Forbes Top 15 Supermodels who made bank $$$ - 2007

[00:00:02]They're the hottest women to strut their stuff on the world's runways.

[00:00:05]>> Gorgeous girls with heads for business and bodies to die for.

[00:00:09]>> These women aren't just pretty to look at. They are movers and shakers, quite literally.

[00:00:13]>> Models are getting endorsement deals through licensing out their names.

[00:00:17]>> In the next hour, Ian Forbes magazine will peek behind the lens to reveal stratospheric salaries, >> bodacious bling, >> serious real estate, >> and find out what separates the supermodels from the merely stunning.

[00:00:28]>> It takes intelligence, [music] it takes savvy, it takes street smarts, it takes a lot more than looks.

[00:00:33]>> Get ready to jet-set with the world's most fabulous fashionistas >> as we count down the richest babes in the beauty business.

[00:00:40]>> Forbes top 15 supermodels >> beauties who made bank.

[00:00:59]>> Forbes >> Sure, you know their flawless faces.

[00:01:03]>> aren't your run-of-the-mill models.

[00:01:05]>> They're the women who move millions of dollars in merchandise with a snap of a picture.

[00:01:09]>> Forbes magazine decided to take a revealing look at the most successful girls on the runway, >> exposing everything from their income >> to their assets.

[00:01:18]>> Forbes spoke with countless people in the industry to talk about how much these women can score both on the runway, for print campaigns, for commercials, >> with top models pulling in an estimated $20,000 for high-end catalogs, >> to $50,000 a day for print campaigns, >> and from $500,000 to a million dollars for TV ads, >> it's no surprise that the ladies on our list banked big bucks from June 2006 to June 2007.

[00:01:42]>> So, sit back, relax, and enjoy >> as we uncover the Forbes list 15 of the world's top earning supermodels, >> plus some super sexy all-stars who are still raking it in.

[00:01:54]>> Kicking things off at number 15, >> Her fragile beauty and bottomless blue-gray eyes whisked her from rural Canada to the catwalk.

[00:02:02]>> Jessica Stam is at number 15 on our list [music] with earnings of $1.5 million.

[00:02:06]dollars.

[00:02:06]>> Jessica's look is so fresh, it came straight from the farm.

[00:02:09]>> Jessica was a country girl until a chance encounter started her on the road to supermodeldom.

[00:02:15]>> I was 16 years old in Canada. I was coming back from an amusement park with my family. We stopped in to get coffee and a woman came up to me, gave me her business card. She was a model agent.

[00:02:25]And that was it.

[00:02:26]>> Soon, Stam was striking a pose for an A-list photographer.

[00:02:29]>> The real turning point for me in my career was when I first started working with Steven Meisel. He's just an incredibly talented photographer.

[00:02:39]>> Jessica's baby doll beauty set the fashion world on fire.

[00:02:43]>> And her face graced the covers of countless fashion mags. [music] >> I heard someone say the other day, "Find something that you love to do for a living and you'll never work a day in your life."

[00:02:51]>> In 2006, Marc Jacobs decided to name an entire line of handbags after her.

[00:02:57]>> At $1,650 a piece, the Stam stamp doesn't come cheap.

[00:03:01]>> The honor marked a career high for Jessica, singling her out from the rest of the pack.

[00:03:06]>> If you have a handbag bearing your name, you know you've made it.

[00:03:09]>> It's a beautiful bag. It's such an honor to have him name a bag after me. It was amazing.

[00:03:15]>> Jessica Stam is so successful that she's ditched that pesky first name.

[00:03:18]>> The supermodel is now known simply as Stam.

[00:03:21]>> I guess they they call me Stam.

[00:03:24]>> But the real indicator of Stam's superstar status, her long list of famous boyfriends.

[00:03:28]>> From Harrison Ford's son Malcolm to Red Hot Chili Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis.

[00:03:33]>> To celebrity spinner DJ AM.

[00:03:36]>> Well, she's just gorgeous. It's just that simple. She's absolutely beautiful.

[00:03:41]>> Jessica Stam is known for rolling with rock stars.

[00:03:45]>> But our next model is famous for frolicking on the beach with one of them.

[00:03:48]>> Her wickedly good looks turned her into every man's fantasy.

[00:03:52]>> A supermodel so timeless, she can only be called an all-star.

[00:03:56]>> Helena Christensen.

[00:03:58]>> Helena Christensen is one of the quintessential most successful models in history.

[00:04:02]>> It was her appearance in a music video in 1990 that turned Helena into a modeling megastar.

[00:04:07]>> Who doesn't remember Helena Christensen from Chris Isaak's Wicked Game video?

[00:04:11]>> The song was a huge hit for Isaak.

[00:04:14]>> But on screen, Helena's sand-covered body and smoldering eyes stole the show.

[00:04:18]>> It was very emblematic of what models at that time were doing. They were doing music videos, they were doing TV shows, they were doing interviews. It wasn't about modeling, it was about celebrity.

[00:04:28]>> Helena's hotness didn't just burn up the beach.

[00:04:30]>> Christensen ignited the pages and covers of hundreds of magazines.

[00:04:34]>> But Helena really racked up the cash when she hooked up with Victoria's Secret.

[00:04:38]>> That face, those cheeks, those eyes, that skin coloring. She's very exotic in a completely accessible way.

[00:04:45]>> For turning a romp in the surf into the sexiest thing under the sun, >> Helena Christensen is a supermodel all-star.

[00:04:57]>> From a Danish superstar to a knockout from the Netherlands.

[00:05:00]>> Coming in at 14 is Doutzen [music] Kroes. She made $1.5 million last year alone.

[00:05:06]>> Believe it or not, Doutzen became a model the old-fashioned way.

[00:05:10]>> The 18-year-old actually used her beauty to make a quick buck. [music] >> She took her pictures over to a modeling agency and said, "Listen, I really want to be a model."

[00:05:20]>> A few months later, the hot Hollander left her hometown for the model Mecca, New York City.

[00:05:25]>> Doutzen has only been on the scene since 2003.

[00:05:28]>> But this pretty face is already earning an even prettier penny.

