Gisele Bundchen

image credit : http://www.modelinia.com/slideshows/

Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen will strut her stuff on the catwalk for the last time Wednesday, putting a gold-plated seal on the runway career that launched her to stardom.

Bundchen, the world's top-earning model, will take her final sashay down the catwalk at Sao Paulo Fashion Week (SPFW), the same event where she made her debut 20 years ago.

The 34-year-old Brazilian bombshell announced last month she was retiring from runway modeling, saying she wanted to spend more time with her husband, New England Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady, and their two children, Benjamin and Vivian.

"My body tells me if what I do is worth it, and it asked to stop. I respect my body, it's a privilege to be able to stop," she told Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo.

She will continue modeling off the runway and promoting her lingerie line, Gisele Bundchen Intimates, launched in 2011 for the Brazilian label Hope.

Her final runway show, for Brazilian label Colcci, is a symbolic return to her roots.

Bundchen and SPFW were both just starting out two decades ago when she had her first show there, taking the runway for local label Zoomp at 14 years old.

Today, the twice-yearly event, which opened Monday, is the largest fashion show in Latin America.

It was the start of big things for Bundchen, who went on to model for major fashion houses such as Alexander Wang, Balenciaga, Carolina Herrera, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Versace and Victoria's Secret.

Height of career

According to Forbes magazine, she has been the highest-paid model in the world for the past eight years, with $47 million in earnings last year.

Only recently, she signed her largest ever contract -- worth more than $25 million, according to Forbes -- with US sports apparel firm Under Armour.

"It's marvelous she's leaving the runway at a moment when she's at the height of her powers. It's an intelligent decision," said Dilson Stein, the talent scout who discovered Bundchen in 1994 during a modeling workshop in the small city of Horizontina, in her native state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Bundchen began her career when the so-called "heroin chic" of pale, angular models like Kate Moss was the prevailing aesthetic in high fashion.

By 1999, she became the face of what Vogue magazine, splashing her across its cover, called "the return of the sexy model."

Stein remembers being wowed by the willowy girl of German descent, with her long blonde hair, sun-kissed skin and athletic build.

"I saw something in her. I knew she would be the great model of the future," he told AFP.

Bundchen is now expected to turn her focus to print ad campaigns.

Article Credit : http://www.hindustantimes.com/fashion/

Victoria Secret

Lingerie : Very Sexy Range by  Victoria Secret 

Image Credit : https://www.victoriassecret.com

Victoria’s Secret

The 5 Richest Victoria’s Secret Models

Victoria’s Secret supermodels are not only some of the most admired women on earth; they’re also among some of the richest models in the world. On Forbes’ 2012 highest-earning model list six there were a total of six VS models, and the highest earning model Gisele Bundchen, was a former VS supermodel. This elite group of girls are selected by VS not only for their considerable physical beauty but for their personalities: The models form an integral part of the Victoria’s Secret advertising campaign so they must present a compelling face to the consumer. As such, VS models tend to be women that other women respect and admire.

Becoming a VS model has the power to change a model’s entire career. VS is known for producing the most successful supermodels all over the world. After a girl joins the Victoria’s Secret fold, their earning potential is set to increase and their star is set to soar in the modelling industry and beyond. The models benefit from Victoria’s Secret’s successful model to promote themselves, embodying the glamour of the VS angel and carrying this into their wider career. Thus, VS brings the model visibility from around the world. It’s no secret that VS is a booming, hot brand, that their well-loved lingerie and sleepwear is adorned my women everywhere, and that their fashion shows draw in millions of viewers every year. But who are the most successful VS darlings out there? Let’s have a look at the five top-earning VS models and their successes over the last year.

5. Liu Wen – $4.3 million

Although she has worked as an Angel, and most definitely made her mark as one, China-born Wen garnered a large amount of success prior to ever donning the angel wings. Wen has a plethora of other endorsement deals world wide, from H&M to Calvin Klein to Estee Lauder to Hugo Boss.

This model is no stranger to the unconventional. Not only was she the first East Asian face to grace VS’s coveted runway in their infamous fashion show, but she was also the first model to walk down it covered in tattoos — fake tattoos that is, which took six hours to prep. But they looked amazing! There’s no doubt, of all the models, no one could have pulled it off better than her. She’s the embodiment of edge and sass and to date she has walked in four of VS’s fashion shows. VS has always followed public opinion when choosing their models, and it seems obvious the public is falling in love with Wen.

This young model is definitely going to be one to watch out for, as she struts, stomps and sashays her way through the fashion world.

