The model known professionally as Twiggy was Lesley Hornby.
She adopted the nickname Twiggy because of her very slim, youthful appearance, and it became her internationally recognized professional name. Born in London in 1949, she was discovered as a teenager and became one of the defining faces of the 1960s fashion boom.
Twiggy’s short haircut, large eyes, and graphic eye makeup helped symbolize the modern London style associated with boutiques such as Biba and designers including Mary Quant. Her success extended beyond modeling into acting and singing.
Twiggy is sometimes confused with Jean Shrimpton, another major British model of the 1960s. Shrimpton was nicknamed “The Shrimp,” while Twiggy’s public identity came from her own distinctive nickname.