This year’s list of Forbes’ highest-paid models proves that flawless genes and a flair for finance make for a potent combination. The list includes 21 of the most successful body-killer turned business-savvy models, whose fortunes combined grossed US $142 million in the last 12 months.
At the top of the list (for the 12th year running) is Gisele Bündchen who shows no sign of slowing down. With a business acumen that is second to none in the industry, 34-year-old Bündchen earned an estimated US $47 million gross this year from lucrative contracts with the likes of H&M, Chanel, Isabel Marant, and Stuart Weitzman. With a US $5 million increase from last year’s earnings, the face of Pantene hair products also gets a cut from the sale of the sandals she co-designs for Grendene and her line of lingerie,Gisele Bündchen Intimates.
Ranked at number two, 29-year-old Dutch model, Doutzen Kroes, who gave birth to her second child last month, pulled in US $8 million from her contract with Victoria’s Secret and boosted her earnings further with appearances for Miu Miu, Emilio Pucci, catalogue work for H&M, a perfume campaign for Calvin Klein, and her contract with the giant cosmetics company, L’Oréal.
Fellow Victoria’s Secret Angel, Adriana Lima, is also tied at number two, bringing in an annual paycheckof US $8 million. The longest-serving angel in the brand’s history—Lima has been collaborating with the American retail company since 2000. The 33-year-old Brazilian beauty is the brand ambassador for Desigual, Maybelline cosmetics, and has endorsement deals with Amazonia water and Veet hair removal.
The unstoppable 40-year-old Kate Moss takes the fourth spot with her US $7 million annual income. Part of the first-ever Celebrity 100 list issued back in 1999, which then included only four other models (Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, and Niki Taylor), Moss’ campaigns for the cosmetics line Rimmel, luxury jeweler David Yurman, St. Tropez self-tan, Kérastase hair products, and her fashion collaboration with Topshop, made her one of this year’s top earners.
The coveted fifth spot on this year’s list has been grabbed by a newcomer—22-year-old Kate Upton. The young model,who appeared inthe Hollywood movie, The Other Woman, alongside Cameron Diaz, generated an estimated US $7 million gross, from her lucrative campaign deals with Bobbi Brown cosmetics, high-street fashion brand Express, shoe brand Sam Edelman, jewelry line David Yurman, and high-street brand Accessories.
Miranda Kerr, Liu Wen, Alessandra Ambrosio, Hilary Rhoda, and Natalia Vodianova are the other high earners who made it to the top ten on the list.
