Riches Look Good on These Supermodels
If you weren’t aware, the modeling game is a tough grind. There are countless young ladies out there hoping to make it big like Heidi and Tyra did. The reality is that the vast majority of models barely scrape by, if they even make a profit. Nonetheless, the models who have done well for themselves financially keep the dream of runway glamor alive. These are the models that set the earnings bar.
Kathy Ireland: $350 million
Kathy Ireland is not only unusual in that her last name is the same as her country, but she is also one of if not the most entrepreneurial-minded beauty to ever grace the runway, let alone the cover of Sports Illustrated (SI).
Ireland stole countless hearts she became the SI cover model in the 1989 issue of the Swimsuit Edition. However, she is now known more for her $350 million net worth, earned through a multi-pronged business empire that includes dresses, jewelry and more. Ireland is her own brand.
Gisele Bundchen: $250 million
Gisele Bundchen is known globally by her first name alone, and her international notoriety has only broadened since her marriage to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. They are the consummate power couple, and Gisele is absolutely holding up her half of the earnings.
She is worth an estimated $250 million as the result of many shrewd and lucrative endorsement contracts with the likes of Nivea, Versace, Louis Vuitton and American Express. She has also collected checks for appearing in movies like The Devil Wears Prada and Taxi, even if the latter didn’t do so well. Gisele is loaded.
Cindy Crawford: $100 million
Cindy Crawford is the poster child for how tantalizing a mole can be. Seriously, how often do you find yourself thinking, let alone saying, “Damn, that’s one sexy mole?”. That right there is the power of Cindy Crawford in a nutshell.
But Crawford has proven to be so much more than a beautiful face. She is a shrewd businesswoman who has built up her estimated $100 million net worth through the creation of her own home goods line in partnership with J.C. Penney and a furniture line with Rooms-To-Go. She maintains endorsements with Revlon and Gap, among others.
Tyra Banks: $90 million
The Tyra Banks, that is. Tyra has had her own television show, played an integral role in the creation of the show Project Runway and has never stopped lapping up lucrative endorsements with Ralph Lauren, Victoria’s Secret, Dolce & Gabbana and others since she broke on the scene.
Banks has an estimated net worth of $90 million, which probably would have been unfathomable to a young model who just wanted to grace a cover or two. She has now graced many, in fact, including when she became the first African-American model to cover Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition.
Christie Brinkley: $80 million
Models sometimes struggle to maintain their figures or appearances as they age, but Christie Brinkley is one of the rare models — or people in general, for that matter — that seems to fall in the ageless beauty category. And she’s more than just her looks, as she has parlayed her modeling career into an estimated net worth of $80 million.
How many supermodels have hosted their own show on CNN, besides Brinkley, of course? And how many CNN hosts have covered Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, Playboy and Cosmo? Brinkley’s crossover appeal is like nothing the modeling world has seen before or since.
Heidi Klum: $70 million
Heidi Klum’s resume as a model is among the most impressive of any woman to ever grace the runway, and she is one of the few who is recognizable by her first name alone. She is still in modeling shape, yet it is her ventures outside of modeling that have helped her accrue an estimated $70 million in career earnings.
Some of her accolades include endorsement deals with Victoria’s Secret (naturally), H&M, McDonald’s and Dannon’s Light and Fit yogurt. She has graced the covers of Vogue, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, Cosmo and even GQ. Klum’s pop culture profile is immense.
Kate Moss: $50 million
Kate Moss is not as well known to younger generations as many of the models on this list, and that reality makes it all the more impressive that Moss is reportedly a $50 million woman. She hasn’t made that much money by being a dumb businesswoman, either.
Moss took a long time off after enduring much public scrutiny of her personal life, but she returned to the spotlight in 2005 in ads for Nikon and even appeared in 2016’s Zoolander 2. In her prime, Moss covered W, Allure, Vanity Fair and Vogue and was endorsed by Chanel and Versace.
Naomi Campbell: $48 million
Naomi Campbell is yet another name that the kids might not recognize, but she has left a lasting impact on modern modeling. And how much is being a legend worth? About $48 million if you want to use Campbell as a litmus test.
That’s right: Naomi Campbell has accrued nearly $50 million through her modeling contracts, as well as endorsements with the likes of Ralph Lauren, Prada, Louis Vuitton and of course, Victoria’s Secret. Naomi also made appearances in The Cosby Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Empire and a couple of movies.
Elle Macpherson: $45 million
When you’ve appeared on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition five times, you know you’re in the upper echelon of models. Elle Macpherson has done that and raked in mad endorsement dough over the course of her ongoing modeling career.
She has made a pretty penny from staying in top-notch shape and maintaining her natural beauty. Additionally, she’s cashed in on endorsements from the likes of Revlon and Finesse while earning covers with magazines like Cosmo, Harper’s Bazaar and SI. Her net worth is an eye-popping $45 million.
