On May 20, Cynthia Bailey posted a throwback photo from her early modeling days on her Instagram account. The image showed the reality TV star as a 20-something-year-old fresh-faced young adult living in New York City, where she first got her start in modeling.
Fans flooded the comments, swooning over the fresh-faced beauty.
“Mother of the house of cheekbones,” wrote IG user @benjiarmishaw.
“Yesss, I remember this back in the day with Nikki Norris, and I modeled too. Yess, you were always the GOAT darling ❤” wrote life and career coach Bershan Shaw.
“Beautiful version of @ciara & @blacc.hyna. Love those features,” gushed @black_isbeautyful.
The May 20 throwback photo is in a series of retro pics the reality TV star has recently been sharing. On May 22, the Real Housewives of Atlanta star took another walk down memory lane by sharing a pic from her first photo shoot.
“This was the shoot that would determine my future as a model,” Bailey wrote in the caption. The young fashionista wears a large-brim hat, a black sweater, a ruched skirt and lace-up flats in the photo. She is striking a pose in Central Park. The shoot took “15 minutes tops,” shared the fashion icon, adding that it was this very shoot that landed her a five-year contract with top modeling agency, Wilhelmina.
“Beautiful story! ❤ You’re just if not more beautiful now as you were then… you’re aging like a fine wine!!” said IG user @ebonybluesky7.
Noel Sutherland, the photographer credited with snapping the photos of the fashion icon, showed up in the comments section and wrote, “Thank you. I remember it well. You were great, and we knew you were destined for greater things!!”
On May 5, the RHOA star posted an image of her younger self walking in a fashion show. In the photo, Bailey wears her hair in sleek, almost shoulder-length waves with curled bangs. She’s donning a denim skirt, a waist belt and a lacey top.
Grammy Award-nominated artist Janelle Monáe commented on the photo, “Forever a stunner.”
“Yessssssir. I remember my mother telling me that’s a black woman boss…I loved her ever since watching her walk Runways one of the reasons I model,” wrote IG user @aricalott.
Bailey has had an incredible 20-plus-year career and has been an inspiration for other Black models. In addition to being on RHOA, she’s appeared on the cover of Essence twice, graced the pages of Vanity Fair, and been in ads for top brands like Oil of Olay and Maybelline.
