The Ubiquitous Nagel Women

You might not have known what they are called, but you've seen the Nagel Women, probably in a beauty salon. If you are of a certain age, you recognize the images as resembling the cover of the 1982 album Rio by Duran Duran. It's the distinctive minimalist style of artist Patrick Nagel. Nagel women first appeared in posters and in Playboy magazine in the 1970s, although their appearance is a throwback to the art deco style of the early 20th century. These ultramodern yet retro images were everywhere in the 1980s. Evan Puschak of The Nerdwriter takes us through the history of the Nagel Women and how they became so recognizable and so popular with beauty salons. (via Laughing Squid)