Gia Marie Carangi (January 29, 1960 – November 18, 1986) was an American model, considered by many to be the first woman to be titled as supermodel. She was featured on the cover of fashion magazines, including multiple editions of Vogue and Cosmopolitan, and appeared in advertising campaigns for such fashion houses as Armani, Christian Dior, Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent.
After becoming addicted to heroin, Carangi's modeling career rapidly declined. At age 26, she died of AIDS-related complications. Believed to have contracted it from a contaminated needle, she became one of the first famous women to die of the disease.
