Fashion model Twiggy – real name Dame Lesley Lawson – was one of the biggest names of the Swinging Sixties, but few people know how she got her famous nickname.
Famed for her large, dark eyes and short, bobbed hairstyle, her looks have inspired generations and saw her named the ‘The Face of ’66’.
But even before she was scouted for an interview by a Daily Mirror fashion journalist at the age of just 16, her looks were a subject of interest.
One early commentator was hairstylist Nigel Davies (later Justin de Villeneuve), who nicknamed her ‘Twigs’ because of her slim frame.
He played a crucial role in her eventual rise to fame, creating her famous bob, which was spotted by the fashion journalist on a salon wall.
After making her tabloid debut, Twiggy modelled for the likes of Vogue and Tatler within the space of a year.
Twiggy modelled for the likes of Vogue and Tatler within a year after being scouted for an interview by a fashion journalist as a teen
Twiggy was named ‘The Face of ’66’ after making her first newspaper appearance in the Daily Mirror; she went on to become one of the most influential figures of the 60s
One early commentator on Twiggy’s looks was hairstylist Nigel Davies (later Justin de Villeneuve), who nicknamed her ‘Twigs’ because of her slim frame
It is believed that Twiggy’s peтιтe frame set her apart from the more voluptuous models whose body types were in fashion in earlier decades.
Twiggy became so big, in fact, that she was voted Woman of the Year by the British public.
But her influence spread overseas too and she brought her British, London sixties style to France, Japan, and the US.
Twiggy, now 75, eventually retired from modelling in 1970 and went on to have a hugely successful career as an actress and writer before returning to modelling in 2005.
She joked at the time of her initial retirement: ‘You can’t be a clothes hanger your entire life!’
Notable film credits she went on to have include The Boy Friend (1971), which saw her nominated for two Golden Globes.
News of how Twiggy got her famous nickname has resurfaced following the release of her new film, also named Twiggy, which was released on Thursday (March 7).
It documents her rise to fame on the big screen for the first time, featuring other icons of the era like Sir Paul McCartney.
Twiggy was all smiles at the premier of her film, which documents her rise to global fame and eventual icon status in the 60s
Twiggy has been praised for her good looks after she appeared on The One Show to promote the new film about her life and rise to fame
The new Twiggy film has been described as a ‘an intimate, star-studded dive into the birth of an icon, and everything that followed’
Read More BRIAN VINER reviews Twiggy: A beguiling portrait of the waif who defined the Sixties 
Viewers were quick to take to social media to praise the model’s good looks after she appeared on The One Show to promote the film.
One fan wrote on Twitter/X: ‘#TheOneShowTwiggy is stunning! How does she never age. Can’t believe she’s 75??? Looks more like 55. Seriously what’s her secret?’
The film’s synopsis reads: ‘An intimate, star-studded dive into the birth of an icon, and everything that followed.
‘A look at the life of the greatest it-girl of all time.
‘Featuring contributions from Dustin Hoffman, Paul McCartney, Charlotte Tilbury, Joanna Lumley, and many more, Twiggy is an exploration of the model’s upbringing, career, relationships, and everything else that has made her the woman she is today, and the first time the icon has told her story first-hand.’
