Gisele Bündchen
Who was Gisele Bündchen?
Supermodel who was one of the highest-paid models in the world and helped define the fashion industry in the 2000s. She has also been active in environmental causes and business ventures.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Gisele Bündchen (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Gisele Caroline Bündchen, born July 20, 1980, in Brazil, became one of the most famous supermodels of the early 21st century. She started her career in the late 1990s and quickly became a global sensation, changing the fashion industry's focus. In 1999, Vogue magazine credited her with ending the heroin chic modeling era, bringing in a new style that valued health and vitality over the previous decade's thin look.
From 2001 on, Bündchen regularly ranked among the highest-paid models in the world, achieving impressive financial success. She was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 1999 to 2006, popularizing the "horse walk" runway style, known for high knee lifts and careful foot placement. Her modeling career soared, with over 1,200 magazine covers to her name worldwide. In 2007, fellow supermodel Claudia Schiffer called Bündchen the last true supermodel of their era.
Besides modeling, Bündchen explored acting with notable roles in Hollywood films. Her role in the 2004 movie Taxi got her Teen Choice Award nominations for Choice Movie Female Breakout Star and Choice Movie Villain. She later acted in The Devil Wears Prada in 2006, solidifying her place in the entertainment world. She also ventured into production, serving as the executive producer for the educational cartoon series Gisele & the Green Team from 2010 to 2011.
Bündchen has been a dedicated environmental activist, becoming a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program in 2009. She featured in the Emmy-winning documentary series Years of Living Dangerously in 2016, focusing on climate change in the episode "Fueling the Fire." Her charity work includes contributions to international organizations like Save the Children, the Red Cross, and Doctors Without Borders. Bündchen married NFL quarterback Tom Brady, linking her celebrity with one of America's top sports figures.
Before Fame
Gisele Bündchen was born into a family in Brazil during a time when the fashion industry focused on extreme thinness and sharp features. The modeling scene of the 1990s was known for "heroin chic," a style made popular by models like Kate Moss, featuring pale, waif-like looks and a sense of fragility.
Bündchen started modeling just as the industry wanted a change from this style. Her natural Brazilian features, athletic build, and healthy look were a clear contrast to the trends of that era. The industry's interest in this new look set the stage for her quick rise, as designers and photographers wanted models who showed a more lively and strong image that would mark the new millennium.
Key Achievements
- Credited with ending the heroin chic era in fashion modeling in 1999
- Served as Victoria's Secret Angel from 1999 to 2006
- Became one of the highest-paid models in the world starting in 2001
- Appointed UN Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador in 2009
- Appeared in major Hollywood films including Taxi and The Devil Wears Prada
Did You Know?
- 01.She pioneered the 'horse walk' runway technique, a stomping movement where models lift their knees high and kick their feet while walking
- 02.Bündchen appeared on more than 1,200 magazine covers throughout her modeling career
- 03.She was ranked as the 89th-most-powerful woman in the world by Forbes in 2014
- 04.Her environmental cartoon series 'Gisele & the Green Team' ran for educational purposes from 2010 to 2011
- 05.She earned the top spot on Forbes' highest-earning models list in 2012