4. Candice Swanepoel – $5 million

Candice Swanepoel is the youngest model on this list. And in 2012, when she was 23, she found herself the youngest on Forbes’ top ten highest-earning list as well. Swanepoel’s talent was first recognized at the innocent age of 15 at a flea market — of all places — where she was instantly scooped up and put in her rightful place in the modelling world. Since being discovered she has amassed an impressive fanbase, and continues to jump onto “highest paid” lists, mainly thanks to her work with VS. Today, she is one of the company’s most active young Angels.

3. Doutzen Kroes- $10 million

Doutzen Kroes is a Dutch model. She is 5 ft 9 inches and has been with VS since 2004, although she didn’t become an Angel until 2008. Even though Kroes’ career as a model is, obviously, going extremely well, she has been very vocal about her desire to pursue an acting career and take lessons in New York City. Currently, she works for L’Oreal and Tiffany & Co. as well as VS. Kroes is a powerhouse in the modeling world, and there’s no doubt that should she one day appear on the “big screen” she will have a commanding presence there as well.

2. Miranda Kerr – $18 million

Last year Kerr would have been a bit lower on this list but her wealth is increasing enormously as she’s raking in millions yearly – up on $7 million last year. For Miranda Kerr becoming a VS model could have been the biggest boost any model has ever had. Unlike other models, like Kate Moss and Gisele Bundchen, who stepped into the supermodel stratosphere and then were picked up by VS, Kerr was a catalogue model who was plucked by VS in 2008, bringing her from obscurity to worldwide fame. Of course, her career would have most likely been catapulted in one way or another given her stunning looks; but VS is the company that had the foresight about her. There weren’t many people who had heard of Kerr prior to her becoming a VS model but now her prominent, signature dimples are recognized by millions. Although Kerr was a VS model at the start of 2013, she ‘stepped down’ during the year amid reports that she was fired for being difficult. It was later confirmed that she did, in fact, voluntarily choose not renew her contract.

1. Adriana Lima – $35 million

Last year Adriana Lima was not only the richest VS Angel, but she was considered to be the most popular. One of her most memorable moments in Lima’s career was when all 5 ft 10 inches of this Brazilian model marched down the runway wearing a $2 million bra at the 2012 VS Fashion Show. A fitting choice, and perhaps VS’s way of tipping their hat to her and acknowledging her long stint as a VS model. She has been with VS since 2000, and shows no signs of slowing down or stopping anytime soon – although she has begun to venture into acting and is now the spokesmodel for Maybelline. Lima also made a big splash with her Super Bowl commercials in 2012. While the VS deal still makes up most of her earnings, her work ethic and drive to branch out makes her one powerful, rich model indeed.

Image and Article credit: http://www.therichest.com/

Victoria's Secret

Victoria's Secret is the largest American retailer of lingerie, founded by Roy Raymond on June 12, 1977.

2012 sales were $6.12 billion with an operating income of $1 billion. The company sells lingerie, woman's wear and beauty products through its 1,000 U.S. stores, catalogs (annually mailing out 375 million) and website. Victoria's Secret is wholly owned and the largest holding of publicly traded Limited Brands company.

Victoria's Secret is known for its catalogs and annual fashion show: the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

Victoria's Secret is credited with single-handedly transforming "America's conception of lingerie" by pioneering "sexy underwear as fashion" and "lingerie mainstream entertainment." The societal manifestation is "the increased cultural acceptance of shopping for undies" in the United States.

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012 FULL SHOW!!!

Article Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria's_Secret
video Credit: youtube.com

Victoria's Secret

Victoria's Secret is an American retailer of women's wear, lingerie and beauty products. It is the largest segment of publicly-traded Limited Brands with sales of over US$5 billion and an operating income of $1 billion in 2006. Victoria's Secret is known for its annual fashion show, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and for its catalogs, both of which feature top fashion models.

History

Victoria's Secret was started in San Francisco, California, in 1977 by Tufts University and Stanford Graduate School of Business alumnus Roy Raymond, who felt embarrassed trying to purchase lingerie for his wife in a department store environment. He opened the first store at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, and quickly followed it with a mail-order catalog and three other stores. The stores were meant to create a comfortable environment for men, with wood-paneled walls, Victorian details and helpful sales staff. Instead of racks of bras and panties in every size, there were single styles, paired together and mounted on the wall in frames. Men could browse for styles for women and sales staff would help estimate the appropriate size, pulling from inventory in the back rooms.

