Gisele Bundchen is world’s top earning model

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen has been named the world’s top earning model by Forbes for the seventh straight year. Bundchen has been topping the list since 2004. Her income this year was $45 million, an increase by a whopping $20 million. Sources reveal that proof of Bundchen’s star-status enhancing brands is easy to find, as after she became the face of hair care brand Pantene in March 2010, the company’s sales went up by 40 percent in Latin America. In second place was German model Heidi Klum, who earned $20 million through her recent partnership with Amazon.com and launching her own clothing line with sportswear brand New Balance. The third place went to British model Kate Moss, who made $13.5 million from deals, including her own bag collection with brand Longchamp, and a campaign for Christian Dior.

The Forbes 2011 list for the world’s top-earning models is following:
1. Gisele Bundchen - $45 million
2. Heidi Klum - $20 million
3. Kate Moss - $13.5 million
4. Adriana Lima - $8 million
5. Alessandra Ambrosio - $5 million
6. Daria Werbowy - $4.5 million
7. Lara Stone - $4.5 million
8. Carolyn Murphy - $4.3 million
9. Natalia Vodianova - $4 million
10. Candice Swanepol - $2 million

Gisele Bundchen- world's highest earning model

Despite the recession, top models are raking in millions of dollars, with Brazilian Gisele Bundchen, German Heidi Klum and Briton Kate Moss the biggest earners.

Bundchen, the 29-year-old beauty who is married to football player Tom Brady is the world’s highest-paid model, making $25 million last year.

Klum, the 36-year-old mother of four and host of the television show Project Runway, came in second with $16 million in earnings, followed by fashionista Moss, also 36, who made earned $9 million, through modeling campaigns and the launch of her own fashion line and a new fragrance.

It is the second year the same three models topped the list, which is largely due to a risk-averse fashion industry that was not looking for new faces in the unstable economic climate, said Steve Bertoni, of Forbes.

"These contracts were written during the doldrums of the recession," Bertoni said. "So when companies decided on the faces of their campaigns, they wanted to play it safe," he said in an interview.

Another Brazilian, Adriana Lima, 28, came in fourth with a $7.5 million salary. Dutch model Doutzen Kroes, 25, who shot to fame in 2005 when selected "Model of the Year" by Vogue, placed fifth with $6 million.

"These are the tried and true supermodels of the last decade, the household names of the industry," Bertoni said.

The only American on the list is 36-year-old Carolyn Murphy, who is the face of Estee Lauder, Roberto Cavalli and Anne Klein. She earned $3.5 million to grab the 10th spot.

The list represents earnings made from June 2009 to July 2010.

Gisele Bundchen tops the list of World's Top Earning Models

Brazilian beauty Gisele Bundchen has topped the list of top earning models compiled by American business magazine Forbes.

Twenty eight-year-old Bundchen who is at the top rank with earnings to the tune of USD 25 million from numerous campaigns including those for brands like Versace, True Religion jeans and Dior.

“The world’s top earning model” is based on estimated earnings of models from June 2008 to June 2009. Four Brazilian models have found a place in the rankings. Modeling industry has been hard-hit by the economic crisis, but the value of the beauties at the top is as strong as ever.

Bundchen is followed by 35-year-old Heidi Klum of Germany with an estimated earning of USD 16 million. The majority of Klum’s earnings are driven by her TV and endorsement career.

The model has endorsement deals with Diet Coke, Volkswagen, McDonald’s and LG.

The 35-year-old icon Kate Moss placed on the third spot with an earning of USD 8.5 million, followed by another Brazilian model Adriana Lima who earned USD eight million.

At the fifth position is Doutzen Kroes, the face of cosmetic company L’Oreal, and she raked in USD six million.

Twenty eight-year-old Alessandra Ambrosio of Brazil is also ranked fifth.

Natalia Vodianova, raised in an impoverished family in Russia has cornered the seventh place with earnings to the tune of USD 5.5 million.

Other models in the list are, Daria Werbowy (eighth) with an earning of USD 4.5 million, Miranda Kerr and Carolyn Murphy with an estimated earning of USD three million each were placed on the ninth and tenth places, respectively.

Emanuela De Paula who is the newest addition to the list has an estimated earning of USD 2.5 million.