[00:05:32]>> Doutzen has really bagged a lot of huge campaigns, Calvin Klein Eternity, Gucci, [music] Victoria's Secret. She's gotten a lot of props from the fashion industry and beauty industry. People really love her.

[00:05:44]>> And they know how to show it.

[00:05:46]>> When a major makeup company came calling, Doutzen made the leap to the big time.

[00:05:50]>> Doutzen has a contract with L'Oréal. Her face must be completely marketable. It's a very big deal for her to have that L'Oréal campaign.

[00:05:58]>> What better way to sell your product than on an absolutely gorgeous girl with flawless features, half of the job's already done for you.

[00:06:07]>> Thanks to the love from L'Oréal, Doutzen is enjoying the haute life.

[00:06:11]>> When Kroes isn't backpacking across Asia, the millionaire model hits the beach in style.

[00:06:16]>> With a $2,500 Urban Glam Versace bag and Chanel sneakers, Doutzen lives large while looking good.

[00:06:22]>> This is a nice life.

[00:06:24]Yeah, I like it.

[00:06:28]>> From a runway rookie to a living legend, it's time to feast our eyes on another all-star.

[00:06:33]>> Forget top model, this woman is America's next top mogul, Tyra Banks.

[00:06:37]>> A TV tycoon who's still on the rise.

[00:06:40]>> Tyra Banks was a groundbreaking African-American supermodel, and she was the first African-American to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Huge deal.

[00:06:49]>> She also landed a very lucrative deal with Victoria's Secret, and she was commanding as much as $4 million a year for them.

[00:06:55]>> Tyra didn't just break the bank. Her voluptuous figure also broke barriers.

[00:06:59]>> She was a little bit thicker of a model.

[00:07:02]She had curves, and um she wasn't the stick-skinny model.

[00:07:07]>> After conquering the catwalk, Tyra took on television.

[00:07:10]>> Scoring with a hit reality series and dominating with a daytime talk show.

[00:07:15]>> I always said that there was an end to modeling, and I had to step away before it leaves you. I always planned for the end, always, because I saw that modeling was like a revolving door. The new hot ones come and go.

[00:07:26]>> Tyra Banks is a TV mogul. She oversees Bankable Productions. She executive produces America's Next Top Model. And also, she has her own television show, The Tyra Banks Show.

[00:07:35]>> Sure, she's turned fierce looks into a fortune.

[00:07:38]>> But Tyra is a supermodel who's super careful with her cash.

[00:07:42]>> She was raised by her mother very humble circumstances. You know, she can't leave that part of herself behind. So, she's very frugal and she admits it.

[00:07:49]>> For remaining real on and off the runway, Tyra Banks is a supermodel all-star.

[00:07:56]>> Number 13 on our list is 1 day older than Tyra Banks.

[00:08:00]>> That's 34 years young and still going strong.

[00:08:03]>> Shalom Harlow's sultry sex appeal and feline features kept her at the forefront.

[00:08:08]>> And help this goddess earn $2 million in the year ending June 2007.

[00:08:13]>> The modeling world has clamored over Shalom Harlow for years now. She's been an it girl for more than a decade.

[00:08:19]>> Shalom exuded so much sex appeal on camera, Hollywood had to have Harlow.

[00:08:24]>> Among her cinematic co-stars, Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey, Val Kilmer, and Kevin Kline.

[00:08:29]>> And directors like Woody Allen and Cameron Crowe made sure Shalom stayed in the picture.

[00:08:34]>> Going down by an all route.

[00:08:36]>> Shalom's got that je ne sais quoi that keeps them coming back.

[00:08:40]>> Shalom is almost chameleon-like. That versatility is a real asset in the modeling world.

[00:08:45]>> Shalom is almost untouchable in a way.

[00:08:49]>> She's still signing big contracts with Chanel and Tiffany.

[00:08:52]>> That versatility has also resulted in a vast fortune.

[00:08:55]>> Shalom dropped hard-earned cash tricking out her exclusive Manhattan loft.

[00:08:59]>> Eco-friendly bamboo floors throughout the pad, let Shalom go green even when she's spending the green.

[00:09:05]>> Shalom Harlow is a supermodel with a super conscience.

[00:09:08]>> And a superhuman ability to outlast the competition.

[00:09:13]>> When we return, we contribute to global warming with the hottest models on the planet.

[00:09:18]>> Including a drop-dead gorgeous jock with a penchant for $500 shoes.

[00:09:22]>> And a beautiful bad girl wears an $8,000 designer outfit to community service.

[00:09:35]>> NUMBER ONE.

[00:09:36]We're back with models so beautiful they might give your TiVo a heart attack.

[00:09:42]>> Her all-American sex appeal landed this tomboy turned model on the must-have list of every top designer.

[00:09:48]>> Coming in at number 12 is Hilary Rhoda.

[00:09:51]>> For the past 12 months, she made $2 million.

[00:09:54]>> Hilary nearly passed up the chance to strut her stuff.

[00:09:57]>> We were in the car and this modeling convention commercial came on and my mom is like, "Come on, let's do it." And I was like, "No way. I'm not There's no way I'm going to this thing." She told me that if I want to do it then I have to really go after it.

[00:10:11]>> Red-hot Rhoda moved away from her small town in Maryland and into the world of haute couture.

[00:10:16]>> I got to Paris [music] and it just kind of took off and I was discovered by Nicolas Ghesquière, who's a designer of Balenciaga.

[00:10:24]It was very surreal.

[00:10:26]>> Designers couldn't wait to get their threads on the brown-haired beauty.

[00:10:29]>> Rhoda's sporty sexiness was a breath of fresh air for an industry overrun with waifs.

[00:10:34]>> She has this like very striking look, brown hair, eyebrows, but really the fact that she's so athletic and has this athletically toned body makes her so appealing. [music] >> Could say that I'm shocked.

[00:10:46]>> In 2007, Hilary hit the jackpot when she became the face of Estée Lauder.

[00:10:50]>> Like L'Oréal, Estée Lauder was fond of booking celebrities for their ads.

[00:10:54]>> Until Rhoda rocked their world.

