Top 10 Highest Paid Models in the World 2012

1  Gisele Bundchen

$45 million
Earnings from May 2011-May 2012
Gisele Bundchen one of the first Model. Even in her early thirties, Gisele Bundchen remains an unparalleled force within the fashion world. As the world's most powerful supermodel, she racks up modeling, endorsement deals, and independent licensing ventures, but still has time to be a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environmental Program. Bundchen's marriage to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady also writes headlines; after the 2012 Super Bowl, she landed in hot water over critical marks she made about the lackluster performance of Brady's receivers. The veritable endorsement queen, especially in her native Brazil, shills for brands such as Pantene, Esprit, and Versace, and makes a percentage of profits on Ipanema flip-flops and other products bearing her name.

2  Kate Moss

$9.2 million
Earnings from May 2011-May 2012
Agency: IMG Models

 

Kate Moss She is second Model. Onetime bad girl, supermodel Kate Moss doesn't let marriage slow her down. She married longtime boyfriend Jaime Hince in July 2011, but kept up her high-flying modeling ways. Moss remains one of fashion's biggest icons, with big endorsement deals with Longchamp, Mango, Rimmel, and Vogue Eyewear. She also has a lucrative design deal with TopShop going back to 2007.

3 Natalia Vodianova

$8.6 million
Earnings from May 2011-May 2012
Agency: DNA Models

Natalia Vodianova she 3rd Model. Fragrance campaigns with Guerlain and Calvin Klein Euphoria have boosted Natalia Vodianova's earnings into the highest echelons of modeling. She also designs lingerie collections for Etam and shoes for Centro. The 30-year-old Vodianova was born in Nizhny Novgorod in the Soviet Union. She is an ambassador of the Sochi 2014 Winter Games and founded the Naked Heart Foundation, which builds playgrounds in downtrodden urban areas in Russia.

4  Adriana Lima

$7.3 million
Earnings from May 2011-May 2012
Agency: Marilyn New York

Adriana Lima she is the 4th model. made a big splash in early 2012 when she appeared in two Super Bowl commercials, one for Kia and another, more seductive spot for Teleflora. Lima  is primarily known as a Victoria's Secret Angel, which she became in 2000. That deal still makes up most of her earnings, although she also models for, among others, Donna Karan and Mavi Jeans.

5  Doutzen Kroes

$6.9 million
Earnings from May 2011-May 2012
Agency: DNA Models

Doutzen Kroes she is the 5th model.  Doutzen Kroes 27-year-old Doutzen Kroes is a powerhouse in the modeling world based largely on her work as one of the Victoria's Secret Angels. She also works for L'Oreal and Tiffany & Co. Born in the Netherlands, Kroes now has a wax statue in Madame Tussauds Amersterdam. Her passion as a kid was speed skating.

6 Alessandra Ambrosio

$6.6 million
Earnings from May 2011-May 2012

Alessandra Ambrosio she is the 6th model. Alessandra Ambrosio Supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio has become a familiar star as a Victoria's Secret Angel since she emerged into the modeling world as part of the late 1990s Brazilian invasion. She was the first spokesmodel for the company's Pink line.  The 31-year-old gave birth to her second child in May 2012.

7 Miranda Kerr

$4 million
Earnings from May 2011-May 2012
Agency: IMG Models

Miranda Kerr she is the 7th model. Miranda Kerr Australian model Miranda Kerr won the Dolly Magazine modeling competition before she left high school in 1997, but returned to finish her studies. She burst onto the top levels of the modeling scene in 2008 with Victoria's Secret, where she's still one of the company's vaunted Angels. Many cite her prominent dimples as one reason for her success.

8  Lara Stone

$3.8 million
Earnings from May 2011-May 2012
Agency: IMG Models

Lara Stone She is the 8th Model. Lara Stone is the second Dutch supermodel among the top ten highest-paid. She was discovered in the Paris Metro at age 12 and competed in the Elite Model Look competition when she was just 15. Her gap-toothed smile and stunning curves have set her apart from other models.

9  Carolyn Murphy

$3.5 million
Earnings from May 2011-May 2012
Agency: IMG Models

Carolyn Murphy she is 9th model. Former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl Carolyn Murphy has been the face of Estee Lauder since 2001. She also has contracts with Ann Taylor Loft and Tom Ford, among others. Born in Panama City, Florida, Murphy was discovered at the age of 15.

10 Candice Swanepoel

$3.1 million
Earnings from May 2011-May 2012
Agency: IMG Models

Candice Swanepoel She is the 10th Model. South African model Candice Swanepoel, 23, is the youngest model on Forbes' top ten highest-earning list. She was first spotted in, of all places, a flea market. Swanepoel has since become one of the highest paid models in the world, mainly based on her work with Victoria's Secret. She's one of the most active of the company's young angels.