Anne de Zogheb: Paul Anke’s Ex-Wife And The Iconic Model Who Defined an Era

Anne de Zogheb was a legendary 1960s fashion model. She was celebrated for her natural appearance, grace, and sophistication. She was one of the best-known faces in the world of fashion following her birth to a powerful family of mixed origins. It was great for her career that she got to work with brilliant photographers, grace the covers of top fashion magazines, and walk the catwalks for famous designers. But Anne’s life is not only about her thriving career as a model. She was a loving mother, an art lover, and the first wife of legendary musician Paul Anka.

Anne’s life was shaped by the interests she herself had and also by the multifaceted cultures she had been raised in. She retired as a model so that she could spend more time with her family and became an enormous art collector. She impacted the fashion as well as art world. She is a long-lasting icon because of her story of talent, diligence, and refinement. We will be discussing Anne de Zogheb’s life in the most depth in this article, from her childhood to her legacy.

Quick Bio

What Was Anne de Zogheb?

Anne de Zogheb was a world-famous model during the late 1950s and early 1960s. She was famous for her good looks, tall and lean body, and capacity to pull off a wide range of styles. She was one of the most photographed women of her time because she worked with notable photographers like Richard Avedon, Bert Stern, and Helmut Newton. She graced the covers of leading fashion magazines like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle, thus becoming a favorite among the players in the fashion world.

Anne was very much interested in art and culture, besides being a famous model. Over time, she started buying art and always supported contemporary artists. Most people remember her, however, for her celebrity union with singer-songwriter Paul Anka, which made her famous outside the fashion world. She made an indelible mark on the fashion world and people who idolized her will never be forgotten.

Early Life

Anne de Zogheb was born on October 2, 1942, in Alexandria, Egypt. She had an English mother and a Lebanese father named Charles de Zogheb. Her father was a diplomat, and her grandfather studied in France, was knighted by the Italian king, and owned extensive farms in Alexandria. Anne learned many different cultures, languages, and traditions from her family’s decades-long background that conditioned her to view the world with a unique perspective.

But her life took a turn during her early years when her family had to move out of Egypt because of the war there. Because of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, her family had to move to England, where she went to a convent school. Albeit challenging, the experience toughened her and made her more independent and strong-willed. Her sojourn in England and her subsequent move to Paris were essential to her future as a model.

Career Beginnings

Anne started working in the fashion world when she was young and moved to Paris. She started working in a small fashion company, yet business individuals quickly noticed how beautiful she was and how calm she was. Her boyfriend at the time told her to go meet Dorian Leigh, a renowned model and owner of a thriving model company. Anne got her first magazine cover for French Elle when she was 17 years old. This was the start of her meteoric rise in the fashion world.

Eileen Ford, a well-known New York modeling agent, discovered her and that was her big break. Anne came to the United States in 1959 and joined the elite Ford Modeling Agency. She worked with top designers and photographers after this move, which made her a global celebrity. She walked the ramp for top luxury fashion brands and featured in a lot of top-fashion advertisements, which made her one of the greatest models in history.

Who Was Anne de Zogneb’s Ex-husband?

Anne de Zogheb and popular Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka met for a photo shoot in Puerto Rico in 1962. They quickly became friends because both of them were Lebanese by birth and knew each other the first time they met. They said their wedding vows on February 16, 1963, at Paris-Orly Airport, which was a fresh and impromptu location but confirmed the depth of their bond. Their nuptials were one of the most talked about in the entertainment world at that time.

After marrying, they had five daughters, Anthea, Amanda, Alicia, Alexandra, and Amelia. Anne chose to focus on her family life at the cost of her career, so she retired as a model to bring up her kids. The Ankas had already lived in New York, Las Vegas, and Carmel, among others, before settling in Los Angeles. Although in 2001 Anne and Paul divorced, the couple had a civil relationship and co-parented their kids with respect towards each other.

Anne de Zogheb’s Physical Appearance

Anne was a celebrated model in the world of fashion because of the way she was beautiful. She was attractive to individuals because she was tall and elegant, had prominent cheekbones, and expressive deep eyes. She was loved by photographers and designers because of the way naturally stunning she was and the way that she could execute different styles.

Anne had great fashion sense and good looks. She was often spotted wearing classic, elegant outfits that portrayed how classy she was. Anne was always impeccably dressed and self-assured, whether walking down the runway or at a high-profile event. She is an actual style icon because of how effortlessly glamorous and classy she is.

Net Worth

Anne de Zogheb’s net worth is not publicized, but her successful career as a model and association with top fashion houses indicate that she earned a fortune when she was at her peak. Her popularity made her the top model of her generation, and she worked with top fashion houses and featured in costly commercials, which would have made her extremely rich.

Anne also had a great life because she was married to Paul Anka, who was a highly popular 20th-century musician. Their family was able to sustain themselves because of Paul Anka’s music career and royalties from his songs. When her husband and she got divorced, Anne still kept her own money, mostly by investing in other personal businesses and art.

Love And Interests In Art

Anne was not only a model but also collected art deeply at heart. As she became acquaintances with major figures in the art world when she was growing up in the 1960s, her interest in contemporary art started to grow. Sol LeWitt, Mark di Suvero, and Robert Rauschenberg were renowned artists whose paintings comprised her collection.

Her home, which boasted a carefully chosen collection of paintings and sculptures, reflected how much she loved art. Anne was not just an art collector. She patronized artists and visited art shows. People in the art world looked up to her because she had an eye for talent. She worked towards encouraging creativity all her life.

Legacy

Late Anne de Zogheb died on March 29, 2017, in Hollywood, California. She was 74. In her later years, she kept her personal life quite secluded, but as a model, mother, and art lover, her work lives on and is remembered. She paved the way for future models to succeed in their careers by showing that being good-looking, smart, and capable of doing many things could make a career successful.

Her legacy goes beyond fashion. Anne left a strong impression on the art world as an art patron and collector of emerging artists. Her grandchildren and children carry on her legacy in how they live. Anne de Zogheb will never be forgotten as a stunning, highly educated woman who left a colossal mark on culture.