[00:10:56]>> Hilary's Estée Lauder contract is a really big deal. I mean, this is a brand that signed on Carolyn Murphy and Liz Hurley. This can make someone's career.

[00:11:04]>> I'd look in the magazines and I see my face above Estée Lauder, such an amazing accomplishment.

[00:11:10]>> Hilary's Estée Lauder contract gave her mad cash.

[00:11:13]>> And she's spending it well.

[00:11:15]>> From her $440 Missoni bathing suits >> $1,600 Matthew Williamson dresses.

[00:11:20]>> On or off the runway, Rhoda rules.

[00:11:23]>> I love what I do. It's rewarding and um yeah, it's great.

[00:11:27]>> Hilary Rhoda brought natural sexiness back into style.

[00:11:30]>> But for the original babe who was born with it, look no further than this next classic beauty.

[00:11:35]>> She's made so much money as a model even the Forbes list can't contain her.

[00:11:39]>> That's why we're striking a pose with another supermodel all-star, Christy Turlington.

[00:11:44]>> Christy Turlington is one of that handful of supermodels in the late '80s, early '90s. This includes [music] Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista. These are the the super super elite models and she's one of them.

[00:11:57]>> Christy's breathtaking beauty not only scored her some serious scratch.

[00:12:01]>> It gave birth to a trendsetting tagline.

[00:12:04]>> Christy Turlington is best known not just for Calvin Klein, but also Maybelline, which tagged her ads with the "Maybe she's born with it." line and that becomes synonymous with Maybelline.

[00:12:15]>> But, in 1995, at the height of her success, Christy walked off the runway and into New York University.

[00:12:21]>> Eight years later, Turlington married long-time boyfriend, actor-director Ed Burns.

[00:12:26]>> Together, they have two children.

[00:12:28]>> Proving that a model can be beautiful and brainy.

[00:12:31]>> Christy Turlington is a supermodel all-star.

[00:12:36]>> Next on our countdown, an Ethiopian immigrant who found fame and fortune in front of the camera.

[00:12:42]>> Liya Kebede added diversity to a cosmetic company's campaign which earns this gorgeous goddess a spot on our list.

[00:12:49]>> Thank you.

[00:12:49]>> Liya is [music] at number 11 on our list with earnings of $2.5 million.

[00:12:53]Liya grew up in Ethiopia >> [music] >> and she was discovered while a student at a French lycée by a local director who [music] then put her on to a local modeling scout.

[00:13:02]>> Liya's big break took her from the capital of Ethiopia to the capital of fashion, Paris, France.

[00:13:08]>> In 2000, designer Tom Ford, who was designing at the [music] time for Gucci, asked her to appear on his runway exclusively and she did so and then [music] got the attention of the modeling industry.

[00:13:18]>> Runway is really great, it's fun, it's exciting, we love doing it, it's quick.

[00:13:22]Um, but at the same time it sort of puts you in in the eye so that we can do campaigns. At the end of the day. I think campaigns are really very important.

[00:13:29]>> For Liya, conquering the catwalk was only the first step in a runway revolution.

[00:13:34]>> It led to a big contract with Estee Lauder. She is now the first person of color to represent the brand. It's very hard for black models to break into the industry and earning a coveted contract [music] like this is huge.

[00:13:45]>> With her runway royalties, Liya is living the American dream.

[00:13:49]>> In a three-bedroom apartment on New York's Upper East Side worth an estimated $4 million.

[00:13:54]>> But while spending on yourself is fun, >> there's nothing more beautiful than giving back.

[00:13:58]>> Liya serves as the World Health Organization's Goodwill Ambassador for maternal, newborn, and child health. She also runs her own foundation called the Liya Kebede Foundation.

[00:14:06]>> The beautiful thing about being a model and having been successful, that has helped me. I mean, I have now really great platform to help others, to change things, even if it's in a small way, it makes all the difference.

[00:14:19]>> Our next all-star became infamous when word spread that she wouldn't get out of bed for less than $10,000.

[00:14:26]>> If you ask me, Linda Evangelista is worth every penny.

[00:14:29]>> The supermodels were Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and they ruled the earth.

[00:14:36]>> With those arching eyebrows and penetrating stare, every heavyweight in the fashion industry had to have Linda.

[00:14:43]>> The price of a model went from about $25 an hour when the industry started to $25,000 an hour in the era of the supermodels. By the time Linda Evangelista came out in some interview and said, "Don't get out of bed [music] for less than $10,000."

[00:14:59]That money had pretty much gone to her head.

[00:15:01]>> Linda was in such demand, she practically wrote her own checks.

[00:15:05]>> Supermodels began to feel as if they could get anything they wanted, and in fact, they could.

[00:15:10]>> Linda may have had an oversized ego, but nothing grew as quickly as her bank account.

[00:15:15]>> She earned every cent by delivering the unexpected.

[00:15:18]>> She was one of the most chameleon-like models at that point ever seen. At one point, over a period of 4 years, she had dyed her hair something like 17 times.

[00:15:26]>> Linda retired from the catwalk in 1998.

[00:15:29]>> But by 2001, she was back on the cover of Vogue.

[00:15:32]>> For proving that you can't keep a good supermodel down, >> Linda Evangelista will always be an all-star.

[00:15:42]>> It took big bucks to get Linda out from under the covers.

[00:15:45]>> But the next lovely lady on our list gets paid big bucks to be on the cover.

[00:15:50]>> Landing at number 10 is a model whose startling beauty shook fashion to its foundation.

[00:15:55]>> Raking in an impressive $3.4 million in 2006, it's Gemma Ward.

[00:16:00]>> Gemma Ward is is everyone's favorite muse right now. She's the it girl. So, pretty much she can dictate who she wants to work with at this point.

[00:16:07]>> unknown Aussie named Gemma Ward, a chance trip with friends put her on a crash course with the catwalk.

[00:16:13]>> She has that classic model story of having been discovered basically out of nowhere. She and her girlfriends go to see a fashion show in Perth, Australia.

[00:16:22]And on a lark, you know, someone spots her and says, "You should be modeling."

[00:16:26]She gets the call later to become a model and is whisked off to Paris and Milan for the shows and the rest is history.

