Ever wonder how the world's most iconic supermodels got their big break? While a surprising amount
of modeling's biggest names can trace their start back to small agencies, for some of
the most well-known faces in the industry, it was all thanks to a stroke of luck.
"My career has never been a strategic planned career."
In addition to being one of the most beautiful women in the world, Naomi Campbell is also
one of the modeling industry's biggest names. Ever. Even from a young age, it seemed she
was marked for big time success. Campbell wrote in an article for The Guardian about
the beginnings of her career and noted that her first brush with fame came when she was
just 7, when she appeared in Bob Marley's "Is This Love" music video. But despite dipping
her toe into the entertainment industry at an early age, this wasn't the moment in which
Campbell got her lucky start. In fact, modeling wasn't something that was even on her radar.
In her early teens, she was actually a self-proclaimed goth who wore:
"Long black dresses and jackets, and…Dr. Martens to school."
But on the day she was discovered, Campbell just so happened to be wearing her school
uniform and hanging with friends outside. It was in that magical moment, that she was
approached by the head of a talent agency.
"I was quite surprised that she came to me because I was with all my girlfriends who
are really, like, beautiful, blonde hair, blue eyes and tall."
Naomi was totally down for the opportunity. But her mom, on the other hand, was firmly
against it. So, a young Naomi went to meet with the agent by herself, changing the course
of her life forever.
"I still love what I do, and the minute that I don't feel that way, you'll no longer see
me."
Gisele Bündchen has been gracing runways and magazine covers since the late '90s. And
though she's now one half of a celebrity power couple, her success is the result of years
of hard work that began after she happened upon her big break when she was in her early
teens.
"I came from a small village in the south of Brazil and I never even saw a fashion magazine"
According to an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Bündchen admitted she thought of
herself as awkward and quote "strange looking," back when she was growing up. The gorgeous
supermodel was actually teased for the features she's known for today: her legs for days and
towering height. Because of this, Bündchen told the outlet that she hunched over, as
a kid. To combat this, her mother signed her up for a modeling course and, when it was
over, Bündchen and the other girls in the class traveled to São Paulo, to celebrate.
According to Vogue, it was during this particular trip that Bündchen was discovered by an agent,
while sitting at a McDonald's, amidst a sea of 55 other girls in uniforms.
"I felt like I was at the right place, at the right time, with the right attitude, I
would say"
Having previously wanted to be a pro volleyball player, Bündchen immediately began traveling
the world as she launched her modeling career and rose to become one of the biggest names
in the industry.
Though you wouldn't guess it based on her photos or signature walk, Claudia Schiffer
is intensely shy. In fact, the supermodel told Vanity Fair her friends didn't even think
she would make it as a model. She shared,
"They laughed and said, 'That's funny, you're never going to survive' because I was so shy.
But I realized when I had makeup on there was a transformation and I didn't feel like
shy Claudia from a small town, and I could do outrageous things."
"All I wanted, cuz I was quite shy, was to be invisible rather than sticking out"
So, how did this shy German girl go on to become one of the biggest names in modeling?
According to the Independent, Schiffer met her destiny when she was spotted at a nightclub
in Düsseldorf at just 17 years old.
"This French agent from Paris came up to me and said you should be a model, and I just
thought he must be joking, he can't be serious, there's no way I can be a model"
Originally, Schiffer planned on becoming a lawyer like her father. But life clearly took
her in a very different direction. Schiffer has famously worked for brands like Guess
and Dolce & Gabbana and enjoyed an iconic career. Her shyness, though, has stayed with
her throughout the years. She rarely gives interviews, was never often seen partying,
and has remained almost entirely scandal-free throughout her decades-long career. But maybe
that's the secret to her success!
Pamela Anderson was once just a regular girl from Canada who enjoyed watching sports. But
while she was discovered much later than most other supermodels, no one can argue that she's
not among the biggest names out there.
