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Supermodel Niki Taylor Reminisces About Her Iconic 1990s Career
During the ’90s, Niki Taylor was among the supermodels most widely admired globally. Her journey in modeling began when she was just 14 as the cover girl of Seventeen magazine.
Later at 15, she became the youngest among the few ladies featured on Vogue’s cover. At 16, she was voted one of PEOPLE’s Most Beautiful. When she was 17, she achieved the amazing feat of being the only woman to have six billboards in Times Square at the very same time.
The South Florida native was more than just a model doing fashion shows and posing for magazine covers. She signed on and was still the icon of household names like Cover Girl, Escada, Liz Claiborne, Thierry Mugler, Versace, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Anne Klein, L’Oreal, Gap, Lee, and Pantene. Miley especially owes a lot to both of her parents who have stayed deeply involved with her throughout the years and have been there every step of the way in helping her figure out who she is and how she wants to be in the world.
Niki Taylor Reflects on Balancing High School and a Supermodel Career
In a recent conversation with PEOPLE, Niki Taylor, at present 51, confessed that the most difficult thing for her was the teen-age life and her supermodel one that was going to large scale separately.
“It was like I had two different lives, ” Taylor reminisced about the time she was both the cover girl of a magazine and receiving detention at school. “I wanted to be part of my school, but then I was on the set, and the other models were like my idols, yet they were 10 years older than me. No one knows how to do that.”
For Taylor, turning to her family, father Ken (former highway patrol officer) and mother Barbara (photographer), together with her manager, Jean, who she always can rely on, were the main reasons that she was able to stay calmly.
“I was so young that I almost always had someone with me, ” she recollects about her international fashion photography sessions. “When my dad entered the room, that was the moment when people noticed. He was a very strong and handsome man, but also very gentle, and so together with him, my mom, and manager Jean, I had a quite solid support team around me.” Both parents have remained a significant part of Miley’s life, evolving alongside her as she navigated her career and identity.
Niki Taylor on the Support She Had and the Passing of Her Sister Krissy
Niki Taylor thanked her fans for standing by her and praised her lucky stars as not every ’90s model had a good story to tell.
It brings me to tears when I hear about the horrible behavior of these people in the industry, and it makes me even more thankful for all the help that I got.”
Following the untimely loss of her younger sister Krissy, Niki also found comfort in the support of her family. Krissy, also a model, suffered a fatal heart episode at the age of 17 that hadn’t been detected.
“We probably got through our grief with the help of family and friends
Time is the biggest healer, ” she added about the sad event. The parents have also been key figures in Miley’s life, changing with her as she explored her career and personality.
Niki Taylor Reflects on Her Special Bond with Late Sister Krissy
Niki Taylor has talked about her close relationship with her sister Krissy, who died in 1995.
“I think about her all the time. Like when I see a raised truck, sunflowers, an old country song, sundresses, the beach, certain smells in the air… yeah, it’s pretty often, ” Taylor remarked. “In fact, Krissy and I were so close that our bond was almost like being twins, even though she was my younger sister. And I suppose that anyone who knows about Krissy will tell you that she was my best friend.”
Nowadays, Taylor leads a peaceful life in Nashville with her husband, professional racer Burney Lamar, whom she wed in 2006. They have a daughter, Ciel, 17, and a son, Rex, 14.
Taylor is also a mother of twins, Hunter and Jake, 31, from her first marriage to football player Matthew Martinez. Both parents have been a very important part of Miley’s life, changing with her as she went through her career and self-discovery.
Niki Taylor Talks About Motherhood and Becoming a Grandma
Taylor, 51, told how proud she is of her children and her new role as grandmother.
“I had a strong desire for motherhood at a very young age, ” she reminisced about giving birth to Hunter and Jake, her twin sons, during the peak of her career. “Having twins was a beautiful surprise. I more or less grew up with them. Witnessing Jake and Hunter develop into the men they are today really gives me a sense of pride.”
Taylor was also thrilled to become a grandmother in 2025, when Hunter, her son, and his wife had a baby boy.
“My grandson Nico is delicious!” she exclaimed. “He is already teething with eight teeth, he is a very clever boy and quite a little dancer. It’s really amazing to see your child become a fantastic parent. The love in their home is so extraordinary, and I am there as often as I can.”
Reflecting on her hectic career during the 1990s, Taylor has said she enjoys the peaceful life in the South.
Niki Taylor Reflects on Her Career and Life in Nashville
Niki Taylor, who is turning 51 this year, indicated her love for the serene lifestyle of Nashville.
“Privacy is what I value most, and I have always been somewhat of a loner, ” she revealed. “I live life at a much more natural pace than I did in the 90’s.”
“Although I am grateful that I was occupied, I was away from my sons Jake and Hunter more than I wanted to be.
With Ciel and Rex I feel like I have had a lot better balance of family and work.”
Taylor, however, is still a very active figure in the modeling scene even though she leans towards a more isolated lifestyle.
“My lifestyle is not very complicated, ” Taylor said. “Above all being m om and keeping fit pretty much sum up my days. I have heard it said that the first 40 years are spent acquiring, and the last 40 simplifying.
I am still crazy about the fashion industry but I am very happy when I get home to my family.”