[00:16:33]>> And a very lucrative history it is.

[00:16:35]>> Gemma's almond-shaped eyes and flawless features helped her stand out from the crowd.

[00:16:40]>> What's so intriguing about Gemma is that here's someone who appears to be maybe like 12 or 13, yet has all the composure and stature of someone far beyond their years.

[00:16:51]>> Gemma Ward offered this kind of cupid-doll like look, baby-doll like features, porcelain skin.

[00:16:58]>> In 2004, Gemma became one of the youngest models ever to appear on the cover of American Vogue.

[00:17:03]>> Major designers like Calvin Klein, Valentino, and Dior took notice.

[00:17:07]>> Gemma's been linked pretty much with the biggest brands [music] in the business.

[00:17:10]These are the A-list companies that you want to be associated with.

[00:17:13]>> Lately, Gemma's biggest challenge has been finding ways to spend all that cash.

[00:17:17]>> Well, she's started with a 1,600 square foot $1.5 million Manhattan co-op.

[00:17:21]>> And when she needs a little R&R, Gemma heads for the beach, be it Costa Rica or Hawaii.

[00:17:26]>> Of course, a supermodel on the sand can't be seen without a $200 Jean Paul Gaultier bikini.

[00:17:32]>> We're definitely going to see a lot more of Gemma. There's something very enchanting and entrancing about her.

[00:17:37]>> Gemma Ward is a delicate beauty who's one-of-a-kind and one of Forbes top 15 supermodels.

[00:17:44]>> Hope you've got high def cuz when we come back, we're going to steam up the plasma screen. [music] >> Up next, we've got a Czech beauty who spends $200 for a little oxygen.

[00:17:54]>> And a supermodel with a pension for diamonds.

[00:17:57]>> When Forbes top 15 supermodels, beauties who made BANK RETURNS.

[00:18:10]>> WE'RE BACK AND WE'RE counting down the hottest and highest earning women ever to walk the runway.

[00:18:16]>> Our next all-star puts the fear in fierce.

[00:18:19]>> It's hard to say what's hotter, her body or her temper.

[00:18:22]>> She's the formidable fashionista, Naomi Campbell.

[00:18:25]>> We will be interested in Naomi Campbell for the rest of her life. [music] >> to keep changing myself and reinventing cuz I get bored of myself.

[00:18:34]>> These days, Naomi spends less time on the catwalk >> and more time living the life of the rich and beautiful.

[00:18:40]>> Naomi has a very jet-setting lifestyle right now. We often see her photographed in the magazines on Valentino's yacht, on playgrounds of the rich and famous.

[00:18:49]>> Naomi won't leave town without enough Louis Vuitton luggage to outfit an army.

[00:18:53]>> About $15,000 worth.

[00:18:55]>> When Campbell chills at home, she does it in a $4.5 million Manhattan apartment.

[00:19:00]>> Naomi Campbell personifies fashion, glamour, and an electrifying personality. She's more than a model.

[00:19:07]She's She's She's truly a diva.

[00:19:09]>> It's no secret that this dynamic diva's had a few scrapes with the law.

[00:19:12]>> According to court records, in January of 2007, Naomi pled guilty to assaulting her maid with a cell phone. Campbell was sentenced to perform community service.

[00:19:22]>> She showed up in true supermodel fashion wearing an $8,000 Dolce & Gabbana outfit.

[00:19:27]>> Complete with stiletto heels.

[00:19:29]>> Naomi is one of the great characters to emerge from that period. She's smart, she's savvy, and and she does seem to be bulletproof.

[00:19:37]>> I think I'm a pretty down-to-earth person. I'm very honest. I say things when I feel them. I'm sensitive like everybody else.

[00:19:43]>> For being such a timeless beauty, Naomi Campbell is a true all-star.

[00:19:50]>> Naomi made headlines, but our next hottie made waves the minute she stepped onto the runway.

[00:19:55]>> In at number nine is the stunning siren who holds the record for the most fashion shows in a single season.

[00:20:01]>> Daria Werbowy banked a cool three and a half million dollars in 2006.

[00:20:06]>> In her first season, Daria captured two of the modeling world's most coveted assignments. She was on the cover of Vogue Italia three times, and she was in Prada's fall and winter ad campaign.

[00:20:15]>> It [music] was a feat that catapulted the Canadian beauty into the spotlight.

[00:20:20]>> These days, the biggest designers in the business are desperate for Daria.

[00:20:24]>> She is the face of Lancôme, which is a huge deal right now because it's the celebrities that are landing a lot of these contracts.

[00:20:32]>> It's a tough little business for us girls to, you know, get our contracts and stuff, but um hopefully it'll turn around and and, you know, the girls can get back in there and be supermodels again.

[00:20:42]>> Daria is single-handedly bringing back the supermodel.

[00:20:44]>> And she's doing it by booking almost every campaign known to fashion.

[00:20:49]>> Daria is definitely no stranger to the catwalk. She holds the record for the most runways in a single season, which is more than any other model in history.

[00:20:56]>> Daria's strutted for top names like Chanel, Gucci, Hermès, Missoni, and Valentino.

[00:21:01]>> Combine that with a pulse-pounding TV spot for Lancôme, and you've got fashion's newest it girl.

[00:21:07]>> Feels great.

[00:21:08]What does that mean though?

[00:21:09]>> Daria has this kind of rare mix of mysterious and approachable [music] which has kind of taken the modeling world by storm.

[00:21:15]>> During her downtime, Daria kicks it in her $1.8 million digs in New York's Greenwich Village.

[00:21:21]>> Her duds of choice, jeans. She confesses to having more than 60 pairs worth at least $11,000.

[00:21:27]>> Despite traveling in only the most beautiful circles, Daria manages to remain surprisingly unspoiled.

[00:21:33]>> have a hairbrush. I don't have a brush for my hair.

[00:21:36]>> While Daria may not blow her own horn, this next sexy stunner willingly puts the bomb in bombshell.

[00:21:43]>> Coming in at number eight is the Eastern Bloc babe who found fame and fortune in the Big Apple.

