Linda Evangelista has started modeling again as she took on her first gig since a cosmetic procedure left her "brutally disfigured".
Evangelista - who was once one of the most photographed women in the world - said she has been left "permanently deformed" after undergoing a cosmetic procedure known as CoolSculpting or cryolipolysis.
The Canadian runway star was known as one of the top models of the '80s and '90s and regularly appeared on the covers of fashion magazines.
Last year, the 57-year-old revealed that she has developed paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH) in an Instagram post.
The FDA-cleared "fat-freezing" procedure is billed as a "non-invasive alternative to liposuction". Sadly, Linda suffered a "rare side effect" which saw her fat cells do the opposite of what the treatment was supposed to do - they increased instead of decreased.
In any case, the outspoken model has stunned in her first modeling job in years. The gig was for a new Fendi ad promoting the brand's upcoming fashion show.
Evangelista shared a photo from the striking campaign to Instagram over the weekend. She donned a gray sweater and three pink caps on her head, along with some chic brown-colored shades and a pair of gloves. Looking away from the camera, she is seen carrying some Fendi purses.
"On September 9 2022 @Fendi will host a special fashion show in New York City to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the #FendiBaguette, designed by @silviaventurinifendi, and two years since @mrkimjones joined the Maison as Artistic Director of Couture and Womenswear," she captioned the post.
This marks her return to the industry after a six-year hiatus.
In her September 2021 Instagram post, which was captioned, "#TheTruth #MyStory", she said that her condition had "destroyed my livelihood" and sent her into "a cycle of deep depression", which has made her become a "recluse".
"Today I took a big step towards righting a wrong that I have suffered and have kept to myself for over five years," she began.
"To my followers who have wondered why I have not been working while my peers’ careers have been thriving, the reason is that I was brutally disfigured by Zeltiq’s CoolSculpting procedure which did the opposite of what it promised."
Evangelista then explained that despite attempts at corrective surgery, the situation had not improved, writing:
"It increased, not decreased, my fat cells and left me permanently deformed even after undergoing two painful, unsuccessful, corrective surgeries.I have been left, as the media has described, 'unrecognizable'.
"I have developed Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia or PAH, a risk of which I was not made aware before I had the procedures. PAH has not only destroyed my livelihood, it has sent me into a cycle of deep depression, profound sadness, and the lowest depths of self-loathing. In the process, I have become a recluse."
She concluded by hinting that she is now taking legal action, and that she would like to live a life free from shame.
"With this lawsuit, I am moving forward to rid myself of my shame, and going public with my story. I’m so tired of living this way. I would like to walk out my door with my head held high, despite not looking like myself any longer."
