What America's First Supermodel Cheryl Tiegs Looks Like Today

Cheryl Tiegs was one of the first and most popular U.S. "supermodels". Tiegs was a pioneer of the modern fashion industry in the 1970s, helping shape it into what it is today. Much of her success came thanks to Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit issues in which she appeared nine times, including three covers in 1970, 1975, and 1983. Two of her most iconic photoshoots for the brand included Tiegs wearing a see-through white fishnet one-piece suit that exposed her chest and a barely there pink bikini. Another notable cover was Time's "All-American Model" cover story. Tiegs also graced the cover of magazines like Vogue, Elle, and Seventeen and expanded her career into designing clothes and accessories for Sears. Eventually, she dabbled in acting and became a public speaker.

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As of 2026, Tiegs is well into her 70s and lives her life mostly out of the spotlight after becoming one of the original supermodels. But, she makes occasional appearances for charity, most recently posing on the carpet at Project Angel Food's Angel Awards in September 2025. She looked happy and healthy at the event, wearing a black suit jacket over an elegant white top. However, she has aged a bit since her last public outing a year before at a screening of the documentary film "Beyond The Gaze: Jule Campbell's Swimsuit Issue."

There's no denying that Cheryl Tiegs has aged, and she's not delaying the process with plastic surgery. In a 2016 interview with Today, she said she hoped to maintain her healthy lifestyle for decades. She focused on spiritual health at the time, sharing that she took spiritual classes and did a lot of yoga.

Tiegs also stressed the importance of exercising with low-impact workouts. "I just always want to be active, but I don't want to push myself so that it's uncomfortable," she said. "I go out on hikes a lot. And I just put on my headphones, and listen to the music, and I like my feet on the ground." She's also spoken about maintaining a regular exercising routine that includes cardio and weight training.

She told Artful Living in 2017 that for her, laughter is also a key ingredient to health. "Find friends who make you laugh. I just want friends in my life who are positive influences — that's where I'm at now. It's a nice, healthy, happy state." As for her diet, Tiegs told Today she cooks her signature roast chicken about once a week, and has spoken about avoiding carbs like pasta and sweets in the past.