“Cherry ice cream smile, I suppose it’s very nice…” And now, after more than forty years, we can say it’s definitely very nice because it belongs to retired fashion model Marcie Hunt, who was the inspiration for Duran Duran’s iconic 1982 “Rio” album cover.

The revelation came from Monica Moynihan, a Patrick Nagel art broker and manager of the Patrick Nagel Arts website and social media. Moynihan announced that the identity of Rio had been discovered and was announced on June 8, in honor of Nick Rhodes’ birthday.

The original photo that inspired the “Rio” cover was part of an Angelo Tarlazzi fashion feature in Vogue France, published in February 1981 and featured Marcie with Rio’s bold makeup, confident gaze, and mesmerizing eyes.

The Birth of Rio

“Rio” is Duran Duran’s second studio album, released on May 10, 1982. It features some of the band’s most beloved songs, including “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “The Chauffeur,” “Save a Prayer,” and the title track, “Rio.” Bassist John Taylor came up with the album’s name and the band agreed that it represented a certain optimism that they shared. According to Simon, “the word looks great, sounds great, and makes people think of parties, rivers.., foreign places and sunshine.” The recording took place at AIR Studios in London, where Paul and Linda McCartney were also recording an album. In fact, one evening while John was listening to a mix of the “Rio” album, Paul joined him for a listen.

Rio includes some of Simon’s most memorable lyrics: “Moving on the floor now babe you’re a bird of paradise,” begins the song. Simon explained, “I was in a restaurant in the middle of town and I saw this waitress literally swanning across the floor, and that was how the lyric was born.”

Now that the album was recorded, it was time to consider cover artwork and creative direction.

Two of a Billion Stars

Duran Duran’s manager, Paul Berrow, was a fan of Patrick Nagel’s work and thought Nagel would be perfect for their new album cover. Berrow approached him with the idea, providing two songs for inspiration: “Rio” and “My Own Way.” Nagel chose “Rio,” and the rest is history. The confident gaze of “Rio” became the Face of the 80s, resulting in one of the most iconic album covers in music history.

The cover design drew inspiration from Latin, Cuban, and South American culture, combined with the aesthetic of 1950s cigar packaging. This influence was evident in the retro typeface and the initial pressings of the album, which had a physical sticker sealing the LP, mimicking cigar packaging. For reissues, this design was printed directly onto the sleeve.

The original “Rio” drawing initially hung in Paul Berrow’s office at the Rum Runner, and later, each member took turns displaying it in their homes.

Cherry Ice Cream Smile

Until recently, the identity of the woman who inspired the “Rio” cover remained a mystery. We knew only that she was beautiful and maybe a bit playful. The style is unmistakably Nagel: sleek and stylized with sharp lines, flat colors, and a distinctive blend of sex appeal and confidence. Influenced by Art Deco and Japanese woodblock prints, Nagel’s work often showcases women like Rio with alabaster skin, bold makeup, and dark, flowing hair against minimalist backgrounds. The women in Nagel’s art SHINE and really show you all they with fearlessness and sophistication. “Rio” was the quintessential 80s woman: cool, alluring, and sexy.

Her name is Marcie Hunt and she dances on the sand

Marcie was a popular model in the 70s and 80s, her toothy grin gracing numerous magazine covers.

Her Angelo Tarlazzi fashion spread that appeared in the February 1981 edition of French Vogue was used by Patrick Nagel as inspiration for Rio.

The Godfather of Vector Art

Patrick Nagel was the artist that every guy knew thanks to Playboy. But his talent went far beyond the pages of a girlie magazine. Often hailed as the godfather of vector art, his signature and mathematical style laid the groundwork for what would become a hallmark of vector graphics. Vector art is made by manipulating shapes and precise curves to form a digital image. According to PatrickNagel.com, “where Nagel would create a line using a pencil and a French curve, post-modern artists use the pen tool, paths, points and curve handle bars inside a computer program. The medium and the process are different but the language is the same.”

The Rise of Nagel

Patrick Nagel’s journey began in the midst of the post-war boom, born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1945. However, it was California that would become the backdrop for his ascent to artistic fame.

After serving in the Vietnam War, Nagel pursued his passion for art, studying at Chouinard Art Institute and later earning a degree from California State University, Fullerton.

His early career was marked by a stint as a graphic designer where he crafted memorable advertisements for Ballantine Scotch and IBM, as well as creating covers for Harper’s magazine.

It was then that his unique style began to attract attention.

Playboy

One of the pivotal moments in Nagel’s career was his association with Playboy magazine. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, his illustrations began appearing regularly in the publication, introducing his work to a broader audience. Playboy, known for its blend of high and low culture, was the perfect platform for Nagel’s art, which straddled the line between fine art and commercial illustration.

Through Playboy, Nagel’s women became icons of sophistication and allure. His work resonated with the magazine’s readers and solidified his reputation as a leading artist of the time. Nagel’s art was featured in every single issue of Playboy magazine from 1974 to 1982, a testament to his popularity within its pages. It is said that Hugh Hefner maintains the largest collection if Patrick Nagel art.

Nagel’s Legacy

Those who knew him said that hH never exercised, and lived on a diet of coffee, soda, candy and martinis.  Tragically, Nagel’s life was cut short in 1984 when he died of a heart attack at the age of 38. On February 4, 1984, he participated in a 15-minute celebrity “aerobathon” to raise funds for the American Heart Association in Santa Monica. An autopsy determined that his cause of death was a heart attack, and a further examination revealed that Nagel had an undetected congenital heart defect.

Artist Alex Israel, whom Duran Duran hired to create the album art for “Paper Gods,” visually referenced Nagel’s “Rio” cover in his own work.