"I like to walk in the rain. I mean I love walking in the rain, I think it's so romantic,
but it never rains here"
According to ABC News, Anderson was 22 years old when she was featured on the Jumbotron
at a football game in Canada. At the time, she was wearing a Labatt beer crop top and
the image became so popular that Labatt ended up hiring her to model for the company. Soon
after that, she landed Playboy. It was quite a quick rise to the top for a young woman
who was working as a fitness instructor just before she hit it big.
"Ooh yeah"
Her career as a model though was relatively short-lived, compared to others who've hustled
in the industry for decades. Instead, Anderson transitioned into acting, landing roles in
Home Improvement and of course, as the bombshell lifeguard, C.J. Parker, on Baywatch.
Victoria's Secret models have dominated the modern modeling world, with the likes of Alessandra
Ambrosio, Miranda Kerr, Adriana Lima getting their start from the lingerie giant. In 2010,
the brand made supermodel Candice Swanepoel a household name when they gave her those
iconic angel wings. However, that was far from Swanepoel's big break.
"I was very lucky. I started working very quickly."
In an interview with Today, Swanepoel revealed that she was in fact scouted by an agent at
a flea market in South Africa — an unlikely spot for the stars to align. Shortly after,
she moved to Paris where she immediately hit the runway. But one thing that's not as well
known about her is that she almost gave up modeling, just two years after moving to France.
It goes without saying, though, that she decided to stick it out, and after years of hard work,
she's now one of the most recognizable models in the industry, boasting over 14 million
followers on Instagram.
Stella Maxwell burst onto the modeling scene when she became an official Victoria's Secret
Angel in 2015. While Victoria's Secret is arguably the job that put her on the map,
she's also worked with big brands like Alexander McQueen and Chanel. But it was a serendipitous
meeting with an agent years before, that set her on the path to stardom.
While still attending school in New Zealand, Maxwell was approached by a stranger on the
street while she was shopping. She told Vogue,
"This woman came up to me and was like 'Would you like to come in? I own an agency. We can
just talk about things.' That's kind of how it all happened. After my first shoot, I actually
just really enjoyed it and I really got into it, that I think it kind of spurred me to
think about it more as a career."
"My parents are angels. They've always been encouraging. Anything I do, total support,
one hundred percent"
The self-professed tomboy then went on to model some of the world's hottest lingerie.
The 1980s-era supermodels arguably made the industry what it is today. Alongside Naomi
Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, and Linda Evangelista, there was Christy Turlington, who, according
to The Telegraph, officially retired from the runway in '95 and forged a path to become
a published author and entrepreneur.
"It's definitely an education"
But her career started back when she was just 14, and a local photographer saw her while
she was horseback riding in Florida, according to Harper's Bazaar. What followed was a whirlwind
career where she became one of the most instantly recognizable faces in the industry.
"I dunno, it's a funny thing too. I mean, fashion is quite a ridiculous thing in the
realm of the whole picture"
But she wanted something more, and quit modeling to enroll at New York University. Since then,
she's turned to family, philanthropy, and business, earning a master's degree from Columbia
in 2009, according to Vogue. But in 2019, Turlington wowed fans when she came out of
retirement to close out the Marc Jacobs show at New York Fashion Week. It was her first
time working with the brand since 1993. And what a stunning comeback.
"I never really wanted to be a model. That was never a dream of mine"
Originally, modeling really wasn't even on Christie Brinkley's radar at all. She was
actually studying the arts in Paris in the '70s when, by chance, she ran into a photographer
at a post office who asked her to be in his shoot. According to Brinkley, she thought
at the time,
"Let me just see what it's like and do one little thing."
It turned out, that guy with the camera was famed American photographer Errol Sawyer,
who then introduced Brinkely to Elite Model Management agency's John Casablancas. And
that "one little thing" turned into a wildly successful modeling career that included Sports
Illustrated, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan covers, a contract with CoverGirl, and so much more.
