Gisele Bündchen's journey to becoming the highest-paid model

Despite no longer being one of the most in-demand models, Gisele Bündchen continues to make a significant impact in the fashion industry. In February, BOSS announced the Brazilian supermodel as the face of their Spring/Summer 2024 campaign, creating a splash with a 33-foot (10-meter) holographic display of Bündchen at the Tower Bridge in London. Bündchen is also featured in the brand's Fall/Winter collection, titled 'It's For Life,' a fitting tribute to her enduring influence on the fashion world.

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Forever Gisele! -

Bündchen may have said goodbye to her position as the highest-paid model in the world, but her legacy and influence are priceless.

Sources: (Vogue) (Vanity Fair) (BORGEN Magazine)

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Roots - Gisele Bündchen was born to a family of German descendants in the city of Horizontina in the northeast region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

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Family - Her parents are named Valdir Bündchen and Vânia Nonnenmacher. She has five sisters: Raquel, Graziela, Gabriela, Rafaela, and her fraternal twin, Patrícia.

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Volleyball player -

When she was a teenager, Bündchen dreamed of becoming a professional volleyball player.

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Her start - The now famous model was discovered when she was just 13 years old. Believe it or not, it was actually while she was at a McDonald's!

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Contest -

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Magazines - She was featured on the covers of various teen magazines.

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Nose - She faced rejection from several potential clients because her nose was considered too big.

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Runway show - Her big break came in 1997, when she scored a spot in Alexander McQueen's show in London.

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Über-model - In 1999, Vogue dubbed her "the return of the sexy model." Bündchen also became known specifically as the "über-model." The term comes from German and means "above" or "beyond."

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Vogue compliments - In 1999, the model was awarded Model of the Year at the VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards.

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Most beautiful - She was also named "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" by Rolling Stone magazine.

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Victoria's Secret - The famous Victoria's Secret runway show premiered in 1995 and was televised for the first time in 2001. Bündchen became an Angel in 2000.

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Victoria's Secret Angel - Gisele Bündchen was an Angel from 2000 to 2007. She stopped participating in the show after that.

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Gisele Bündchen's net worth - By the end of 2024, Gisele Bündchen's net worth was estimated at approximately US$400 million.

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Multilingual - The model is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, and, of course, Portuguese, her native tongue.

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Movies - Gisele Bündchen has had roles in several movies, including 'Taxi' (2004) with Jimmy Fallon and Queen Latifah.

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Movies -

Though it's probably not as shocking, she also appeared briefly in 'The Devil Wears Prada,' in 2006.

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She wrote a book - She wrote a book, called 'Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life,' where she goes over lessons she's learned over her life and career.

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Ambassador - In 2009, she was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program for her commitment to environmental causes.

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Influence - In 2014, she was named the fifth most powerful Brazilian celebrity by Forbes.

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World Cup - The Brazilian model was formally invited by FIFA to unveil the trophy for the winner of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

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Olympic Games - Gisele Bündchen also participated in the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games. She walked the runway to the song 'Garota de Ipanema' by Tom Jobim.

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Lovebirds - You may not remember, but Bündchen dated actor Leonardo DiCaprio for more than five years! They broke up in 2005.

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Marriage - In December 2006, she started dating football player Tom Brady, and on February 26, 2009, they got married. But in 2022, they got divorced.

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Children -

The former couple have two children together. Benjamin was born in 2009, and Vivian in 2012.

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Children - At 44, she welcomed her third child, a baby boy named River, her first with boyfriend Joaquim Valente.

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Still got it -

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Forever Gisele! -

Bündchen may have said goodbye to her position as the highest-paid model in the world, but her legacy and influence are priceless.

Sources: (Vogue) (Vanity Fair) (BORGEN Magazine)

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Gisele Bündchen's journey to becoming the highest-paid model

From Horizontina to Hollywood

07/03/25 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Models

Gisele has been a household name since she busted onto the scene in the late '90s, and she has remained one of the highest-paid models ever since—with only Kendall Jenner competing for her title. However, before she became a supermodel and a supermom, she was just a normal girl from rural Brazil.

Click through this gallery to see how Gisele Bündchen became the world’s "Über-model."