Rich, Beautiful and on Top of the World
July 18, 2007 Special to ABCNEWS.com — -- In 1990, supermodel Linda Evangelista uttered what has become the most famous quote in modeling history: "We don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day."
She was referring to herself and fellow supermodel Christy Turlington, both of whom were a core part of the handful of models shaking up the industry by being as famous and powerful as celebrities.
Check out a slideshow of the highest-paid models at our partner site Forbes.com.
Models did talk shows. They landed movie roles. They inspired franchises — the ill-fated Fashion Cafe, which was part owned by supermodels Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell and Elle MacPherson. They dated or married movie stars — Evangelista and Kyle MacLachlan, Turlington and Ed Burns and Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere. And, of course, they made millions.
Some still do. Gisele Bundchen tops Forbes.com's 2007 list of the top earning models in the world, raking in $33 million, more than triple the $9 million banked by Kate Moss, who came in second. The 15 models on the list were ranked primarily according to estimated earnings over the last 12 months.
Where necessary, the "relevancy" of the model —determined by recent campaigns, editorials, fashion magazine covers and the opinion of those in the industry — was taken into account. Household names Heidi Klum ($8 million), Adriana Lima ($6 million) and Alessandra Ambrosio ($6 million) round out the top five slots.
Bundchen is a workhorse who leads the pack by far: While most models on the list have one major contract in addition to three or four seasonal campaigns, she juggles almost 20 campaigns. She also brings in at least $6 million a year by licensing her name to a Brazilian shoe company Grendene. But watch for Bundchen's fortunes to possibly decline next year: In December, her record-breaking $5 million-a-year deal with Victoria's Secret expires.
For most other models, things are different. Top models like those on Forbes.com's list still bank millions, but only once a multiyear contract is secured. The days of $10,000 runway fees are over. Top models don't even do runway. It's considered an internship process for the hundreds of anonymous 15- and 16-year-old foreign girls who swarm the runways of New York, Paris and Milan each season. They do 70 shows in six weeks and are paid about $250 an hour their first season.