[00:21:49]>> Pulling down $3.5 million, it's the captivating Karolina Kurkova.

[00:21:56]>> She grew up in a small town and decided to send her pictures off to an agency.

[00:22:01]It wasn't until she was 15 where she got on a plane and went to New York for the first time. And there, she really got discovered.

[00:22:08]>> Karolina wasn't discovered by just anyone.

[00:22:10]>> Kurkova turned the head of the grand dame of American fashion.

[00:22:14]>> None other than Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

[00:22:18]>> Anna Wintour became really interested in her and her career just sort of blossomed from there.

[00:22:23]>> Karolina was one of the youngest girls to grace a Vogue cover.

[00:22:27]>> Wintour made it her mission to turn Karolina into a star.

[00:22:31]>> Despite her unconventional look, the curvaceous Kurkova started racking up the contracts.

[00:22:36]>> Some people say she has an imperfect face. I say imperfect is perfect.

[00:22:41]>> She has great power on the runway and her legs are, you know, like to here.

[00:22:44]And they're just, you know, they go on forever.

[00:22:46]>> The way we are beautiful and it's more beautiful to have something different than anybody else doesn't have. Even if it's not the perfect beauty, but for me it's very beautiful.

[00:22:58]>> In 2001, Karolina landed the mother of all contracts, Victoria's Secret.

[00:23:03]>> Karolina gave us a completely different look, blonde and chic, and everything we put her in sells. That matters.

[00:23:09]>> Victoria gave Karolina her wings.

[00:23:11]>> following year, Kurkova's career really took flight.

[00:23:15]>> In 2002, Karolina scooped [music] up the VH1 Model of the Year award.

[00:23:21]>> Kurkova has a pretty easy time spending her hard-earned cash.

[00:23:24]>> From $200 oxygen facials >> You feel good.

[00:23:28]You look good.

[00:23:28]>> To her $2 million New York apartment, Karolina doesn't deny herself anything.

[00:23:33]>> It's very homey, it's very cozy. It's like the place where you relax, and definitely my home means a lot to me.

[00:23:42]>> When we return, a model with a rags-to-riches story.

[00:23:45]>> And later, the sexiest imports from South America take over the modeling world.

[00:24:02]>> From fabulous faces >> to heavenly bodies >> we're bringing you Forbes' top 15 supermodels, beauties who made bank.

[00:24:10]>> Number seven came out of the cold to become the hottest thing on the catwalk.

[00:24:14]>> This radiant Russian went from rags to riches practically overnight.

[00:24:18]>> So, Natalia Vodianova is number seven on the Forbes list, and over the past 12 months, she made $4.5 million. dollars.

[00:24:25]>> Today, Natalia's captivating looks earn her big bucks.

[00:24:30]>> But her real-life success story is a fashion fairy tale come true.

[00:24:35]>> She started out in this bleak Russian town. She lived in an apartment with her two sisters and her mom, and in order to make ends meet, she was selling fruit [music] at a fruit stand.

[00:24:46]>> By 8:17, Natalia was on a collision course with the catwalk.

[00:24:50]>> Natalia quickly became a much sought-after model.

[00:24:53]>> Catching the eye of one of the most famous names in fashion.

[00:24:56]>> She has become [music] Calvin Klein's muse, which is certainly a a valuable thing and not to mention profitable thing in the modeling [music] industry.

[00:25:05]>> In 2000 at age 18, Vodianova married Lord Justin Portman.

[00:25:10]>> Designer Tom Ford stepped in to create Natalia's one-of-a-kind wedding dress, which cost an estimated [music] $30,000.

[00:25:16]>> Small change for this power couple.

[00:25:19]>> She went from being this kind of dirt poor teenager to this supermodel who's married to a British real estate heir in less than 4 years.

[00:25:30]>> Natalia and Justin put their stunning loft in Tribeca up for sale in July 2007 for a cool $10 million.

[00:25:36]>> But they still own a 14th century estate in West Sussex, England.

[00:25:40]>> The sexy blonde also has a weakness for couture coats.

[00:25:43]>> Currently, her closet includes a $2,000 feathered gray coat from Givenchy.

[00:25:47]>> And a $1,300 mini reefer from Stella McCartney.

[00:25:50]>> Not bad for a girl who once sold fruit to make ends meet.

[00:25:54]>> She really has this fairy [music] tale life. Two children, one on the way, is making tons of money, is able to support her family.

[00:26:02]>> [music] >> She really truly is the fairy tale story.

[00:26:09]>> Natalia's a rising star from the streets of Russia.

[00:26:12]>> But our next all-star owes her success to the discos of Deutschland.

[00:26:16]>> It's impossible to say supermodel without thinking of her.

[00:26:20]>> She's a gorgeous German who turned fantastic photos into a fortune.

[00:26:24]>> Of course, we're talking about Claudia Schiffer.

[00:26:27]>> She's one of those internationally well-known jet-setting supermodels in the classic vein. She's gorgeous.

[00:26:35]Claudia Schiffer evokes the Brigitte Bardot iconic beauty, uh blonde hair, bombshell body.

[00:26:44]>> It's hard to imagine a world without Claudia Schiffer.

[00:26:47]>> Still, this hinterland hottie nearly went undiscovered. [music] >> It wasn't something that I knew would happen. It wasn't something that I waited to happen. It wasn't something that I wanted to happen.

[00:26:57]>> But it did happen.

[00:26:58]>> With her blonde hair and perfect body, Claudia's life quickly became a game of guesswork.

[00:27:03]>> Claudia Schiffer becomes Claudia Schiffer thanks to Guess jeans. We all remember those ads, blonde hair, >> [music] >> the the beautiful physique.

[00:27:12]>> Guess name became really much more known around the world because Claudia.

[00:27:18]>> As Schiffer's popularity skyrocketed, so did her asking price.

[00:27:23]>> During her prime years, Claudia Schiffer could make easily $10,000 [music] a day, which is tremendous tremendous money for a model at that time.

[00:27:30]>> And she put all that cash to good use.

[00:27:32]>> Claudia crashes in a $7.5 million mansion in Suffolk, England.