Claudia Schiffer: $40 million
Claudia Schiffer was one of the “it” girls of the 90s, gaining the rarefied air of a household name. She was a cover model for magazines like Vogue, Cosmo and Vanity Fair (absolute musts for the upper echelon of models) and established herself as a force in the industry.
Schiffer also proved to be more than just a pretty face, appearing in high-budget features films Zoolander, Love Actually and Richie Rich (all the 90s kids know what’s up with Richie Rich). Schiffer is richie rich herself, as she’s worth $40 million.
Alessandra Ambrosio: $40 million
Alessandra Ambrosio is a part of a class of models that have dominated the early 21st century, and she is no exception to the group’s seeming agelessness. Ambrosio is 38, but you wouldn’t be crazy for thinking she’s still in her 20s. The ultra-healthy lifestyle of a supermodel doesn’t hurt, but neither does $40 million in the bank.
Like many of the models on this list, Ambrosio has expanded her profile by appearing in the movie Casino Royale and the bro-centric television show Entourage. She’s appeared on covers for Cosmo and GQ and has many endorsements.
Milla Jovovich: $36 million
It is a testament to Milla Jovovich’s multiple talents that she is known by many fans for her movies first and her modeling career second — if they are aware of her modeling at all. While Jovovich was a model first, she has established herself as a leading woman in the action film genre.
She received one of her early breaks in Hollywood alongside Bruce Willis in the sci-fi thriller The Fifth Element before going on to become the face of the Resident Evil franchise. Jovovich has earned $36 million between modeling and acting.
Adriana Lima: $35 million
If you didn’t know, “Lima” means “lime” when translated from Spanish to English, and even though Adriana Lima (like so many of the top models) hails from the Portuguese-speaking nation of Brazil, you can just call her the Brazilian Lime. Not just because her name means lime, but because limes, like her bank account, are full of green.
How much green? Lima is worth an estimated $35 million, which she’s earned from endorsements from Givenchy, Maybelline and Donna Karan as well as a few film and television appearances and magazine covers for major outlets like Esquire, Elle and GQ.
Iman: $25 million
We sometimes joke or say earnestly that a celebrity needs no last name to be recognizable, but Iman is the embodiment of that sentiment. The Somali-American model is 64 now, but older audiences remember how Iman took the modeling world by storm.
She has done well for herself beyond modeling and is currently the host of The Fashion Show on Bravo. She has previously acted in films such as Out of Africa and Start Trek VI in addition to TV shows like The Cosby Show and Miami Vice. Iman’s net worth is estimated to be $25 million.
Christy Turlington: $18 million
Christy Turlington has been a major name in modeling since the 80s, and she has shown impressive longevity by serving as the face of Calvin Klein’s Eternity campaign as recently as 2014. She is still endorsed by Maybelline as well, but Turlington is also known as one of the most compassionate models there are.
She founded Every Mother Counts, a charity that aims to provide safer conditions for mothers giving birth in the developing world. Turlington has put her money where her mouth is when it comes to improving the state of the world.
Linda Evangelista: $18 million
Linda Evangelista is one of the most successful models to ever hail from Canada, and by financial measure, she is arguably the most successful. She was among the most frequently-cast models of the 90s, and she is known especially for an iconic Harper’s Bazaar cover from September 1992.
Evangelista has been out of the modeling game for some time now, but no worries, because she can more than afford to enjoy some R&R. Her estimated net worth is $18 million, which she accumulated from endorsements from Revlon, Bloomingdale’s, Fendi and many others.
Natalia Vodianova: $16 million
Natalia Vodianova is a Russian model who is known not just for her Slavic good looks, but also her story as an impoverished young girl who helped her mother sell fruit on Russian streets to care for her sisters, one of whom had cerebral palsy and the other autism.
She is able to care for her sisters now, as she is worth an estimated $16 million. With the nickname Supernova, Natalia Vodianova is one of the truly good people in modeling, and she has made philanthropy an integral part of her life.
Carolyn Murphy: $15 million
Carolyn Murphy’s prime as a model was in 1998, when she was voted Vogue’s Model of the Year. However, Murphy had a long, lucrative career that saw her dabble in not only modeling but also acting and —in a way — music.
On the modeling side, Murphy graced the covers of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Style and several other prominent fashion publications. Murphy also starred in the music video for Are You In?, a song by popular rock band Incubus (there goes the music connection). Between her modeling and entertainment work, Murphy is worth a reported $15 million.
Stephanie Seymour: $15 million
Stephanie Seymour is a 51-year-old model who has had a more public personal life than most women in her field. Seymour was a hot item in the 80s and 90s, so much so that she ended up in an (ultimately failed) relationship with Guns ‘N Roses frontman Axl Rose.
Despite her relationship woes, Seymour was able to parlay her considerably good looks into appearances in Playboy, Sports Illustrated, Vogue and even an episode of Law & Order — that’s a big freakin’ deal.
Cheryl Tiegs: $14 million
Cheryl Tiegs became a model when she was 17 and quickly rose to national and then global prominence. You could say that she had something of a headstart to her cash, but we won’t hold that against her. After all, she has stacked a lot of it — $14 million by most estimates.
