Florida

Early January, 1980. Ten day shoot for German Vogue. Photos of Gia from this shoot were published in the German Vogue 1980 May and June issues.
Location was a Spa at Pompano Beach, Florida
TEAM:
Gia Carangi, supermodel
Frances Stein, fashion editor
John Stember, photographer
Garren, hair
Rex, makeup
Kim Alexis, supermodel

THING OF BEAUTY: John Stember: Gia was with us because Frances loved Gia…. the way Gia looked that is. Francis looked at Kim Alexis and said “This girl looks completely stupid and I don’t want to use her. She doesn’t look like she’s got a brain in her body”. Frances’ whole thing was, if the girl didn’t look intelligent, she wasn’t, and therefore, she didn’t want any part of it, because she thought it was an insult to women. Frances has a low boiling point, and she will not take any shit from anybody. She just goes crazy.

So, it immediately became, here’s Frances and here’s Gia. Gia won’t take any crap and Frances won’t take any crap.
Gia’s wake up call for hair and makeup was six A.M., she missed it. They finally got her hair and makeup ready by 10:30 or so. First shots were to be at poolside on a chaise lounge.
Stember got everything set up, Gia was brought over to the chaise and carefully arranged for the shot. Stember: “I looked through the camera, and was just about to focus on her face, and she moves off the side of the frame, and I hear a splash. She was in the pool, and just laughed. That’s the kind of thing she did. So of course, Frances got into an outrage and this is how the whole thing went.”

“The funniest thing of all, was that, at the end of the trip, Frances was so pissed off with Gia, that she decided that we were leaving with her. Gia had no money, no ticket, and we were in Florida. I had everybody in the rental van. At Frances’ insistence, nobody told Gia. So, we’re driving away, and I see Gia running out of the front door of the hotel. I’m driving the thing, and I’ve got Gia with her case in hand running behind the van. She’s ashen white in the face, and I can see all this in the rearview mirror. Frances is saying ‘Drive, drive, drive,’ and I’m saying ‘Frances, I just can’t drive and leave her there.’ Frances is putting her foot on my foot on the accelerator. ‘Drive, drive, drive, leave that fucking bitch, drive!’
I said ‘No, no, no, I can’t do this’. I brake, and the next thing, the door is wrenched open. Gia knows it’s not me, it’s Frances. The two of them are rolling out of the van punching each other. They literally got into a fistfight. But this was Gia.

Frances Stein has been called “the scariest” person in fashion by many who have worked with her.