50 Stunning Photos of Italian Model Isabella Albonico in the 1950s and ’60s

Italian by temperament as well as birth (born in Florence in 1937), Isabella Albonico began modeling in Europe when she was 15, and arrived in New York in 1957.

Italian model Isabella Albonico in the 1950s and 1960s

Brown-haired and brown-eyed, Isabella has had covers on Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and LIFE, makes $60 an hour, and has won, she says, “a reputation for being allergic to being pummeled around under the lights. Nobody touches me.”

She “would like most of all to be a movie star,“ has just returned from Hollywood, where she played a small part (“but opposite Gary Grant”) in A Touch of Mink (1962) and a larger one in an all-Italian film, Smog (1962).

Besides English and Italian, Isabella speaks French and Spanish.

Take a look at these stunning photos to see her work as a model in the 1950s and 1960s.

Isabella Albonico in deep blue cashmere sweater with big wide turtleneck collar by Braemar, worn with faux emerqalds by Hattie Carnegie, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, August 1957

Isabella in bathing suit by Jantzen, photo by Gordon Parks, Cuba, 1958

Isabella in beach fashions, Havana Cuba, photo by Gordon Parks, 1958

Isabella in beach fashions, Havana, Cuba, photo by Gordon Parks, 1958

Isabella is wearing a Panama hat designed by Adolfo, framed by leaves in the patio of a 140-year old house in Cuba, photo by Gordon Parks, 1958

Isabella Albonico in beautiful blue suit of Italian silk twill by Marquise, SAGA Norwegian fox stole by Fredrica, silk flower hat by Emme, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, March 1, 1959

Isabella Albonico in beige and black dress and jacket of silk broadcloth by Mort Schrader, straw hat by John Frederics Charmer, jet necklaces by Marvella, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, June 1959

Isabella Albonico in black, lacy knitted wool dress with deep v-neck by Monte-Sano & Pruzan, faux pearl and jet bead chokers by Judith McCann, feathery velvet Breton by Chanda, photo by Horst, Vogue, November 15, 1959

Isabella Albonico in bright hyacinth wool town suit, a cropped top ties across the shoulders, and an eased skirt on a camisole, white straw hat with cornflowers, both by Dior-New York, photo by Sante Forlano, Vogue, February 1, 1959

Isabella Albonico in brocade gown of gold and pink flowers on green background shot with gilt Lurex by Branell, coiffure by Elizabeth Arden, photo by Lillian Bassman, Harper's Bazaar, October 1959

Isabella Albonico in brown and white floral print dress of twilled silk with wide neckline and low back by Larry Aldrich, photo by Saul Leiter, Harper's Bazaar, March 1959

Isabella Albonico in lovely silk surah floral print dress by Jane Derby, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, Vogue, June 1959

Isabella Albonico in magnificent gown with enormous wing-like sleeves of Venetian green velvet and taffeta by Grès, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, December 1, 1959

Isabella Albonico in pale blue wool and silk tweed suit with belted jacket by Monte Sano & Pruzan, white organdie hat by Irene of New York, jewelry by Cartier, photo by Karen Radkai, Vogue, February 1, 1959

Isabella Albonico in taupe-brown and beige paisley silk separates by Sportwhirl, moss-green velveteen hat by Sally Victor, Marvella jewelry, photo by Tom Palumbo, Vogue, July 1, 1959

Isabella Albonico in two-piece cocktail suit by Pierre Cardin, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, 1959

Isabella Albonico is wearing a red satin evening coat, black satin hat, and cut crystal beads of deep sea-green, all by Dior, make-up from Max Factor, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, November 1, 1959

Isabella Albonico photographed by John Rawlings, wearing burgundy velvet dress by Harvey Berin with white mutation mink stole by Saga, 1959

Isabella Albonico, photo by Tom Palumbo, 1959

Isabella Albonico, photo by Yale Joel, December 1959

Isabella in brown silk chiffon dress, a rose marks the high corsage above the graceful flow of the skirt, by Jane Derby, necklace by Nettie Rosenstein, photo by Saul Leiter, Harper's Bazaar, March 1959

Isabella in pale blue satin dress under flowery cafe-au-lait Chantilly lace, by Jane Derby, turquoise and diamond necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels, photo by Lillian Bassman, Harper's Bazaar, October 1959

Isabella wearing a garnet velvet pillbox with bow by Lilly Dache, photo by Tom Palumbo, 1959

