Gillis MacGill

Who is Gillis MacGill?

Gillis MacGill is a former fashion model who opened her own modelling agency, Mannequin, in November 1960. It was located at 10 West 57th Street in New York City. At the time MacGill was thirty-two years of age and was earning $60 an hour as a runway model. She was a top model for twenty years. In 1972 her business was called Mannequin Fashion Models Agency. She is married to Bruce Addison; both were listed among New York Social Diary Personages on August 18, 2005.

She began as a stock girl with Bergdorf Goodman in 1944. MacGill's first assignment as a model occurred when she was asked to appear for a store fashion show. Following the show she was approached by store president, Andrew Goodman. He queried her as to why she appeared so aloof, even angry. MacGill responded that her facial expressions were a means of dealing with fear. Beginning in 1949 she worked in the posh salons of designers and 7th Avenue showrooms. She believed her success as a model was a product of her desire to make good. I wanted desperately to be a model. I craved it. At one time she was one of 25 house models at Bergdorf Goodman and one of 10 at Nettie Rosenstein.

She started Mannequin with twelve models who looked very similar in a group photograph taken by noted photographer Mark Shaw. MacGill explained that no two girls show a dress the same way and projecting yourself on a runway or in a Seventh Avenue showroom is a skill.