The Most Famous Brazilian Female Models of All Time
From Gisele Bündchen and Adriana Lima to Lais Ribeiro and Valentina Sampaio, meet 8 famous Brazilian models who ruled the runway.
Few countries have sent more superstars down the runway than Brazil. Somewhere in the late 90s, it felt like every big show in Paris or New York had at least one Brazilian model walking it, and that streak has never really stopped.
A lot of these women were scouted as teenagers in small towns, far from any fashion capital. Within a few years they were fronting Chanel campaigns, wearing Victoria's Secret wings and topping Forbes' list of the highest-paid models in the world.
Here are 8 famous Brazilian models, from the runway icons to the Angels who made Brazilian beauty famous worldwide.
Runway Icons
Gisele Bündchen
There's no Brazilian model list without Gisele. She brought back the healthy, bombshell look in the late 90s, topped Forbes' list of the highest-paid models for well over a decade, and became a household name everywhere. She retired from the runway in 2015 and is one of the original icons on our supermodels list, alongside Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell.
Isabeli Fontana
Isabeli Fontana was discovered at just 13 through the Elite Model Look contest in Brazil. She went on to land contracts with Versace, Valentino and L'Oréal, appeared in the Pirelli Calendar several times, and made Forbes' top-earning models list in 2008. She's also been a face of Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb fragrance.
Raquel Zimmermann
Raquel Zimmermann is a true high-fashion favorite, the kind of model designers book for their most artistic campaigns. She's worked with Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Prada, became a Revlon ambassador in 2018, and even appeared in Terrence Malick's film Knight of Cups.
Valentina Sampaio
Valentina Sampaio grew up in a small fishing village in northeastern Brazil and went on to make fashion history. In 2019 she became the first openly transgender model to work with Victoria's Secret, and in 2020 she was the first trans model featured in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.
The Brazilian Angels
Adriana Lima
Adriana Lima wore Victoria's Secret wings from 1999 to 2018, making her the brand's longest-serving Angel. Those blue-green eyes and that runway strut made her one of the most recognizable faces of the 2000s, and she's still a regular on the Cannes red carpet.
Alessandra Ambrosio
Alessandra Ambrosio was the very first face of Victoria's Secret PINK and spent well over a decade as an Angel. These days she's just as famous for her laid-back, boho street style and her beachy Brazilian glow.
Lais Ribeiro
Fun fact: Lais Ribeiro was studying to become a nurse before she started modeling. In 2011 she was the most booked model at both São Paulo and Rio fashion weeks, and in 2015 she officially became a Victoria's Secret Angel.
Izabel Goulart
Izabel Goulart got her start at São Paulo Fashion Week and went on to become a Victoria's Secret Angel in the mid-2000s. Known for her athletic look and endless energy, she's also become a fitness favorite on social media.
Final Thoughts
From Gisele's record-breaking run to Valentina Sampaio's history-making firsts, Brazilian models have shaped what the fashion world looks like for almost three decades. And with São Paulo Fashion Week still scouting new faces every season, there's plenty more to come.
Want to see more of the world's top faces? Check out our list of 10 famous Japanese models, from 1970s pioneer Sayoko Yamaguchi to Kiko Mizuhara and Koki.
