British supermodel Georgina Cooper — known for her iconic gapped-tooth Cool Britannia look — has died unexpectedly at age 46, according to her friends and multiple reports.
According to the Daily Mail, Cooper was hospitalized after falling ill while vacationing with her husband of several months, Nigel, on the Greek island of Kos.
They were reportedly staying at the Marianna Hotel when she became sick and was taken to a hospital on Oct. 21.
After her condition was evaluated, the hospital reportedly had her flown to a better-equipped location on the island of Crete. She was reportedly treated for five days before she died.
Cooper’s cause of death has not been revealed, but WWD reports she suffered from a brain hemorrhage as a result of long COVID.
Meanwhile, her former agent, Dean Goodman, told the Mail that she “had been unwell during Covid and had developed some health problems and had been in and out of hospital.”
He confirmed she “had plans for the future” and “was looking forward to her life” with her new husband.
Contrary to what the Mail reported, WWD claimed she stayed on Kos for the final days of her life.
A source on the island told the Mail that Cooper had been vacationing there for more than 20 years and had traveled there for her honeymoon in July and again in October.
They added, “This was all very sudden and it is a shock for all of us.”
“She was talking about coming back in May because she wanted to find somewhere to live and maybe start a business. It’s so sad.”
Cooper’s close friend and fellow model Jade Parfitt, 46, told the outlet that “friends and family are absolutely devastated.”
“Georgina was a ray of light, a very popular model who was riotous fun, always laughing and being naughty in all the best ways,” she added.
“We all wanted to hang out with George backstage. Her achievements in the industry were huge.”
Cooper began modeling at 13 after she was discovered at the Elite Look of The Year contest in 1992, according to her 2018 interview with the Cultural Omnivore.
She was then reportedly signed by Premier Model Management, which was co-founded by former model Carole White. White reportedly served as Naomi Campbell’s agent at the time.
At 15, the late model hit it big by landing a role in a Jon Bon Jovi music video, per the Mail, and beginning a fruitful partnership with one of the biggest fashion photographers, Corinne Day.
“Corinne really loved my look — she particularly loved the gap in my teeth — and she liked my personality too,” Cooper told the Cultural Omnivore.
“The following week we did our first shoot for Ray Gun magazine. It was an amazing time — we all had so much fun — and Corrine was brilliant to work with.”
She added, “I was so young at the time I didn’t really understand how influential the work we were doing was until I got older and people would compliment me on the work we did together.”
Cooper became one of the biggest faces of the 1990s and was easily one of the most recognizable due to the gap between her two front teeth. Some of her magazine covers included US Vogue and the Face.
Cooper retired from the modeling industry when she had her son, Sonny, because she “couldn’t bear to leave him alone,” she told the Cultural Omnivore.
“I tried to continue modeling but it broke my heart when I had to leave him for work,” she explained.
“I focused on modeling assignments in London but my life was at a crossroads and I decided that Sonny came first.”
She most recently worked in the hospitality industry.
Cooper was remembered by her friends, peers and fans on social media following the news of her death, with Parfitt remembering her as “one of the funniest and naughtiest” and “most beautiful friends.”
“You were an incredibly kind and funny human-being, Georgina,” her fellow Cool Britannia-era model Erin O’Connor wrote on Instagram.
“I/we all admired and loved you so much for the warmth, generosity and gentle mischief you brought to the world.”
She added, “Many years have passed since we (our little 90’s britannia pack) hung out together during the mad carousel era known as ‘show season’ – but you ALWAYS stuck out to me for keeping it real and being proud of who you were.”
Page Six reached out to Goodman, Parfitt and O’Connor for comment.
