From Vanity Fair Magazine. The Prodigal Beauty by Stephen Fried:

In the late 70's early 80's Gia was a $100,000 a year super model, but a wanton life style of drugs and partying would soon destroy her. By 1986 Gia was an anonymous welfare patient dying of AIDS.
When she was photographed for Vogue in May 1979 with Patti Hansen, ... Gia's figure was unbeatable. Even among the professionally beautiful, Gia was considered special, more an inspiration, a thing of beauty, than a working mannequin.

Gia dressed street chic way before its time, said Scavullo's fashion editor, Sean Byrnes. And she's the one who brought that look right into Vogue. Vogue was willing to give her work even though she had pulled the ultimate stunt: she had walked out on Avedon.

Whether posing in Yves Saint Laurent for Denis Piel or giving Avedon some attitude for Gianni Versace's spring 1980 campaign, Gia was a captivating image.

With the all expenses paid travel and the free clothes, there wasn't much to spend money on except dinners, drugs and gifts.

She couldn't satisfy herself ... and she was very very aggressive. You couldn't room her with another girl. If you did, she made advances.

"That thing on her hand" quickly became an industry metaphor for what Gia had done to herself. It was a self inflicted stigma.

By 1980 Gia was a superstar living in the fast lane. Her appointment book from that year notes her return from a successful assignment in St. Barts and contains a misspelled reminder to "Get Heroin".

The 19 year old Cindy Crawford was quickly nicknamed "Baby Gia" for delivering something close to "the look" but without all the aggravation.

Gia's final magazine cover. Scavullo had to conceal the tracks on her arms and hands.

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