That time when Naomi Campbell turned community service into a fashion show

Naomi Campbell is one of the most charismatic, charming and confident top models to have ever walked on the runway of a Fashion Week. Friend and muse of Gianni Versace, a close collaborator of Kim Jones - she walked his last Louis Vuitton show along with with Kate Moss -, the undisputed icon of the '90s. In her long career, Naomi has worked with fashion houses with the likes of Chanel, Prada, Fendi, Burberry, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent and many others. But the most memorable show of the Black Venus was definitely the one she basically improvised during her week of community service. 

A little background. It's January 2007, Naomi can't find her favourite pair of jeans around her house, she asks her housekeeper, Ana Scovolino, who unfortunately does not have an answer to this question. In an outburst, Naomi hurls her cellphone at her maid, who as a result reports the accident to the police. Naomi was then sentenced to a week of community service for the city of New York, specifically a week of cleaning up at a New York City sanitation garage, a similar sentence to the one of Boy George a few months earlier. 

Every day of the week Campbell shows up in a black van wearing a series of incredible outfits. The first day, as soon as she gets out of her car, she hands her bag to a policeman, mistaking him for one of her bodyguards, making the joy of the tabloids. Yes, because these days of community service are promptly documented on tabloids and magazines thanks to the dozens of paparazzi ready to capture every move of Naomi. Starting from the second day, a great number of designers and stylists are calling her asking her to wear their clothes for the service. 

The first day Black Venus arrives wearing a fur coat by Giuliana Teso, while the following days she opts for fur bomber jackets, leather coats, always with a matching cap, high heels, and sometimes on top of everything pairing the outfit with a giant Hermès Kelly bag. On Thursday, she wears an Etro top, Pologeorgis fur and Knicks cap - a gift from her friend Spike Lee. 

But the highlight of this fashion show was reached on Friday, when Naomi showed up with a couture dress. Yes, you read that right. Campbell arrives wearing a long, metallic, sequin Dolce & Gabbana dress, belted at the waist, paired with a diamond necklace and ring. The usual office attire. At the time of leaving forever that nightmare called community service, Naomi gets on a black Rolls Royce weaving the paparazzi, headed to Elton John's birthday party. 

In just a couple of days Naomi Campbell reminded the whole world what it means to be a supermodel. A few years later, when asked about this experience, it was Naomi herself to explain her style choices to Grazia: 

Why shouldn't I have done? Why should they expect me to go looking bedraggled or something? [...] It wasn't planned at all. I decided on the day and I still gave them what they wanted, it didn't stop me from doing what I had to do though.

Who knows what Naomi has learnt from this experience, what's sure is that no one could have pulled this off quite like her.