20 Successful Models: Careers, Businesses and What Wealth Sources Show

Why this is not a precise “richest models” ranking

Celebrity wealth lists often place models in a numbered order and attach exact figures to their names. The problem is that personal net worth is rarely disclosed in a complete, audited public balance sheet. Online lists frequently mix annual earnings, company revenue, brand value, property estimates, divorce settlements and family wealth. Those are different things.

This article keeps the 20 models from the earlier list, but removes the unsupported dollar ranking. It focuses on public career and business records, identifies historical earnings estimates where a reputable source published one, and explains when a current personal net-worth figure could not be verified.

1. Slavica Ecclestone

Slavica Ecclestone is a Croatian former model who met Formula One executive Bernie Ecclestone while working as a model. Reputable reporting documents a substantial divorce settlement and later family-office activity, but that is not the same as a current personal balance sheet built from modeling income.

The often-repeated $1.2 billion figure could not be independently verified as her current personal net worth. A historical Sunday Times Rich List estimate and later reporting about an $881 million settlement should be described as dated or settlement figures—not as a current ranking position.

2. Kathy Ireland

Kathy Ireland appeared in 13 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issues and three covers before founding kathy ireland Worldwide in 1993. Forbes reported a $420 million personal-fortune estimate in 2015, but explained that it was tied to the value of her licensing company at that time.

Her brand’s reported retail sales are business metrics, not personal income. Forbes’ later profile reported $3.1 billion in 2021 retail sales for the company ecosystem, but that does not prove Ireland personally owns or receives that amount.

3. Gisele Bündchen

Gisele Bündchen is a Brazilian supermodel whose public record includes major fashion, beauty and lingerie partnerships. Reuters, reporting Forbes’ methodology, estimated her pre-tax earnings at $47 million for the year covered by its 2014 highest-paid-model list; Forbes also reported $30.5 million in 2016 earnings.

Those are historical income estimates, not net worth. Public sources also document her Ipanema GB partnership, Gisele Bündchen Intimates, environmental work and a shareholder role at Ambipar, but no reliable current personal fortune could be verified for a precise ranking.

4. Cindy Crawford

Cindy Crawford’s documented career includes Revlon, Pepsi, OMEGA and the television program House of Style. She also founded Meaningful Beauty, a skincare business developed with Dr. Jean-Louis Sebagh.

Forbes estimated Crawford’s personal fortune at $225 million in 2021 and reported a company-value and ownership estimate connected to Meaningful Beauty. That is a dated valuation, not a current audited figure. Brand revenue or value cannot automatically be treated as Crawford’s personal wealth.

5. Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum moved from fashion modeling into television, production and licensing. Public sources document her work on Project Runway, Germany’s Next Topmodel, America’s Got Talent and Making the Cut, as well as her 2013 Emmy win for hosting Project Runway.

Forbes estimated $21 million in earnings for a defined 2017 period and reported $39.5 million in its 2020 Celebrity 100 earnings profile. Those are annual estimates, not net worth. A current personal fortune or precise richest-model rank could not be verified.

6. Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell’s career includes more than 500 magazine covers, major fashion campaigns and the 2018 CFDA Fashion Icon award. She has also worked on charitable and business projects, including Fashion for Relief and the publicly announced KC Global Partnerships agency.

The public record supports a long and influential career, but not a defensible current personal net-worth number. Board roles, agency launches, charity fundraising and company activity should not be converted into personal wealth without disclosed ownership and financial statements.

7. Elle Macpherson

Elle Macpherson became known for her Sports Illustrated swimsuit appearances and later built businesses including Elle Macpherson Intimates and WelleCo. CNBC reported that she co-founded WelleCo in 2014, while the company’s own site identifies her as its founder.

Reported company turnover is not personal net worth. The commonly repeated $95 million figure traces to celebrity-estimate lists rather than an audited or transparent current wealth calculation, so it has been removed.

8. Adriana Lima

Adriana Lima’s documented work includes Victoria’s Secret, Maybelline, PUMA and other international fashion and beauty campaigns. Victoria’s Secret records her 1999 runway debut, long Angel career and 2024 return to the brand’s fashion show; PUMA identified her as a global women’s-training ambassador.

Forbes estimated her 2016 model earnings at $10.5 million. That historical income figure does not establish a current personal net worth, and no reliable public evidence supports placing her at a precise rank among the world’s richest models.

9. Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks built a career across modeling, television and business. Stanford Graduate School of Business identifies her public roles with Tyra Banks Co., Fierce Capital, America’s Next Top Model and Tyra Beauty; Netflix describes her as the show’s creator, executive producer and longest-running host.