[00:27:37]>> Just because Claudia settled down >> doesn't mean she's called it quits. Even after 20 years in the biz, Schiffer's face still sells.

[00:27:45]>> I don't know if I would come across another Claudia Schiffer ever again. I don't think so.

[00:27:50]>> For being the very embodiment of blonde ambition, Claudia [music] Schiffer is a supermodel all-star.

[00:27:57]>> From a bombshell to a beach babe.

[00:27:59]>> When it comes to the beauty business, the sky's the limit for this flaxen-haired femme fatale.

[00:28:04]>> At number six is a sultry swimsuit siren whose chameleon-like qualities have kept her on the cutting edge.

[00:28:11]>> Carolyn Murphy is on our list because she made [music] $5 million in the last year.

[00:28:15]>> In the 1990s, Carolyn's career was building slowly.

[00:28:19]>> And then a disastrous dye job turned out to be just the boost she needed.

[00:28:23]>> She catapulted to fame when she actually dyed her hair silvery blonde and it basically damaged it so much that she needed to cut it all off, which resulted in a Mia Farrow look that garnered a lot of attention in the fashion industry.

[00:28:36]>> Whatever it is that I'm doing is also obviously selling and doing really well for marketing purposes.

[00:28:41]So I'm really happy with it.

[00:28:43]>> Everything was coming up Carolyn.

[00:28:45]>> Which is why the fashion industry was shocked when in 2000 Carolyn decided it was time to start a family.

[00:28:51]>> When she had a child, she got way more curvy. She got some hips. She got some curves up on top.

[00:28:59]>> Carolyn won the Sports Illustrated cover after, ironically, she had her child.

[00:29:03]And what resulted was she was more curvy.

[00:29:06]>> Sports Illustrated wasn't the only company to take notice of the new curvier Carolyn.

[00:29:10]>> Cosmetics empire Estee Lauder was looking to replace Elizabeth Hurley.

[00:29:14]>> And Carolyn Murphy was the perfect fit.

[00:29:16]>> And everybody knows Estee Lauder. And to be a part of that is unbelievable. It's definitely a dream come true.

[00:29:24]>> Of course, being the first lady of Estee Lauder has its rewards.

[00:29:28]>> With her millions, Carolyn bought a three-bedroom Japanese [music] craftsman style house in Santa Monica, California.

[00:29:33]>> Valued at an estimated $4 million.

[00:29:36]>> Despite living the life of a multi-million dollar model, Carolyn always puts family first.

[00:29:41]>> The thing that I love most is just hanging out with my daughter and going to the beach and surfing. And I actually have quite a normal life that I like.

[00:29:48]>> Thanks to a couple of happy accidents, Carolyn Murphy is living a model life.

[00:29:55]>> Coming up, Victoria's secret weapon has the catwalk in her sights.

[00:29:59]>> And later, >> She's in, she's in, she's not going anywhere.

[00:30:11]>> WELCOME BACK TO THE ONLY countdown on television with 0% body fat.

[00:30:17]>> Coming in at number five on the Forbes list is Victoria's latest secret.

[00:30:22]>> beauty who's as loaded as she is lovely.

[00:30:24]>> Alessandra Ambrosio.

[00:30:26]>> Alessandra lands at number five on our list earning $6 million over the course of the year. Just one look at Alessandra and you know why the modeling world just [music] loves her. She is a total bombshell. She's tall, she has this great smile, she has these high cheekbones, and really appeals to the people that love the girl-next-door sensibility.

[00:30:45]>> This girl-next-door had a big dream.

[00:30:47]Alessandra was set on being a supermodel.

[00:30:50]>> I remember I used to see the Guess campaign and the girls look so pretty and and, you know, I was like, "Oh my god, I just want to be one of those girls." I want to be in a Guess campaign.

[00:31:00]>> At 15, Alessandra signed with Elite Models and booked her fantasy gig, an ad for Guess.

[00:31:07]>> But, it was a lingerie catalog that turned this South American stunner into a superstar.

[00:31:11]>> Victoria's Secret for me is one of the most powerful brand names within the modeling industry. They're the angels are probably the most famous models in America.

[00:31:20]To the general public.

[00:31:21]>> It's very glamorous to work for Victoria's Secret. One of the biggest names in the model industry, and you can make a lot of money with them, too.

[00:31:30][music] >> She is the lingerie goddess.

[00:31:33]>> Alessandra puts that hard-earned scratch to good use.

[00:31:37]>> I did buy an apartment like when I first got uh my big check.

[00:31:41]>> This cutie may be level-headed, but Alessandra still knows how to pamper herself.

[00:31:46]>> Every girl loves diamonds, so it's always nice to, you know, after a big job that I do or something, I go and get some diamonds.

[00:31:53]Diamonds are a girl's best friend.

[00:31:56]>> Alessandra Ambrosio IS ONE HOT Brazilian babe.

[00:32:00]>> But, up next is the ultimate babe, a beauty marked brunette whose name is synonymous with supermodel.

[00:32:06]>> We've saved the best all-star for last.

[00:32:08]>> She's the most famous of >> all the mega models.

[00:32:11]>> Of course, we're talking about the one, >> the only >> Cindy Crawford.

[00:32:16]>> Cindy Crawford was the original supermodel.

[00:32:18]>> Cindy Crawford was beautiful, tall, had this dark hair. She had a universal appeal, so I think that really launched her. She had this face that just everyone wanted on the covers of their magazines [music] and campaigns.

[00:32:32]>> Crawford conquered the fashion world booking contracts with the biggest designers in the business. Then, Cindy made a startling move.

[00:32:39]>> In 1988, [music] Cindy Crawford takes the plunge and poses for Playboy, but she does it and guess what? She Her career does just fine. The risk had enormous reward.

[00:32:49]>> What could have ended Crawford's career >> instead catapulted her to celebrity status.

[00:32:54]>> In 1989, Cindy Crawford signed a four-year contract with Revlon worth an estimated $4 million, which meant that she was making a million bucks a year from one contract. [music] That was unheard of for a model.

[00:33:05]>> By 1991, there was no one hotter than Cindy Crawford.