Tiegs was much more than a model. Her 80s-era Sears clothing line, The Cheryl Tiegs Collection, proved that consumers bought into Tiegs’ designer’s eye, not just her ability to wear the clothes. Tiegs also appeared in films, television shows and on many a magazine cover.
Kendall Jenner: $30 million
When you are part of the Kardashian/Jenner clan, the rules go out the window in terms of how much money you can make. Most of the models on this list have worked ten, twenty, or even forty years to accumulate their impressive net worth.
Kendall Jenner is barely out of her teens at age 23, and she’s already worth a reported $30 million. She’s on a pace to be one of, if not the most highly paid model of all time, and there’s no reason to think she won’t be when her career is said and done.
Karlie Kloss: $20 million
When annual revenues for modeling were tallied at the end of 2018, Karlie Kloss trailed only Kendall Jenner. She is only 27 years old, but she’s collected accolades for her modeling since the age of 17, when Vogue Paris bestowed her with the honor of one of the ‘Top Models of the 2000s’. At 17!
At 27, her modeling career is as hot as ever, as she earned an estimated $13 million last year. She is thought to have a net worth of somewhere around $20 million, which indicates absurd success for a 27-year-old anything.
Chrissy Teigen: $26 million
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend are sometimes seen as practically one entity by those who adore (or don’t adore) the couple, but no one should forget that Teigen had a successful modeling career before John, and she has continued that success after tying the knot.
So while Jissy (sounds better than Chrohn, right?) is very much a thing, so is Chrissy. As a matter of fact, she raked in a reported $11.5 million in 2018 en route to an estimated net worth of $26 million. She earns an ungodly amount for sponsored Instagram posts for McDonald’s, VitaCoCo and others.
Cara Delevingne: $28 million
The most successful models often try their hand at other crowd-pleasing forms of media, whether it’s television, movies or commercials. But Cara Delevingne, who earned a reported $10 million in 2018, is a true double threat, as she is respected both as an actress and a model.
Making ten million dollars a year adds up, and Delevingne, who is only 27, has an estimated net worth of $28 million. She is currently starring in Carnival Row, a serious show with a supernatural bent.
Rosie Huntington-Whitely: $30 million
Rosie Huntington-Whitely is leveraging the looks her mama (and papa) gave her to make a nice little career for herself, as she was tied for third in terms of model income in 2018. The person she was tied with is a little lady named Gisele Bundchen … ever heard of her?
Huntington-Whitely does it all: modeling, acting and business, and she receives a splendid sum (at least a few of you see what we did there) for each. She has an estimated net worth of $30 million and has appeared in popular films like Mad Max: Fury Road, so you can expect that number to steadily rise.
Gigi Hadid: $29 million
Gigi Hadid was one of the highest-paid models in 2018, reportedly adding a cool $9.5 million to her bank account during the calendar year. That figure padded her total net worth, which is estimated to be somewhere around $29 million.
That net worth is high, but considering that she began modeling at the age of two for Baby Guess, you might even think it would be even more. However, at age 24, Gigi has plenty more time to add to her bank account, and she surely will.
Bella Hadid: $25 million
Bella Hadid and Gigi Hadid are sisters, and they’re both models. If that’s not enough, the sisters even made nearly the same amount in 2018. What difference does a million make, anyway?
Bella, the younger sister, made a reported sum of $8.5 million in 2018, a million less than her big sis. $8.5 million is not too shabby, and Bella is certainly not strapped for cash — her net worth is $25 million.
Doutzen Kroes: $32 million
Doutzen Kroes took home $8 million in the 2018 calendar year from modeling, and the Dutch Destroyer shows no signs of losing her touch any time soon. She’s 34, but she doesn’t look it, and her enduring beauty made her the tenth highest paid model last year, an impressive feat for anyone.
Kroes served as a Victoria’s Secret Angel between 2008 and 2014, and while she may no longer be working for the lingerie super company, she’s still very mich in the limelight. This angel is worth approximately $32 million. How much is that in Dutch currency?
Joan Smalls: $26 million
Joan Smalls’ last name is highly inappropriate if you’re looking for a metaphor for her bank account. She brought in roughly $8.5 million in earnings in 2018, putting her firmly within the top ten of all models and adding to her net worth of $26 million.
Smalls is a Puerto Rican beauty who became the first Latina to sign on with Estee Lauder, one of the most respected names in cosmetics. At 31 years old, her best years may still be ahead.
Victoria Beckham: $450 million
People think of Posh Spice as a Spice Girl and often David Beckham’s wife, but they may forget that Victoria Beckham was, first and foremost, a model. And why not? Look at her, for Pete’s sake! She was put on this earth to strut her stuff.
She is estimated to be worth $450 million, much of which was made off her success as a fashion designer. But don’t underestimate that Spice Girls money, or her modeling or however else Beckham created such a massive amount of wealth.
