Barbara Mullen (1927–2023) was an American fashion model who helped redefine beauty in the postwar era. She was discovered while working as a mannequin at Bergdorf Goodman, and rose to prominence after her first appearance in Vogue in 1947.
With her unconventional features, slender frame, and expressive presence, Mullen stood apart from the classic Hollywood ideal and became a favorite of photographers such as Richard Avedon, Lillian Bassman, William Klein, and Norman Parkinson. Throughout the 1950s, she was one of the most sought-after and highest-paid models of her generation, appearing in major fashion magazines around the world. Her distinctive look helped usher in a new, more modern standard of beauty that would influence the decades to come.
These elegant photos celebrate Barbara Mullen, the mid-century muse who quietly transformed the face of fashion.
Barbara Mullen wearing a pink dress with a sheer pink veil, 1947
Barbara Mullen in burgundy and gray dress with gray waist band and gray cotton gloves, all by Mildred Orrick, photo by Herbert Matter, February 1948
Barbara Mullen standing in a blue short sleeve dress with a full skirt and a flower at the neckline by Clare McCardell, red suede gloves by Fuchs, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, May 1, 1948
Barbara Mullen wearing a black jacket with a stand-up collar, printed with Zodiac symbols in stained glass colors, by Ceil Chapman, with a yellow-banded gray side-tilted helmet by John Frederics, photo by Herbert Matter, February 15, 1948
Barbara Mullen wearing a fern shadowed dress in green by Herbert Sondheim with beads around neck wearing matching green gloves, photo by Herbert Matter, 1948
Leave a Reply