Forbes estimated $30 million in pre-tax earnings for a defined 2008–2009 period. The frequently repeated $90 million figure is attributed to Celebrity Net Worth and is not an audited personal balance sheet. Her companies and brand activity should not be treated as her personal net worth.

10. Kate Moss

Kate Moss is a British model whose career includes Calvin Klein, British Vogue, major fashion campaigns and a British Fashion Awards Model of the Year win. She founded Kate Moss Agency in 2016, and Companies House records Kate Moss as a person with significant control of KATE MOSS LTD.

Forbes reported $7 million in 2014 Celebrity 100 earnings. That is annual income, not net worth. The often-repeated $70 million figure is not supported by a transparent current methodology, and the financial position of businesses such as Cosmoss cannot be converted into Moss’s personal wealth.

11. Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss is a model and entrepreneur who founded Kode With Klossy in 2015. She is also identified as CEO of Bedford Media, which has been involved in public media projects including the relaunch of LIFE and activity involving i-D.

Forbes estimated $9 million in modeling-related earnings for a defined period before June 2017. That is not net worth. The commonly repeated $40 million figure is attributed to Celebrity Net Worth, while Bedford Media’s company activity and any spouse or family wealth must remain separate from Kloss’s personal finances.

12. Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner is a fashion model and entrepreneur who became FWRD’s Creative Director in 2021 and founded 818 Tequila. REVOLVE and Southern Glazer’s public releases document those roles, while the official 818 site describes the brand’s products and awards.

Forbes estimated $22.5 million in pretax modeling earnings for the June 2017–June 2018 period. That figure is not a current personal net worth, and brand awards, sales or valuation do not establish Jenner’s personal share of the business.

13. Miranda Kerr

Miranda Kerr became a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2007 and founded KORA Organics in Australia in 2009. KORA’s official site identifies Kerr as founder and CEO and describes the brand’s international distribution.

Forbes estimated $7.2 million in model earnings for the 12 months ending June 2013. That is a dated income estimate rather than a personal wealth calculation. KORA’s products, sales footprint and brand claims do not establish Kerr’s current net worth.

14. Claudia Schiffer

Claudia Schiffer’s public career includes major fashion campaigns, more than 1,000 magazine covers according to IMG Models, production work and book and exhibition projects. Her official site documents collaborations including FRAME x Claudia Schiffer, while Kunstpalast identifies her as curator of a 1990s fashion-photography exhibition.

A Deutsche Welle profile repeated an unattributed estimate of about €200 million in assets, but did not provide a methodology or ownership breakdown. The frequently repeated $70 million figure is likewise not independently verifiable, so neither should be presented as a current precise net worth.

15. Doutzen Kroes

Doutzen Kroes is a Dutch model, actor and activist known for Victoria’s Secret, L’Oréal Paris and major fashion campaigns. She has also supported elephant conservation through #KnotOnMyPlanet and the Elephant Crisis Fund.

Forbes estimated $8 million in model earnings for the June 2013–June 2014 period, with later historical estimates of $7.5 million and $5 million. These are earnings for defined periods, not personal net worth, and no reliable current figure supports a precise richest-model ranking.

16. Alessandra Ambrosio

Alessandra Ambrosio is a Brazilian model and actor whose public work includes Victoria’s Secret and major fashion campaigns. She also co-founded the swimwear brand GAL Floripa with Aline Ambrosio and Gisele Cória.

Forbes estimated $5 million in model earnings for its 2015 highest-paid-models list. The company’s revenue, valuation and Ambrosio’s ownership share are not publicly established in the sources reviewed, so a precise current net-worth figure would be speculation.

17. Gigi Hadid

Gigi Hadid is an internationally established model and the founder and creative director of the cashmere label Guest in Residence. IMG Models and Forbes document her fashion campaigns, runway work and collaborations, while the brand’s official site confirms its 2022 founding.

Forbes estimated $9.5 million in pretax earnings for the period covered by its 2018 highest-paid-models report. That is income, not net worth. No reliable public source located for this review establishes her current personal wealth or a defensible richest-model rank.

18. Candice Swanepoel

Candice Swanepoel is a South African model, Victoria’s Secret Angel and co-founder of Tropic of C. Forbes reported $5 million in estimated 2015 model earnings, while later public sources document her fashion and sustainability partnerships.

The $25 million or $30 million figures repeated online are celebrity-estimate claims without a transparent personal balance-sheet methodology. Tropic of C’s brand activity and any undisclosed ownership share should not be converted into Swanepoel’s personal wealth.