[00:33:09]>> Except maybe her new husband, A-list actor Richard Gere.

[00:33:13]>> Four years later, the power couple called it quits.

[00:33:16]>> But in 1998, Crawford took another walk down the aisle with model turned nightclub owner Rande Gerber. They have two kids.

[00:33:25]>> Cindy Crawford is still working. She has her own skin care line.

[00:33:29]>> I think it's beauty and sex appeal are both in the eyes of the beholder.

[00:33:33]>> For being a goddess among goddesses and the body of a generation, >> Cindy Crawford is a supermodel all-star.

[00:33:42]>> Cindy Crawford is the earthly embodiment of sex appeal.

[00:33:46]>> But if you're looking for hotties in heaven, look no further than our next angel.

[00:33:50]>> She's a Brazilian bombshell with dangerous curves.

[00:33:54]>> But her passion for piety is why GQ magazine dubbed her the world's most voluptuous virgin.

[00:33:59]>> Coming in at number four is Adriana Lima.

[00:34:04]>> She's a Brazilian supermodel and she's making $6 million.

[00:34:08]She's one of the faces of Maybelline.

[00:34:09]She's best known as a Victoria's Secret Angel.

[00:34:12]>> I love to wear the wings.

[00:34:15]All the models would love to be a Victoria's Secret model.

[00:34:19]>> With luscious lips and an otherworldly body, Adriana Lima isn't just one of the hottest models on the scene.

[00:34:26]>> She's one of the busiest.

[00:34:28]>> You can't get to the top of the Forbes list unless you are working hard. She's doing a lot of PR on behalf of Victoria's Secret. She's really out there and she's working hard.

[00:34:36]>> It's not an easy life, you know.

[00:34:37]>> look back?

[00:34:37]>> As a Victoria's Secret model, Adriana is not shy about showing off her body.

[00:34:42]>> Yet Lima is surprisingly tight-lipped about her tabloid-ready romances.

[00:34:45]>> From her former engagement to Lenny Kravitz >> to the rumors about her dating baseball player Derek Jeter.

[00:34:51]>> A girl this gorgeous can get any guy she wants.

[00:34:55]>> But that doesn't mean guys can get anything they want from her.

[00:34:58]>> Adriana Lima did say that she was a virgin and that she plans to remain a virgin until she gets married. I think this kind of caused a stir in in the fashion and modeling industry.

[00:35:10]>> Being an angel isn't just a job for Adriana. It's a way of life.

[00:35:15]>> I'm very thankful to be working for Victoria's Secret. I always wanted, since I started to be a model, it was like a dream come true. I cannot believe I'm working for them.

[00:35:24]>> For a supermodel who's got everything >> Sure fantasy >> all wrapped up in a pretty package >> look no further than Adriana Lima.

[00:35:33]>> Coming up, take a long, hard look at the body that built an empire.

[00:35:37]>> And later, which one of these seriously sexy ladies tops our list?

[00:35:50]>> We're back and we've made it to the top of the heap.

[00:35:53]>> The three hottest and hilariously wealthy women on the [music] Forbes list.

[00:35:58]>> Number three has the body by which all others are measured.

[00:36:01]>> so unbelievably perfect, she outgrew the industry to become a one-woman media empire.

[00:36:07]>> Heidi Klum comes in at number three on our top earning models list with $8 million.

[00:36:11]>> The fascinating thing about Heidi is that everybody wants to root for her.

[00:36:14]Men want to root for her, women want to root for her.

[00:36:16]>> There's something warm about Heidi.

[00:36:17]There's something fun about Heidi, which makes her sexy, you know?

[00:36:21]>> Can we have a nice close-up of that one, please?

[00:36:24]>> Even for a hottie like Heidi, her early days in the US were anything but glamorous.

[00:36:29]>> When I came to New York, I literally had two little bags with my clothes and the apartment was horrible. And it was raining in the apartment. We had like buckets everywhere. It sounds crazy. It sounds like I'm making up a story, but it really rains in the apartment.

[00:36:42]>> Unfortunately, Heidi hit the runway at the wrong time.

[00:36:46]>> With waifs working the catwalks, there seemed to be no place for Klum's curves.

[00:36:49]>> Now, that's what I call a crime of fashion.

[00:36:52]>> Heidi joined the business in the mid-90s.

[00:36:55]>> This is [music] a period when curvy, voluptuous women were not at all popular. The trend was being set by women like Kate Moss, thin, you know, board-like bodies. And here comes Heidi with the curves.

[00:37:06]>> Most models would have packed up their Louis Vuitton and called it quits, but not Heidi.

[00:37:11]>> Klum kept her perfect little nose to the grindstone. Heidi's hard work paid off.

[00:37:15]>> The groundbreaking moment for Heidi comes in 1998 when she lands the Sports Illustrated magazine.

[00:37:21]>> My agency did not even want me to go on the casting. I had to beg them that they would send me, you [music] know, to even see these people. It was a beautiful cover and it was so much press.

[00:37:34]I did so many interviews. So, after doing all those interviews in America, you know, everyone knows your name.

[00:37:41]>> Capturing the cover of SI was a huge step up for the Deutschland darling.

[00:37:45]>> But it was a lingerie contract that catapulted Heidi Klum to supermodel status.

[00:37:50]>> Being a Victoria's Secret model is a very big deal. It gives you a lot of exposure and it says both in your industry and to the world at large that you're at the top of your game.

[00:38:02]>> With Sports Illustrated and Victoria's Secret on her resume, Heidi's position as a powerhouse was solidified.

[00:38:08]>> She's a one-name brand, Heidi.

[00:38:12]You don't have to say anything else.

[00:38:13]>> She hosts America's Next Top Model in Germany. She is the host of Project Runway here in the United States. She's married to Seal. She's a mom. She renewed her Victoria's Secret campaign.

[00:38:26]>> Heidi Klum's career was almost derailed by those pesky waifs.

[00:38:29]>> And our number two is the tiny trendsetter who kicked off that craze.

[00:38:34]>> She's a lightning rod for controversy.

[00:38:36]>> But with each scintillating story, Kate Moss gets more famous.