"Stepoff", Isabella Albonico, Harper's Bazaar, 1960

Floating against a backdrop of the galaxy, Isabella is wearing violet short evening dress with pleats which drape across one shoulder by Maurice Rentner, photo by John Rawlings, 1960

Isabella Albonico in a slinky pink matte jersey dress that's wrapped and tied by Gernreich-Bass, necklaces by Brania, photo by Norman Parkinson, Vogue, January 15, 1960

Isabella Albonico in asymmetric evening gown of colorful floral print in Bianchini silk by Galanos, Miriam Haskell earrings, photo by Melvin Sokolsky, Harper's Bazaar, April 1960

Isabella Albonico in beautiful grass-green tweed suit by Seymour Fox, green leaves hat by Emme, photo by Gleb Derujinsky, Harper's Bazaar, February 1960

Isabella Albonico in lemon gold wool tweed suit by George Carmel, hat by Emme, Marvella earrings, photo by Gleb Derujinsky, Harper's Bazaar, February 1960

Isabella Albonico in moss-green shaggy wool coat with rounded shoulders and double-breasted by Christian Dior-New York, hat also by Dior-New York, handbag by Gucci, photo by Tom Palumbo, Vogue, August 15, 1960

Isabella Albonico in mulberry colored cotton and silk tweed dress and jacket, by Samuel Winston, jewelry by Verdura, photo by Richard Rutledge, 1960

Isabella Albonico in ravishing late day dress of black Swiss organdie covered with red flowers by Traina-Norell, photo by Melvin Sokolsky, Harper's Bazaar, April 1960

Isabella Albonico in sequined cap by Adolfo for Emme, photo by John Rawlings, Vogue, October 1960

Isabella Albonico in slim purple wool coat with stand-away collar by Monte Sano & Pruzan, hat by Sally Victor, jewelry by Cartier, photo by Sante Forlano, Vogue, October 1, 1960

Isabella Albonico in Southwest African Persian lamb coat with mink collar by Evans, hat by Amrose, Harper's Bazaar, November 1960

Isabella Albonico in violet tulle hat held together with black velvet bow by Gustave Tassell, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, September 1, 1960

Isabella Albonico wears a black sequined cap by Adolfo for Emme, photo by John Rawlings, Vogue, October 1, 1960

Isabella Albonico, Harper's Bazaar, April 1960

Isabella Albonico, photo by Tom Palumbo (used as cover), Vogue, September 15, 1960

Isabella in a pale cafe-au-lait suit of Italian silk over a sharp-pink silk chiffon blouse by Tiffeau & Busch, brown straw helmet by Christian Dior-New York, Schiaparelli beads, photo by Karen Radkai, Vogue, March 1, 1960

Isabella in beautiful short evening dress of silk organza printed in large daisies which spill over into the lining of the pink silk coat, by Scaasi, matching hat by Emme, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, June 1, 1960

Isabella in silk dress printed in swirls of pale brown and wine with lotus tendrils, by Donald Brooks, matching turban by Mr. John, jewelry by David Webb, photo by irving Penn, Vogue, June 1, 1960

Isabella Albonico in boldly colored plum-red and blue print two-piece dress on Liberty of London silk by Mollie Parnis, red straw pagoda hat by Sally Victor, earrings by Hattie Carnegie, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, April 1, 1961

Isabella Albonico is wearing a black silk shantung suit with yellow and white polka-dot blouse which also lines the jacket by Adele Simpson, hat is by Emme, photo by Horst, Vogue, March 15, 1961

Isabella Albonico in green cotton-dacron summer coat-dress by Maurice Rentner, orange silk-shantung Breton by Mr. John, photo by Bert Stern, Vogue 1962

Isabella Albonico in orange Moygashel linen dress worn with orange and limes appliquéd silk half-moon shawl by Branell, earrings by Brania, photo by Lillian Bassman, Harper's Bazaar, April 1962

Isabella Albonico in curve of white textured fabric with cuffed sleeve by Scaasi, glazed black straw hat by Adolfo, pumps by Pappagallo, detail of Cover Girl make-up ad, Vogue, April 15, 1963

Isabella Albonico in patio-costume of pink over rose broadcloth shirred under a skim-fitted top by Toni Owen, necklace by Lilly Daché, photo by Richard Avedon, Vogue, April 1, 1963

Isabella Albonico wearing a mink stole, photo by Virginia Thoren-Rice, 1963

Isabella is wearing beaded gown by Cardin, photo by William Klein, 1965