Gisele Bündchen

Gisele Bündchen
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Name	Gisele Bündchen
Caption	Bündchen in 2018
Birth date	20 July 1980
Birth place	Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Occupation	Model, businesswoman, environmental activist
Spouse	Tom Brady, 2009, 2022
Years active	1997–present
Agency	IMG Models

Gisele Bündchen is a Brazilian supermodel, businesswoman, and environmental activist. Recognized as one of the most successful models in history, she became a global icon in the late 1990s and 2000s, helping to end the "heroin chic" era in fashion. Her career spans high-profile runway shows, magazine covers, and lucrative contracts with major brands, while her personal life, including her marriage to Tom Brady, has drawn significant media attention. Beyond modeling, she is known for her philanthropic work focused on environmental causes and her entrepreneurial ventures in skincare and publishing.

Early life and career beginnings

Born in Horizontina, a small town in Rio Grande do Sul, she is the daughter of Vânia Nonnenmacher and Valdir Bündchen. At age 14, while on a school trip to São Paulo, she was discovered by modeling scout Dilson Stein of Elite Model Management. She subsequently moved to New York City to pursue modeling, initially facing rejection due to her athletic build and prominent nose, which were considered atypical for the prevailing heroin chic aesthetic. Her breakthrough came in 1998 when she walked 42 shows during the Spring/Summer 1999 fashion weeks, including for designers like Alexander McQueen and Dolce & Gabbana.

Modeling career

Her modeling career rapidly ascended, making her one of the first in a wave of Brazilian models to achieve international fame. She became a Victoria's Secret Angel from 2000 to 2007, a role that cemented her status as a mainstream icon. She has held lucrative, long-term contracts with brands such as Pantene, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Carolina Herrera. Notably, she appeared on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2000 and was named the magazine's "Rookie of the Year." She has also graced over 1,200 magazine covers, including international editions of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Elle. In 2004, she signed an unprecedented contract with Maybelline that lasted over a decade. Her runway career includes closing the final show of designer Gianni Versace in Milan and opening the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Personal life

She began a highly publicized relationship with actor Leonardo DiCaprio in 2000, which lasted five years. In 2006, she started dating Tom Brady, the quarterback for the New England Patriots. The couple married in 2009 in an intimate ceremony in Santa Monica, California. They have two children together, Benjamin and Vivian. The family resided in Tampa during Brady's tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In October 2022, the couple announced their divorce after 13 years of marriage. She has been open about her struggles with panic disorder and her commitment to practices like yoga and meditation for mental health.

Philanthropy and activism

A dedicated environmentalist, she serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme. She has funded and supported numerous projects through the Luz Foundation, which she founded in 2010, focusing on reforestation, clean water access, and wildlife conservation in the Amazon rainforest. She is a board member of the Rainforest Alliance and has been a vocal advocate for sustainable living. In 2011, she donated $1.5 million to plant 40,000 trees in her home state of Rio Grande do Sul. She also participated in the documentary series Years of Living Dangerously, discussing climate change.

Business ventures

Leveraging her fame, she has launched several successful business enterprises. In 2011, she introduced her own line of sandals, Ipanema Gisele Bündchen, which became a global bestseller. She co-founded Sejaa Pure Skincare, a skincare brand emphasizing natural ingredients. She authored two books: a memoir titled Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life and a children's book, Naman and the Tigers of the Land of Water. She has also invested in and served as a creative director for various wellness and lifestyle brands.

Legacy and influence

Widely credited with popularizing the "horse walk" and ushering in a healthier, more athletic ideal in fashion, she is often cited as the model who ended the heroin chic era. In 2007, she became the highest-paid model in the world, a title she held for over a decade according to Forbes. The term "Gisele Index" was coined by economists to describe the correlation between her contract signings and a country's economic health. She has been honored with numerous awards, including the Fashion Icon award from the British Fashion Council and recognition from Harvard University for her environmental work. Her influence extends beyond fashion, establishing a blueprint for models as powerful businesswomen and advocates.

Category:Brazilian models Category:Environmental activists Category:People from Rio Grande do Sul