In 1982, after five years of operation, Roy Raymond sold the Victoria's Secret company, with its six stores and 42-page catalogue, grossing $6 million per year, to Leslie Wexner, creator of The Limited, for $4 million. The Limited kept the personalized image of Victoria's Secret intact. Victoria's Secret was rapidly expanded into the U.S. malls throughout the 1980s. The company was able to vend a widened range of products, such as shoes, evening wear, and perfumes, with its mail catalog issued eight times annually. By the early 1990s, Victoria's Secret had become the largest American lingerie retailer, topping one billion dollars.

Victoria's Secret at Briarwood Mall in

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Beginning in 1995, Victoria's Secret began holding the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which is broadcasted primetime on American television. The show is a lavish event with elaborate costumed lingerie, varying music, and set design according to the different themes running within the show. The show attracts hundreds of celebrities and entertainers, with special performers and/or acts every year.

On July 10, 2007, Limited Brands sold 75% of The Limited clothing chain to firm Sun Capital Partners to focus and boost sales growth on Victoria's Secret lingerie stores and Bath & Body Works units, which provided 72% of revenue in 2006 and almost all the firm's profit. There are 1,000 Victoria's Secret lingerie stores and 100 independent Victoria's Secret Beauty Stores in the US, mostly in shopping centers. It sells brassieres, panties, hosiery, cosmetics, sleepwear, and other products. Victoria's Secret mails more than 400 million of its catalogs per year. Under pressure from environmentalist groups, Victoria's Secret's parent firm and a conservation group have reached an agreement to make the lingerie retailer's catalog more environmentally friendly in 2006. The catalog will no longer be made of pulp supplied from any woodland caribou habitat range in Canada, unless it has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The catalogs will also be made of 10 percent recycled paper from post-consumer waste.

The company gained notoriety in the early 1990s after it began to use supermodels in its advertising and fashion shows. Throughout the past decade, it has turned down celebrity models and endorsements.

International expansion

Victoria's Secret opened their first stores outside the United States in three Canadian cities: Edmonton in August 2010, Toronto in September 2010 and Calgary in May 2011. Edmonton and Calgary have the only three locations in Western Canada, which includes the West Edmonton Mall, Kingsway Mall, and Chinook Centre, while seven locations were opened in Toronto, including Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto Eaton Centre, and the Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga which holds the largest store in Canada. Victoria Secret also opened outside North America with its first stores in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. In 2012 Victoria's Secret will open their first location in the United Kingdom with a 16,500-square-foot (1,530 m2) flagship store on Bond Street, London.

Article Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org

Victoria's Secret

Stunning Victoria's Secret supermodel Doutzen Kroes reveals her perfect bikini curves just two months after giving birth

She's one Holland's most famous exports - and Victoria's Secret supermodel Doutzen Kroes revealed why as she sunned herself on the beach in Miami today.

The 26-year-old showed her perfect curves in a multi-coloured leopard print bikini top and denim hotpants as she sashayed along the sand with her sandals in her hand.

Incredibly, the beauty only gave birth to her first child in January - and showed not even one extra ounce of baby weight.

Scroll down to see behind the scenes of a shoot Doutzen did for Marie Claire...

Incredible figure: Truly yummy mummy Doutzen Kroes was showing her perfect figure on Miami Beach - just over two months since giving birth

Doutzen is currently enjoying some truly special family time with her husband and new baby at Miami Beach's exclusive W Hotel.

Yesterday, she was seen topping up her tan in the tangerine Missoni two-piece, the star once again flaunted her bikini body that has snapped back into shape following the birth of her son.

The beauty, who has also been the face of Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger and Versace among others, and her Dutch DJ husband Sunnery James called their son Phyllon Joy Gorré.

Doutzen - who is so famous in her home country she has a waxwork figure in the Amsterdam branch of Madamme Tussaud's - married James in November last year at Eastermar in The Netherlands, where she was born.

Meanwhile her husband Sunnery James took the reins of parental duties, doting on the couple's newborn son.

After the family's relaxing day, the trio later ventured out for a stroll taking in the sights of the Florida city.

In a simple brown dress and beaded sandals, the supermodel looked effortless.

Earlier in the week she returned to the front of the camera, shooting a campaign on Miami Beach.

She showed off her jaw-dropping post pregnancy body as she modelled an array of tiny shorts and matching sweaters, whilst filming an advertisement for Repeat, the Swiss cashmere label, her first job since giving birth.

Image and Article Credit: www.dailymail.co.uk

Victoria's Secret

Victoria's Secret Christmas TV Commercial 2010