a child she had ambitions far beyond the runway — at one point dreaming of becoming the first female U.S. president, then considering careers in medicine or teaching. She says she genuinely loved school and thrived academically.
In a past episode of MTV’s House of Style, Crawford flipped through her high school yearbook, pointing out her involvement in the math team, National Honor Society, Illinois State Scholar program, and student council. Reflecting on the era, she noted that modeling once came with the unfair assumption that beauty meant a lack of intelligence.
She believes times have changed, thanks in part to social media. Today’s models, she says, have platforms to express their personalities and opinions — something her generation didn’t have.
As she approaches 60, Crawford says she’s ready to embrace the milestone. She acknowledges that society can be ageist and that self-criticism is common, but encourages people to move past insecurities and accept themselves at every stage of life.
On the personal front, Crawford says she’s enjoying a slower pace with her husband of 27 years, Rande Gerber, co-founder of Casamigos. The couple share two children: daughter Kaia Gerber, 24, who has built her own modeling career and landed a regular role on Apple TV+’s Palm Royale, and son Presley Gerber, 26.
Presley has been open about his mental health journey, previously sharing details about the medications he takes for depression and insomnia. He has said that combining medical treatment with good nutrition and exercise has helped him feel more stable, and that after seeing multiple psychiatrists, he’s in a better place today.
Through it all, Crawford continues to challenge stereotypes — proving that brains and beauty were never mutually exclusive.
