Twiggy's First US Trip: California & Sonny & Cher

In 1967, Lesley Hornby — known to the world as Twiggy — made her first trip to the United States. She was just 18 years old, but she had already spent a year reshaping what fashion looked like. Her slim frame, wide eyes, and cropped hair had made her a defining face of 1960s youth culture. When she landed in California, photographer Ralph Crane was there to document it all for LIFE magazine. The photos were never published, but they survived as a rare, unguarded record of one of the most famous models on the planet.

Twiggy with boyfriend and manager Justin De Villeneuve (kissing her) and Sonny and Cher (right) at a party thrown for the English supermodel in Beverly Hills, 1967.

Beverly Hills rolled out a proper welcome. A party was thrown in Twiggy’s honor, and the guest list reflected just how central she had become to 1960s pop culture. Sonny Bono and Cherilyn Sarkisian — better known as Sonny & Cher — were there. The duo was at the height of their fame, blending pop, folk, and rock while also building a major television presence. Seeing Twiggy alongside them placed her squarely at the crossroads of fashion, music, and entertainment.

Crane’s camera caught Twiggy in a way that fashion shoots rarely did — relaxed, laughing, and moving freely through a room. Her boyfriend and manager Justin De Villeneuve was a constant presence throughout the trip. California in 1967 had its own energy: sun-soaked, loose, and culturally alive. Twiggy fit right in.

Twiggy (with Steve McQueen, right) and unidentified partygoers in California, 1967.

Twiggy with Sonny and Cher (left) in Beverly Hills, 1967.

The Beverly Hills parties gave Crane a chance to photograph Twiggy up close with Sonny & Cher, the two acts mingling easily. The images show her dancing, talking, and simply being present among the crowd — no posing, no editorial direction.

Twiggy at a party thrown for her in Beverly Hills, 1967.

Twiggy (center) at a party thrown for her in Beverly Hills, 1967.

Twiggy (left) at a party thrown for her in Beverly Hills, 1967.

Twiggy, Sonny and Cher and others dance at a party in Beverly Hills, 1967.

Twiggy (center, long dress) at a party thrown for her in Beverly Hills, 1967.

Twiggy lights up at a party thrown for her in Beverly Hills, 1967.

The Beverly Hills parties were only part of the trip. Twiggy also visited Disneyland with De Villeneuve and a group of friends. The contrast couldn’t have been sharper — one moment she was at a star-studded party, the next she was wandering through the park like any other tourist.

Twiggy and friends (including boyfriend and manager Justin De Villeneuve) at Disneyland during her first visit to the U.S., 1967.

Twiggy with boyfriend and manager Justin De Villeneuve at Disneyland during her first visit to the U.S., 1967.

Twiggy at Disneyland during her first visit to the U.S., 1967.

Twiggy and friends at Disneyland during her first visit to the U.S., 1967.

Twiggy with her boyfriend and manager Justin De Villeneuve at Disneyland during her first visit to the U.S., 1967.

Twiggy and furry friends at Disneyland during her first visit to the U.S., 1967.

Crane’s full set of photos from the California trip never made it into LIFE’s pages, but they document something that polished editorial work could never replicate — Twiggy off the clock, in a place and time that suited her perfectly.