"I always think of myself as chubby, and when I'm doing a picture, I manage to pretend"
Today, Brinkley's got her own skincare line and winery — and while she may have her
focus on those other endeavors, a quick glance at her Instagram proves the supermodel could
still slay a runway any day of the week.
Coco Rocha's unique, Old Hollywood look sets her apart in today's modeling scene. But while
she might have the looks, she definitely wasn't aspiring to work in the industry.
In a piece for BuzzFeed, Rocha wrote that her life changed when she was first approached
by a modeling scout at an Irish dance competition in Canada, at age 14. Except she wasn't exactly
flattered by him asking if she'd ever modeled. She thought it was a joke and told the guy
to go talk to her mom, who made her feelings very clear, telling him,
"No, no way are you having my daughter model."
"He kept hounding me at different competitions and then over a while my mom found out that
he was legit, that was the biggest thing"
Eventually, Rocha and her mom agreed to give it a try. After taking some photos, and attending
a modeling convention, Rocha was called back by every single agent in attendance. Since
then, the supermodel's career has taken her all over the world.
Chrissy Teigen is all over the internet these days. But once upon a time, the supermodel
was just a girl in Huntington Beach, California, working at a surf shop, according to The Daily
Beast. It was while she was on her shift that Teigen got her first bite.
"This guy, he thinks I'm beautiful, he wants to take pictures, and my dad's like no. That's
so creepy."
Her dad eventually came around on the idea — he even ended up holding the light reflector
at her photoshoot. But while Chrissy went on to stellar career success, it turns out
being a full-time model isn't always a glamorous gig. She once shared a bit of insight into
her early career with Net-A-Porter, saying,
"I never thought of myself as a real model. I made consistent money working for catalogs
and websites, where they didn't care if your eyes were open or closed, because you didn't
even see my face. I was modeling the back of a shirt with words on it. Honestly, it
was the least glamorous way to model."
Tiegen hit her next lucky break when she landed the role of the love interest in her future
husband John Legend's music video for "Stereo." While she's one of the most well-known voices
on social media, these days, she's also a devoted mother and wife, cookbook author,
and TV host.
There is perhaps one supermodel to rule them all. A name so iconic, a look so legendary,
a face so recognizable that she is still synonymous with the modeling industry decades after she
rose to stardom. Enter Twiggy.
Her thin frame, blonde pixie haircut, and big blue eyes essentially redefined beauty
standards of the era. Years later, however, she told The Guardian she had never thought
of herself as beautiful. Needless to say, others thought differently.
It all started in 1966, when Twiggy volunteered to get a pixie cut and model it for a notable
hairstylist. A couple of days later, after taking a few photos and going on her way,
a fashion editor at the Daily Express saw her pictures in the salon and asked to meet
her. Just a few short months later, she was famous.
"The headline was 'Twiggy, The Face of '66'"
What started as just a fun favor for a local hairstylist quite literally changed her entire
life, as well as the industry.
According to industry experts like makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury, Kate Moss is a quote
"modern-day beauty icon." Despite spending several decades in the business, the supermodel
has somehow stayed at the forefront of the modeling world. Her ability to change her
look to match the trend of the time is nearly unrivaled, and it's the reason she's had such
staying power.
"When I do editorial I don't feel small, but when I do runway, I do"
But all that success tracks back to when she was 14, and was discovered by model-turned-music
manager-turned-agency head Sarah Doukas, who became known for finding talent with so-called
different looks. In 1988, Doukas and her partner were on their way back to England when they
spotted Moss and her father at JFK airport. They all even ended up on the same flight.
Doukas shared,
"As soon as the seat belt sign switched off, we rushed over."
"She came up and said oh have you ever thought about modeling? And I was like no, and I went
to see her in London and they signed me up"
By that point, Doukas had made a name for herself, so Moss' dad knew this was a legitimate
offer. After that serendipitous flight, Moss soon became one of the biggest names in the
game.
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