From Silver Spoons to Real Deals
Some people get everything in life handed to them, and it's hard to find any of their accomplishments impressive when mom and dad are funding the risks. However, that makes the self-made stories all the more inspiring. Here are 10 models who rose above the odds, and 10 that took the easy way out.
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1. Cindy Crawford
Cindy Crawford was discovered at an early age when a photographer took a picture of her lounging by the pool that was featured in a small-town Illinois newspaper. She decided to pursue her interest further and traveled to sign with Elite Model Management after taking part in a contest. She has since been on the cover of 500 magazines, including Vogue and Elle.
2. Linda Evangelista
Linda entered the Miss Teen Niagara beauty contest in 1978 after enrolling in modeling school at the age of 12. Although she didn’t win, she garnered a lot of attention and soon after signed with Elite Model Management.
3. Winnie Harlow
America’s Next Top Model is a reality show hosted by Tyra Banks, and Winnie Harlow became one of the 14 finalists in 2014. One of the few Canadians to be cast on the show, she took the world by storm with her unique and diverse look.
4. Karlie Kloss
After participating in a local benefit runway show in 2005, Karlie Kloss further pursued modeling and was photographed in Scene Magazine at the age of 14. Since then, she has worked with major designers and even appeared as a Victoria’s Secret Angel.
5. Joan Smalls
Unlike other models, Joan knew she wanted to pursue modeling, which is why she traveled from Puerto Rico to New York. She became one of the first Puerto Rican models to sign with Elite Model Management and quickly rose to represent brands like Chanel and Estée Lauder.
https://www.flickr.com/people/60877182@N00 - Christopher Macsurak - Flickr on Wikimedia
6. Gisele Bundchen
Gisele Bündchen is one of the highest-paid supermodels in the world, and she started out being discovered by accident in a shopping mall in Brazil. She then moved to New York to further pursue her career and got her big break at an Alexander McQueen show. She has since worked for brands like Versace and Chanel.
7. Christie Brinkley
Another accident-turned-success, Christie was photographed in a Paris post office and garnered significant attention. She then became the face of CoverGirl and was even featured in Sports Illustrated.
8. Kate Moss
Kate Moss was one of the most celebrated models in the '90s for her unique look and redefinition of beauty standards. She started off being spotted by a talent scout at JFK Airport at only 14 years old. She then went on to become a signature model for Calvin Klein.
9. Naomi Campbell
What is it with shopping malls and talent scouts? Naomi Campbell was another unsuspecting teenager shopping in London when she was scouted. She then became one of the first diverse models to appear on Time and Vogue and has since worked with brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Versace.
10. Emily Ratajkowski
Emily tried her hand at all sorts of things, from acting to modeling, before her breakout appearance in Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” music video. This led to her becoming famous overnight, and she has since worked with Versace and Vogue.
Now that we have talked about models who made it all on their own, here are 10 that basically followed in mom and dad’s footsteps.
1. Lily-Rose Depp
Lily-Rose Depp is the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis. She does both modeling and acting and has collaborated with brands like Chanel while appearing in shows like The Idol. While she has inherited the best of her parents, it was unlikely she would ever fail.
2. Kaia Gerber
Kaia Gerber is the daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber. She used her parents’ connections to get into modeling and now works with Marc Jacobs and Versace. Currently, she continues to model while trying her hand at acting.
3. Kendall Jenner
Everyone knows about the Kardashian-Jenner household, whether they want to or not. Kendall Jenner is the daughter of Kris Jenner and Caitlyn Jenner and has appeared in campaigns for Estée Lauder and Calvin Klein. She now continues to star in Kardashian reality TV shows and models.
Conde Nast Russia on Wikimedia
4. Mingus Reedus
Mingus Reedus is the son of Norman Reedus, of The Walking Dead fame, and Helena Christensen, a former supermodel. With genes like that, Mingus Reedus had no trouble signing on with Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein. To this day, he continues to model with an occasional focus on photography.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America on Wikimedia
5. Hailey Bieber
Hailey Bieber is the daughter of Stephen Baldwin, an actor, and Kennya Baldwin, a graphic designer. Interestingly, she is also the niece of Alec Baldwin from 30 Rock fame. Hailey has since married Justin Bieber and works as a model for brands like Guess and Saint Laurent.
6. Paris Brosnan
Paris Brosnan is the son of Pierce Brosnan of James Bond fame and Kelly Shaye Smith, a journalist and former model herself. Paris is now trying to start his career as a filmmaker but used to model for brands like Moschino and Balmain.
7. Esther McGregor
Esther McGregor is the daughter of Ewan McGregor of Star Wars fame and Eve Mavrakis, a production designer. She has worked for luxurious and high-end brands like Fendi and Miu Miu. However, she now pursues music and visual art alongside her modeling.
8. Bella Hadid
Everyone knows about the Hadid sisters. Bella Hadid’s parents are real estate mogul Mohamed Hadid and Yolanda Hadid, who was a former model herself and appears on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. With parents as rich and successful as that, it’s no surprise that Bella quickly signed on to work with Fendi and Balenciaga.
9. Iris Law
Iris Law is the daughter of actor Jude Law and actress Sadie Frost. She has used her family connections to work her way onto the runway for Miu Miu and Dior. While she continues to model, she now also pursues acting.
10. Lila Grace Moss
Lila Grace Moss is the daughter of none other than Kate Moss and Jefferson Hack, a magazine co-founder. Since her mother was a famous supermodel, it makes sense that Lila quickly found work with Fendi and Versace. She now continues to follow in her mother’s footsteps and pursues runway modeling.