[00:38:40]>> And richer. With $9 million, Kate Moss is number two on Forbes' [music] list of the world's top-earning models.

[00:38:47]>> Kate Moss has this kind of eternally hip edge to her [music] that appeals and and resonates with designers. She's also this kind of international fashion icon.

[00:38:55]>> Kate's wild look was unconventional from the start.

[00:38:59]>> But that didn't stop a forward-thinking agent from chasing Moss down in a New York airport.

[00:39:04]>> Four years later, when she was only 18 years old, she landed a huge $1.2 million contract with Calvin Klein.

[00:39:10]>> The jaw-dropping sight of Kate in her skivvies helped turn super-skinny into a worldwide [music] fashion sensation.

[00:39:17]>> Kate Moss brought in this waif-like, tiny look that was completely different from those Amazonian supermodels of the 1990s.

[00:39:25]>> While Kate's good looks earned her top dollar, her good name took a lashing in the press.

[00:39:30]>> From her A-list love life, >> including high-profile hookups with actor Johnny Depp and rocker Pete Doherty, >> to tabloid rumors, Kate seemed destined for model meltdown.

[00:39:40]>> Moss managed to turn bad press into big business.

[00:39:45]>> When Kate Moss had that brush with scandal, a lot of people said, you know, her career was over. But she handled it a way a supermodel would. She really just, you know, said her peace and then went on and went back to modeling.

[00:39:58]>> Now, Kate is busier than ever.

[00:40:00]>> Moss has nearly doubled her annual income since her tabloid troubles began.

[00:40:04]>> Kate Moss is iconic because she [music] represents a lifestyle.

[00:40:08]>> Kate's look is all over the map, and so are her addresses.

[00:40:12]>> She owns a $7 million home in London's trendy St. John's Wood neighborhood.

[00:40:17]>> And a Cotswold stone cottage in the Oxfordshire countryside valued at $10 million.

[00:40:23]>> With a thin body and a fat wallet, this slim supermodel will never go out of style.

[00:40:28]>> There's 6 billion people on the planet and Kate's a one-off.

[00:40:34]>> Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the richest of them all?

[00:40:38]>> Find out as Forbes top 15 supermodels, beauties who made bank, continues.

[00:40:54]We've counted down the 14 wealthiest women on the catwalk.

[00:40:58]>> Models whose wallets sometimes weigh more than they do.

[00:41:01]>> Now it's time to find out which girl is on top.

[00:41:06]>> She's got legs a mile long. She's beyond gorgeous. She's the embodiment of the Brazilian sex bomb. She screams sex appeal.

[00:41:14]>> This South scorcher came out of nowhere to become one of the most recognized faces in fashion.

[00:41:20]>> Gisele Bündchen is living large at the top of our list.

[00:41:23]>> Number one on Forbes' list of the top earning models is Gisele.

[00:41:29]With $33 million, she makes more money, she has more contracts, she has more gigs. No one does it as well as Gisele Bündchen.

[00:41:37]>> As a teenager in Brazil, Gisele dreamed of being a professional volleyball player.

[00:41:42]>> But towering at 5' 11", Gisele's mom enrolled her in modeling classes and a career was born.

[00:41:48]>> In 1996, Gisele makes it to New York, starts doing runway work there for Calvin Klein and other big A-listers. It's in 1999 that she starts landing the big magazine covers.

[00:41:59]>> [music] >> And it's Gisele, really, that's credited with ending that really super skinny Kate Moss trend that had dominated both the runways and the magazines. With Gisele, they [music] say it's the return of the curve, return of the sex appeal, return of the bodies.

[00:42:12]>> Soon, every designer was dying to book Bundchen.

[00:42:16]>> Among the multitude of contracts she's landed, [music] of course, Victoria's Secret.

[00:42:20]>> Gisele is the quintessential Victoria's Secret model. Now, Victoria's Secret has launched the careers of many a model, but Gisele pretty much takes the cake.

[00:42:30]>> In May of 2007, Gisele revealed a secret of her own.

[00:42:34]>> She was leaving the lingerie powerhouse.

[00:42:37]>> Gisele walked away because she could walk away. Gisele can do pretty much anything at this point.

[00:42:42]>> The departure did nothing to slow Gisele down.

[00:42:44]>> She continues to be one of the most in-demand models on the market.

[00:42:48]>> Gisele is powerful, confident, world-class, and she knows exactly how to use it.

[00:42:53]>> Oh my god, I'm exhausted.

[00:42:56]>> Even with her hectic life, Gisele still finds time to hit the town.

[00:43:00]>> Often with a celebrity hunk at her side.

[00:43:03]>> Gisele's love life, whether it was Leonardo DiCaprio [music] in the past or Tom Brady now, it certainly helps her bankability.

[00:43:11]>> Another sign of a star?

[00:43:13]>> Dropping mad cash left and right.

[00:43:15]>> She apparently bought a home in Los Angeles that she bought for under 2 million. She had recently sold it for apparently [music] over 4 million.

[00:43:23]>> And in October 2007, Gisele put her two-bedroom Greenwich Village apartment up for sale.

[00:43:28]>> The price tag? Just shy of 11 million dollars.

[00:43:31]>> One thing this supermodel doesn't have to spend money on is clothes.

[00:43:34]>> They're sort of a bonus in the beauty business.

[00:43:37]>> Sometimes you get little presents from designers or you get discount or whatever it's like something in it is a huge discount, so you can get like, you know, So, it's good, you know, we always like, you know, discount. I ask discount for everything in my life, so >> Gisele Bundchen created a look that launched a thousand lines.

[00:43:54]>> From covers to catwalks, Gisele rules it all.

[00:43:57]>> That's why she owns the number one spot on the Forbes list.

[00:44:01]>> She really has followed in the footsteps of [music] the supermodels of yesteryear. Gisele knows that. She's earning big bucks because of that.

[00:44:10]>> From homegrown hotties to Brazilian bombshells, we've taken a revealing look at the paychecks and playthings of the world's sexiest women.

[00:44:19]>> Their Forbes top 15 supermodels, beauties who made bank.

[00:44:26]>> [screaming]