19. Bella Hadid

Bella Hadid is a major working model and the 2022 British Fashion Council Model of the Year. She is also associated with Kin Euphorics and founded fragrance brand Ôrəbella; Ôrəbella’s 2026 Series A terms were not publicly disclosed in the trade reporting reviewed.

Forbes estimated $6 million in pretax earnings for its 2017 list and $8.5 million for its 2018 list. Those are historical earnings estimates, not current net worth. Her companies’ funding, revenue or valuation cannot be treated as her personal assets.

20. Joan Smalls

Joan Smalls is a Puerto Rican model whose public career includes Givenchy, Victoria’s Secret, Estée Lauder and major fashion campaigns. The Business of Fashion records a 2012 Model of the Year award and projects including DonateMyWage.org and #ChangeFashion.

Forbes estimated $3.5 million in model earnings for the 12 months ending June 2013. That historical figure is not a current wealth estimate, and no reliable public evidence supports assigning Smalls a precise position in a richest-model ranking.

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What can be compared responsibly?

The public record can support comparisons of documented modeling careers, major campaigns, awards, business launches, public-company roles and dated income estimates. It generally cannot support a precise ranking of personal wealth across 20 people with different private assets, liabilities, ownership structures, tax situations and family circumstances.

A model’s company may generate large retail sales while the model owns only part of it. A divorce settlement may be substantial without being modeling income. A highest-paid-model list may measure one year before taxes and fees. A brand valuation may not be cash or personal property. These distinctions are why this page no longer presents a false-precision table.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the richest model in the world?

There is no single current, independently audited public ranking that makes this answer reliable. Lists that name one person usually combine estimates, company values, family or settlement wealth and different dates. A responsible article should name the source and date for any estimate rather than state a universal winner as fact.

Why were the dollar amounts removed?

Most of the original amounts were not supported by audited personal disclosures. Some came from celebrity-estimate websites; others were company revenue, annual earnings, brand values or settlement figures. Those categories cannot be added together to create a verified personal net worth.

Are these models still successful without a ranking?

Yes. The sources reviewed document substantial careers, campaigns, awards, businesses, charities and public projects. Removing unsupported numbers makes the article more accurate; it does not diminish the work these models have done.

Can a future ranking be published?

Only with a transparent methodology, a dated source for each figure, a clear distinction between personal wealth and business value, and a note explaining uncertainty. If reliable comparable figures are unavailable, a non-ranked career and business profile is more honest and more useful.

Final assessment

The earlier article looked precise because it attached a dollar figure and rank to every name. Precision is not the same as evidence. The strongest update is to show what is documented, label historical earnings as earnings, separate company metrics from personal assets, and say when a current personal net-worth figure cannot be verified.

Editorial note

Reviewed October 10, 2026. Career, business and dated earnings claims were checked against official company or organization pages, reputable financial and trade reporting, professional agency records and named publications. Celebrity-net-worth estimates, unsupported rankings, family or spouse wealth, divorce-settlement proceeds, company revenue and brand valuations were not presented as personal net worth. No claim is made that this list is a definitive wealth ranking.

Sources reviewed

• The Guardian on Slavica Ecclestone — former modeling career and historical settlement context.
• Fortune on Slavica Ecclestone’s family office — reported settlement and family-office context.
• Forbes on Kathy Ireland — company history and retail-sales context.
• Forbes on Gisele Bündchen — historical earnings and career context.
• Forbes on Cindy Crawford — dated personal-fortune estimate and Meaningful Beauty reporting.
• Britannica on Heidi Klum — career and television record.
• Naomi Campbell’s official site — career and public projects.
• CNBC on WelleCo and Elle Macpherson — documented company history.
• Victoria’s Secret on Adriana Lima — modeling career and brand record.
• Stanford GSB on Tyra Banks — documented business and television roles.
• Kate Moss Agency — agency founding and business description.
• Kode With Klossy — Karlie Kloss’s founder and board-chair role.
• REVOLVE on FWRD — Kendall Jenner’s creative-director appointment.
• KORA Organics — Miranda Kerr’s founder and CEO role.
• IMG Models on Claudia Schiffer — career and public production work.
• Forbes on Doutzen Kroes — dated earnings estimate.
• Fashionista on GAL Floripa — Alessandra Ambrosio’s business partnership.
• Guest in Residence — Gigi Hadid’s brand role.
• Tropic of C — Candice Swanepoel’s brand.
• Ôrəbella — Bella Hadid’s fragrance brand.
• Business of Fashion on Joan Smalls — career and business projects.

Read more

For a source-led celebrity wealth profile, read the updated Taylor Swift net-worth article. You can also read the updated female private-jet ownership article.