How many persons have achieved worldwide renown solely as a result of their appearance on the covers of innumerable paperback romance novels? Nobody else fits the criteria better than Fabio – or, to give him his full name, Fabio Lanzoni. He became just Fabio in the summer of 1987 and turn into a successful model for Gap, Versace, and other famous brands.
He rose to famous status as a male model in the 1980s and 1990s, thanks to his classic good looks, stature, and, of course, his flowing, golden blond hair. Even after all these years, his charisma remains intact. Now at the age of 62, the ultimate hunk still wants to get married and have kids.
Fabio’s Rise To Stardom
Fabio was everywhere in the 1980s and 1990s: on billboards, in advertisements, and on book covers, his ripped chest exposed and his distinctive hair blowing. Fabio, who was born on March 15, 1959, in Milan, Italy, began modeling at a young age. At 14, he was seen by a photographer while working out, and his career was launched.
He moved to the United States in the early 1980s, hoping to advance his career, and was soon receiving huge contracts as a catalog model and starring in advertising for The Gap. His biggest recognition came from appearing as the cover star of romance novels, much to his surprise. He believed he'd heard the last of it after a series of photo shoots for them, but he was mistaken.
The model revealed an instance when women came over to him to say “You look exactly like the guy on our books!” He had no idea at the time what they were talking about since he hadn’t seen yet any of the photos he had posed for book covers. He just confirmed it when the women returned and showed him the book.
"I was like, 'Oh my God, that's me.' It was the first time I saw myself on the cover of the books," Fabio recalled. The Italian-born model ‘turned romance novel cover star’ owned the 1990s like no one else. He stood for 1,300 of them, his hair constantly blowing and his biceps gleaming. His name appeared on a bewildering number of items, including hair-care products, exercise programs, posters, and apparel lines.
In films like Dude, Where's My Car?, Spy Hard, and Death Becomes Her, as well as on sitcoms like Step by Step and Guiding Light, he was more immortalized. He became an icon of romance and manliness in different films, TV shows, and commercials. He appeared in one episode of Step By Step called Absolutely Fabio. And he also appeared as himself in the cult-classic Zoolander, which became a huge hit.
Unlike some male models, Fabio always had a sense of humor about his image and had no qualms about gently sending himself up – such as when he became the perhaps unlikely face of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.
Fabio’s Search For Love
Now that he has retired from the modeling industry at the age of 62, Fabio is ready to look for his ideal woman and have a family. He has essentially retired as a model and looks to enjoy a life that is every bit as spectacular as people might expect, complete with mansions and sports cars galore.
He's still as body-conscious as ever, preserving his muscular physique through regular intense workouts and a strict no-alcohol, no-sugar diet. Even his lush head of hair is still there, albeit without the bleached highlights of the past.
Despite this, readers might be surprised to find that Fabio is still single. He's never been married and has no children. He remembered being heartbroken by another model in the early ‘90s but admitted that he “treated her badly.” He explained, “She wanted to settle down, and I was just too wild.”
As for what he’s looking for in a woman now, he wants quality rather than quantity. The model also explained that the lady has to be able to be in the middle of nature and can’t be afraid of bugs. He added that he wants a family and wants to have kids. Fabio, the ever romantic model, believes that “when you truly love a person, it's forever."
On the other hand, Fabio has also drawn a clear line as to what he is not willing to accept or tolerate in a new relationship. He is determined to find someone who shares his belief that life is meant to be lived, not documented by a series of selfies and social media posts.
He is not a fan, and he doesn't engage on social media at all, so he wouldn't pair well with a lady that is excitable about selfies and sharing her life with others online. Now, he has some ideas in mind as to what sort of lady would be the one to steal his heart for good - all he has to do is just find her!