International top models: List of the Big 15 + 1

You won’t find the hottest top models on the planet in any list, but at the world’s fashion weeks! Nevertheless, we have tried to compile a list of the most sought-after models. Whether New York, Paris, Tokyo or Cape Town, these models collect countless frequent flyer miles.

Kate Moss – Supermodel with 170 cm

Kate Moss is a British model who, despite her height of just 1.70, is one of the supermodels of our time. The then 14-year-old first came into contact with the modeling business in 1988. Becoming a model with freckles? Kate Moss led the way. She was approached by the founder of the modeling agency Storm Models at JFK airport in New York.

Her first big coup: an advertising contract with Calvin Klein. In the 1990s, Moss became a major rival to other top models such as Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer. In the course of her career, she not only achieved fame, but also made negative headlines due to her wild party nights and her very thin body, which ushered in the size zero era.

Despite a few scandals, Moss did not lose popularity and a publication of Kate Moss in the Pirelli calendar made her more sought-after than ever before. Yves Saint Laurent booked the exceptional model as the advertising face for their Parisienne perfume and she posed together with Gisele Bündchen for a Versace campaign.

According to Forbes magazine, Moss was one of the highest paid models in the world in 2008. She is known for her grunge style and her rather “rocky” undone look, which she first really made popular. Kate Moss – an exception in the modeling industry, a style role model, a supermodel, a myth. More about London? Read more about models in London or London Fashion Week here.

Claudia Schiffer

Claudia Schiffer is a German top model who was discovered by the Metropolitan modeling agency in a nightclub in 1987. She traveled to Paris for test shoots and was photographed for Elle magazine. Schiffer got her start with a campaign for Guess Jeans and walked the catwalk for Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel before her final exams. Schiffer became the fashion designer’s muse.

She first graced the cover of UK Vogue in 1989 and the German edition of Vogue in 1990. For a long time, she was considered the most famous model in Germany. During her career, Schiffer graced over 500 magazine covers of well-known magazines such as Elle, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair and Harpers Bazaar.

She advertised for major brands and labels such as Pepsi, L’Oreal, Citroen, H&M, Victorias Secret, Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana. Claudia has walked the catwalk for numerous major designer labels in the world’s top fashion cities and earned very high fees. Claudia Schiffer is one of the most famous models of the 90s and remains a phenomenon, a supermodel of our time!

Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum is a German model, formerly from Bergisch Gladbach, who lives with her family in the USA. In addition to her modeling career, she is best known for the TV shows Germany’s Next Top Model and Project Runway.

Heidi started her modeling career in the casting show “Model 92”, which was part of the latenight show “Gottschalk Latenight”. In 1989, the quick-witted Rhinelander made her breakthrough in the modeling business with a cover shoot for Sports Illustrated magazine.

This was followed by numerous cover illustrations in major magazines such as Elle and Vogue. Klum also became a Victoria’s Secret Angel and later even the head angel of the popular lingerie label.

Klum started out as an advertising face, including for L’Oreal, and began an admirable TV career with various casting show formats. Most recently, Klum founded her own underwear label. Heidi Klum, top model, businesswoman, mom and definitely a power woman!

Elle MacPherson

Elle Macpherson is an Australian top model who was discovered in Colorado. She dropped out of law school at the age of 19 to pursue a career as a model. Elle’s breakthrough came in 1982 when she was photographed for the first time for the eponymous magazine “Elle”. In the years that followed, she regularly appeared on the cover.

Elle continued to take off when she was repeatedly photographed for Sports Illustrated magazine, together with fellow top models Kathy Ireland and Rachel Hunter, among others. The New York Times publicly dubbed her “The Body”, which became her recognized nickname.

In 1995, after a shoot for Playboy, she was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People magazine. Since 1994, Macpherson has successfully tried her hand at acting, appearing in several films and series, including Seduction of the Sirens, Batman & Robin and Friends.

Linda Evangelista

Linda Evangelista is a top model with Italian roots. She was discovered by a model agent at a modeling competition in 1978. Evangelista signed with Elite Models and moved to New York. She took off as a model and eventually moved to Paris.

Evangelista has walked on all the world’s major catwalks for numerous major designers. Her nickname is “Chameleon” because she is known for her changeability. The Italian model was featured in a music video for George Michael’s “Freedom”, which brought her further fame. In 2008, Evangelista became the advertising face of L’Oréal and a major Prada campaign.

Stephanie Seymour

Stephanie Seymour is an American model who signed a modeling contract with Elite Models after winning a modeling competition at the tender age of 14. During her career, Seymour has been photographed by numerous international photographers and has worked for various well-known designer labels such as Chanel, Versace and L’Oreal.

She was photographed as a cover model for all the popular magazines and Playboy published several pictures of her in the early 1990s. Seymour also appeared in front of the camera as an actress in various productions.

Vanessa Paradis

Vanessa Paradis, the ex-wife of Hollywood star Johnny Depp, is a French actress, singer and model. In the 1990s, she became the advertising face for the women’s fragrance “Coco Chanel” by Chanel. She celebrated her international breakthrough and modeled for various campaigns of the designer label Chanel and advertised various bag models of the label.

