Tatiana Patitz is dead. Cindy Crawford, Helena Christensen and Christy Turlington say goodbye to a friend.

information about the death of 56-year-old Tatjana Patitz was handed over on January 11. According to Vogue, the cause of death of the German model was breast cancer. Born in Hamburg, Patitz was one of the biggest models of the late 80s and early 90s.

People.com published a statement issued by Patitz agent Corinne Nicolas. “She left behind her son, sister and parents. We are all devastated by her passing. She had a compassionate soul, a generous heart, and she was a staunch advocate for animal rights. One of the most important things for her was supporting wild horses,” the release reads.

Patitz’s farewell was also posted on the Vogue magazine website. “Tatjana has always been a European symbol of chic, a cross between Romy Schneider and Monica Vitti. She was definitely less visible than her companions, more mysterious, mature and unattainable, which gave her a unique charm” – wrote Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of “Vogue”.

Other former supermodels Cindy Crawford, Helena Christensen and Christy Turlington paid tribute to the German model on social media. “We were kids in the fashion industry, it felt like we grew up together. We’ve been to so many shoots and shows together. I’ve always found her gentle, kind, sensitive and inquisitive. Who could forget that piercing gaze of hers. Her love of animals and nature was contagious. ” – emphasized Crawford in the description of a joint photo with Patitz, which she published on Instagram.

“You were always calm and graceful with those wonderful, smiling eyes. We have traveled so much together, shared amazing memories since we were young. I loved being with you, it was always so peaceful then, we laughed so much. I am grateful that we stayed in touch until he himself I smile as I look through our messages and see that we wrote mainly about our love for nature, “we read in turn in the description of the commemorative photos posted on Christensen’s Instagram profile.

Turlington, in a post saying goodbye to Patitz, mentioned that when she was 16, a German model took her under her wing and on the occasion of one of the sessions in France she invited her to her hotel room in Cannes. “I could watch her smoke cigarettes and talk all day in one of the many languages ​​she spoke fluently. (…) I was learning how an international woman behaved and moved around the world at that time,” the American noted.

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The British rock band Duran Duran, with whom Patitz collaborated in 1987 on the occasion of recording the music video for the song “Skin Trade”, also said goodbye to the deceased model in her social media. “Without a doubt, she was one of the greatest models of her time and a true lover,” the group’s official Twitter account said.

The memory of the German woman also appeared on the Twitter account of the Peter Lindbergh Foundation, the photographer for whom Patitz posed in January 1990 alongside Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. The photo from this session was then on the cover of British “Vogue” and opened the door to a great career for models.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Tatjana Patitz, Peter’s longtime friend. We would like to pay tribute to her kindness, inner beauty and incredible intelligence. Our thoughts go to her relatives, especially to Jonah (19-year-old son of the deceased – ed.). We will miss her terribly ” – wrote the members of the foundation named after the photographer who died in 2019. The foundation’s profile also includes several black and white photographs of Patitz posing.

SEE ALSO: He created the supermodels. One of the world’s most famous fashion photographers has passed away