As 2012 comes to a close, entertainment, fashion and media industry professionals often reflect on the year’s most influential, most memorable, most admired, highest earning, as well as, greatest loss. Forbes, Fashion Telegraph, Models.com and People review the world’s highest earning models this year:
1. Gisele Bundchen
$45 million-earnings from May 2011-May 2012 Agency: IMG Models
In her early thirties, Gisele Bündchen remains an unparalleled force within the fashion world. As the world's most powerful supermodel, she racks up modeling gigs, endorsement deals, and independent licensing ventures, but still has time to be a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environmental Program. The recent mother of two, married to New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady endorses numerous brands including Pantene, Esprit, and Versace, and makes a percentage of profits on Ipanema flip-flops and other products bearing her name.
2. Kate Moss
$9.2 million-earnings from May 2011-May 2012-Agency: IMG Models
Style icon married longtime boyfriend Jaime Hince in July 2011. In her late thirties, she moved up one place this year thanks to deals with Rimmel, Longchamp, Mango and Vogue Eyewear. She rarely appears on the catwalk anymore, although she did make an appearance at Louis Vuitton's spring/summer 2012 show, but still regularly graces the covers and pages of the world's biggest fashion publications. She also has a lucrative design deal with TopShop going back to 2007.
3. Natalia Vodianova
$8.6 million-earnings from May 2011-May 2012-Agency: DNA Models
The baby-faced Russian model regularly appears in high fashion editorials, on catwalks and currently features in campaigns for Guerlain and Calvin Klein fragrances. She also designs lingerie collections for Etam and shoes for Centro. An ambassador of the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, she also founded the Naked Heart Foundation, which builds playgrounds in downtrodden urban areas in Russia. Vodianova, who lives in the UK, has three children with husband Justin Portman. She shot up from ninth place in last year's list.
4. Adriana Lima
$7.3 million-earnings from May 2011-May 2012-Agency: Marilyn New York
Adriana Lima made a big splash in early 2012 when she appeared in two Super Bowl commercials, one for Kia and another, more seductive spot for Teleflora. Primarily known for becoming a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2000, she also models for, among others, Donna Karan and Mavi Jeans. The thirty-something devout Catholic announced in March 2012 that she is expecting her second child with her husband, Serbian basketball player Marko Jaric. She maintains the position she held in last year's list.
5. Doutzen Kroes
$6.9 million-earnings from May 2011-May 2012-Agency: DNA Models
Doutzen Kroes is a powerhouse in the modeling world based largely on her work as one of the Victoria's Secret Angels. She also works for L'Oreal and Tiffany & Co. Born in the Netherlands, Kroes now has a wax statue in Madame Tussauds Amersterdam and gave birth to her first child. In her late twenties, the Dutch model makes her debut appearance in Forbes' top 10.
According to Forbes, in the entire history of the Victoria‘s Secret Fashion Show, 140 separate women have walked the runway. With seven billion people on the planet, this literally makes them one in 50 million humans, and that’s all the women who have participated in the show over the last 15 years. There was a time where odd beauty was in style, and that created a backlash for a time when advertisers couldn’t use those girls. The top girls now signify a return to a true representation of beauty. Enjoy this article? Share comments below, follow me on Twitter @Jennifer McLeod or receive e-mail alerts when new articles are available by clicking on the "Subscribe" button above!
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