#TBT: Carol Alt, one of Eileen Ford's greatest gifts to the world (Part I)

Rebecca Shore | Jul 16, 2014

LAST WEEK, Eileen Ford who, with her husband Jerry, founded the iconic Ford Models, passed away at the age of 92. Eileen maintained the career of numerous SI Swimsuit models-turned-legends—Christie, Elle—as well as other industry superstars not affiliated with SI like Lauren Hutton and Janice Dickinson. This Throwback Thursday, as a small tribute to Eileen's life, we feature one of the greatest gifts Eileen gave the world: Carol Alt. Said Carol on the passing of her mentor:

Eileen Ford was an icon in the business. She was an innovator and fiercely protective of her girls. I was so proud to be a Ford model and certainly counted Eileen as a friend and mentor. This for me is the end of an era as Eileen was the groundbreaking creator and designer of this industry as it is today.

Today's TBT comes in two parts, beginning with this video of Carol in 1989 as she makes her sixth appearance for the issue. Watch Jule Campbell and Walter Iooss lure a rainbow out of an overcast Hawaiian sky, and Carol take the pretty to a whole new level.

GALLERY: Carol Alt in Hawaii (FULL SIZE)