Amber Valetta

Amber Valetta is an American model and actress. The then 15-year-old Amber attended a modeling school and celebrated her first big success shortly afterwards. She became the face of the Calvin Klein perfume “Eternity”. Subsequently, the American with Italian roots modeled for numerous major designer labels and was photographed for all renowned magazines, such as Vogue. Since 2000, Valetta has concentrated exclusively on her acting career.

Nadja Auermann

Nadja Auermann was discovered in 1990 during a shoot for a travel magazine in Berlin. In 1991, pictures of her appeared in Vogue and in 1993 she appeared on the cover of American Vogue. She has graced the covers of all the major fashion magazines and worked for numerous major designers and with major photographers. Since 2003, the model has also dedicated herself to acting. In 1997 and 1999, Auermann was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the model with the longest legs.

Eva Herzigova

Eva Herzigova is a Czech top model who is one of the most famous supermodels of the 90s. The beautiful blonde first came into contact with the business through a modeling competition and won the title of Miss Wonderbra. She became a Victoria’s Secret Angel and went on to become an international model. She worked for numerous designer labels and was photographed for various well-known magazines. In 2013, Herzigova became the advertising face of the Dior and Brian Atwood beauty line.

Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell is a British top model with Jamaican roots. In 1985, Campbell was discovered by the British edition of “Elle” in London. She then signed a modeling contract with Synchro Models. The following year, she was photographed for British Elle and appeared in the Pirelli calendar.

Naomi Campbell’s breakthrough came in 1988 when she became the first dark-skinned model to appear on the cover of French Vogue and the American Times. Since then, the exotic beauty has been one of the most sought-after models in the world.

During her modeling career, Campbell worked with the most sought-after photographers and numerous designer labels and also walked the catwalk for them. In addition to her modeling career, Campbell tried her hand at acting and appeared in several music videos and TV productions.

Christy Turlington

Christy Turlington is an American model with roots in El Salvador. She was discovered by a photographer in Miami at the age of 13. The following year, she signed a contract with Ford Models. In 1987, she became the cover model of Italian Vogue. In 1989, she became the advertising face for the Calvin Klein perfume Eternity. She also signed a contract with the cosmetics company Maybelline.

In 1993, she was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by people magazine. She has been photographed for numerous popular magazines such as Vogue, Elle and Allure and has appeared on the cover of over 1000 magazines. In 2000, she was signed by Puma to model for the Nuala yoga collection.

Cindy Crawford

Cindy Crawford is an American top model, actress and presenter. Her trademark is a mole on the left above her upper lip, which made her a “brand”. The beautiful model icon celebrated her breakthrough as a model in 1983 at a model competition organized by the Elite Model Agency. Crawford made it into the top 12 and thus made a successful start in the modeling business. Crawford was then signed by the Elite Model Agency in Chicago. Later she was also signed by Elite Models in New York.

In the 80s and 90s, Cindy appeared in numerous fashion magazines, Vogue again, catwalks and campaigns for major designer labels. From 1988, the model hosted a fashion program on MTV, “House of Style”. In 1995, she was listed in Forbes magazine as the best-paid model in the world. In addition to various film roles, Crawford opened her own shoe collection at Deichmann, “5th Avenue”, in 2009.

Helena Christensen

Helena Christensen is a Danish model. The daughter of a Peruvian mother, she began her modeling career in 1986 with a photo shoot for the fashion magazine Elle. She was elected Miss Denmark and was photographed for Vogue shortly afterwards. Christensen went from strength to strength and became one of the most famous top models of the 80s and 90s.

Fashion designers Gianni Versace and Karl Lagerfeld often raved about her beautiful body. Christensen achieved her absolute breakthrough with her pictures in the Victorias Secret catalog in 1990, for which she was regularly photographed until 1999.

In addition to her modeling career, Christensen also tried her hand in the film business and starred in various films and series. She also appeared in a music video Wicked by Chris Isaak, which became known as the most erotic video of all time. After her modeling career, she founded the fashion magazine Nylon and her own fashion line and opened a fashion and antiques store in New York.

Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks is an American model. Her modeling career began in 1997 when she won the Michael Award for Top Model of the Year. Banks is one of THE supermodels from the USA. In 1994 and 1996, Tyra was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People Magazine. In 1991, she signed a contract with the Elite modeling agency and moved to Paris, where she immediately hit the ground running.

Banks has walked for numerous designers and worked with labels such as Dior, Tommy Hilfiger and Dolce & Gabbana. Banks achieved her international breakthrough with the lingerie label Victorias Secret. She became one of the most successful Victorias Secret Angels. The African-American model has graced magazine covers such as the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and GQ.

Carla Bruni

Carla Bruni is an Italian model who became a French citizen in 2008. In the 1990s, Bruni was one of the best-paid models in the world. Bruni entered the modeling business at the age of 19, dropped out of university and dedicated herself entirely to the modeling industry.

She has worked for L’Oreal and Dior, among others. She has walked the catwalk for numerous designer labels such as Valentino, John Galliano and Yves Saint Laurent. In addition to modeling, Bruni also devoted herself to acting and appeared in several films, including Paparazzi.