When Veruschka was five years old, her father was executed for being involved in the attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler in the 20 July Plot.

After his death, the remaining family members were detained in labor camps until the end of World War II.

She studied art in Hamburg and then moved to Florence, where she was discovered at age 20 by the photographer Ugo Mulas and became a full-time model.

In 1975, however, she departed from the fashion industry due to disagreements with Grace Mirabella, the newly appointed editor-in-chief of Vogue.

[8] Veruschka inspired the most prestigious photographers of her time, like Franco Rubartelli, Richard Avedon, Bert Stern, David Bailey, Steven Meisel, Francesco Scavullo, and Peter Beard, who took her to Kenya and for big designers like Tom Ford, Michael Kors, Dolce & Gabbana and Ailanto.

After she retired from modelling in 1975 she collaborated with the sculptor and painter Holger Trülzsch, using body painting to create a series of avant-garde nude self-portrait photographs.

In October 2010, at the age of 71, she modeled for Giles Deacon's showing for the fall run of London Fashion Week.

[12] Veruschka provided vocals on several tracks on the 2010 album Mimikry by ANBB, a collaboration between Blixa Bargeld and Alva Noto.