40 Glamorous Photos of American Model Jessica Ford in the 1950s

Her name is Jessica Ford Marek, living in Sun Lakes. She was one of the first super models in the world.

As hemlines meandered, hourglass figures were kept intact by bullet bras and waist cinchers, crinolines lifted the full circle skirts and stiletto heels and silk hose became the norm. American girls dreamed about French designers…Dior, Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent, and their wardrobes were captured in dreams and in magazines, unless your name was Jessica Ford.

Jessica Ford in the 1950s

In fact, the fashion industry which bloomed in the 1950s soaring into the ’60s, pronounced the fashion world timeless in beauty, needing fresh faces, for the ever-growing fashion industry. And Jessica Ford was it.

Jessica led every story in every magazine from Vogue and Harper’s Bizarre, to the Sears-Roebuck catalog, every television commercial, and the showgirl on the famous $64,000 Question. She was every woman’s ideal and every man’s dream. Her face was more famous than movie stars and quickly became a world phenomenon. She alone created the look of loving the camera, and it loved her back in every shot, thousands of them.

Take a look at these glamorous photos to see portraits of American model Jessica Ford in the 1950s.

Jessica Ford in a blue-and-black plaid coat in thick, brushed fleece, back-belted and double-breasted by Ben Zuckerman, black mink turban by Irene of New York, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, September 1956

Jessica Ford in blue floral print Wamsutta Supervoile dress by Mollie Parnis, Vogue, December 1, 1956

Jessica Ford in perfect resort suit of white silk by Paul Parnes, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, December 1956

Jessica Ford in satin dress by Pauline Trigere, "Opalescent" make-up and coiffure by Helena Rubinstein, Castlecliff earrings, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, October 1956

Jessica Ford in shawl-collared sealskin wrap by Revillon, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, 1956

Jessica Ford in tailored black Persian lamb coat with notched revers and big patch pocket by Ben Kahn, mink hat by Irene of New York, bag by Nettie Rosenstein, photo by Louisa Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, November 1956

Jessica Ford in violet tweed suit with cardigan jacket and matching stole and Liberty print linen blouse by Davidow, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar U.S., December 1956

Jessica Ford in white wool worn with a lawn blouse of Liberty print violets, by Max Millstein, blouse by Hill Day, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar U.S., December 1956

Jessica Ford in a hooded greatcoat of soft, lightweight wool plaited in the MacKenzie tartan by Davidow, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, September 1957

Jessica Ford in a smoky taupe fitted flannel suit with chiffon overblouse and a side-dipped cloche, all by Christian Dior, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, September 1957

Jessica Ford in black and white tweed coat, full through the body, green felt hat by Sally Victor, handbag by Ronay, photo by Lionel Kazan, Vogue, October 1, 1957

Jessica Ford in blue chiffon dress by Scaasi and butterfly jewelry by Schlumberger for Tiffany, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, March 1957

Jessica Ford in blue satin ball gown with matching jacket trimmed in dark mink by Ceil Chapman, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, December 1957

Jessica Ford in chiffon-throated sheath dress and short cropped jacket of beige and white rayon tweed by Lilli Ann, pigskin belt by Colony, white felt hat by Emme, calfskin bag by Lucille, photo by Karen Radkai, Vogue, February 15, 1957

Jessica Ford in dotted pink silk shirt tucked into narrowing jersey pants by Cooper's Cabana, sandals by Palter DeLiso, beads by Dalsheim, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, February 1, 1957

Jessica Ford in golden apricot wool tweed suit with lynx stole by Handelsman & Raiffe, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, December 1957

Jessica Ford in pin-tucked organdy and lace dress by Herbert Levine, hat by Adolfo for Emme, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, May 1957

Jessica Ford in rich dark UMPA mink coat designed by Emeric Partos, jewelry by Van Cleef & Arpels, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, November 1957

Jessica Ford in vivid yellow satin ball gown with round-collared jacket and halter-strapped bodice by Branell, jewelry by Cartier, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, October 1957

Jessica Ford is wearing a black satin rose hat with veiling by Adolfo of Emme, makeup by Germaine Monteil, rhinestone earrings by Bogoff, photo by Karen Radkai, Vogue, January 15, 1957

Jessica Ford wears a playsuit, slit to the waist at the sides, by Tom Brigance for Sportmaker and sandals by Bernardo, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe at a Hindu temple in Trinidad, Harper's Bazaar, 1957

Jessica Ford with real pearls from Cartier, Revlon's Platinum Nail Enamel and Snow Pink lipstick, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar UK, April 1957

Jessica Ford in a striped sun dress with bows at shoulders by Rhea, sandals by I. Miller, 1958

Jessica Ford in apricot silk-organdy gown with long panels at the back streaming from a rose-moored fichu, by (Jules Crahay) Nina Ricci, jewelry by Van Cleef & Arpels, coiffure by Guillaume, photo by William Klein, Vogue, April 1, 1958

Jessica Ford in blue and green polka-dot silk dress by Dan Keller, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, Vogue, February 15, 1958

Jessica Ford in bright melon French worsted jersey suit over a silk print blouse by Ben Gershel, same silk print turban by Emme, photo by Henry Clarke, Vogue, February 1, 1958

Jessica Ford in double-pink print mohair and wool coat with small stand-away collar by Pierre Cardin, photo by William Klein in front of Raymond Savignac poster for French soda Vérigoud, Vogue, April 1, 1958

Jessica Ford in evening dress of sky-blue faille with butterfly bows, hem is short in front trailing in the rear by Manuel Pertegaz, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, September 1958

Jessica Ford in gorgeous dress of double trapeze of beige tulle faceted with gold embroidery and dècolletage at the front and back, by (YSL) Dior, shoes by Roger Vivier for Dior, photo by Henry Clarke, Vogue, May 1, 1958

Jessica Ford in one-piece jumpsuit in a garden print of Everglaze cotton by Brigance of Sportsmaker, straw hat by John Frederics Charmer, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, January 1, 1958

Jessica Ford in red jersey English worsted coat with draw-string belt and deep pockets by Ben Gershel, chamois colored gloves, jewelry by David Webb, photo by Frances McLaughlin, Vogue, March 1, 1958

Jessica Ford in silk two-piece dress by Donald Brooks and turban by John Frederics, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, 1958

Jessica Ford in simple off-white woolen skirt with a brilliant pink moire ribbon edged in braid worn with black jersey top, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, December 1958

Jessica Ford in Spring-green wool coat by Ben Zuckerman, a silk wrapped turban in complimentary colors by Adolfo of Emme, photo by Frances McLaughlin-Gill, Vogue, January 1, 1958

Jessica Ford wearing Germaine Monteil make-up and necklace and earrings by Trifari, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, March 1, 1958

Jessica Ford in Autumn Haze EMBA reversible mink coat by Emeric Partos for Bergdorf Goodman, photo by Virginia Thoren, Harper's Bazaar, October 1959

Jessica Ford in green Irish linen drawstring halter shift and white sandals, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, 1959

Jessica Ford in salmon-colored wool tweed suit by Handmacher, natural Milan straw hat by Emme, handbag and gloves from Nettie Rosenstein, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, Vogue, February 15, 1959

Jessica Ford in Supima cotton, hand-screened print dress by Adele Simpson, photo by William Helburn, Harper's Bazaar, November 1959

Jessica Ford wearing a leopard hat and stole, posed with a slide of a 1960 Mercury projected on her and the wall, photo by John Rawlings, 1959