Nikki TaylorIf it seems like Nikki Taylor has been with us forever, it’s because she pretty much has. She graced the cover of Vogue in 1990 at the age of 15. She went on to be considered one of the first ever “Supermodels”, and she’s been on the cover of over 400 magazines. She recently had her first baby with husband Burney Lamar, who is a NASCAR driver.
Kylie BaxKylie Bax is a New Zealand born model, who has also been in several movies. Most of which you’ve never heard of, unless you happen to be the sort of person who’d watch a movie starring both Sisqo and Coolio. She’s enjoyed a lot more success modeling, with over 20 Vogue covers to her name.
Daniella CicarelliDaniella Cicarelli is ultra-famous just about everywhere besides the US. She was engaged to soccer star Ronaldo, but the two split shortly after Cicarelli suffered a miscarriage. Daniella later suffered scandal when a paparazzi taped her having sex on a beach with Merrill Lynch employee Renato “Tato” Malzoni. The clip was such a big deal in Brazil that computer networks at the Brazilian stock exchange crashed when too many workers there tried to download the video concurrently. Daniella sued YouTube and a bunch of other places, but lost, eventually having to pay out $10,000 to each defendant.
Naomi CampbellNaomi Campbell has seemingly lost her mind in recent years, assaulting a maid with a gem encrusted telephone and later attacking a police officer at Heathrow Airport after losing a bag. She’s still pretty hot though.
Ana HickmanAna Hickman is probably the only Guinness World Record Holder on our list. Although Guinness no longer features the category, Hickman at one time was listed as the “model with the longest legs”. Her legs measure 48? of her total height of 73? (hip to heel).
Nicole TrunfioNicole Trunfio is a reality TV show veteran, winning the Australian version of Search for a Supermodel. The American version (called Make Me A Supermodel) debuts this year, and Trunfio will be mentoring the female contestants.
Chanel ImanChanel Iman is one of the youngest models on our list, but we think she’s got a lot of upside and will be very famous in coming years. Iman is just 19 but has already worked for many famous fashion lines and has appeared in advertising for Victoria’s Secret and GAP.
Blanca SotoBlanca Soto is from Mexico, and actually represented the country in the Miss World competition back in 1997. She appeared in this music video which won the CMA award in 2005 for “Sexiest Video of the Year”.
Stephanie SeymourStephanie Seymour has had a long and distinguished career, appearing on over 300 magazine covers. She’s worked for everyone you could imagine, appearing in the SI Swimsuit Issue numerous times and working for Victoria’s Secret through the years. She’s also posed in Playboy on a couple of different occasions. (Quick! To Google Image Search!)
Daniela PestovaDaniela Pestova is a Czech model who quickly relocated to Paris and then New York when she was discovered. She’s a three time SI Swimsuit cover model, most recently appearing on the cover in 2006.
Federica FontanaFederica Fontana is actually more of a sports hostess than she is a model, but she’s done enough modeling to make our list. She’s a fixture when it comes to Italian soccer. I think MLS here in the US could stand to take a hint here.
Vanessa LorenzoVanessa Lorenzo is a Spanish model who’s been in everything from Cosmo to the SI Swimsuit edition. She’s actually relatively short for being a model, standing just 5'7.
Sophie HowardSophie Howard is an English model, who is, let’s be honest, best known for her large, natural breasts. Her 32F figure was voted “Most Beautiful Breasts” by Loaded magazine. Howard started out a religious girl, belonging to the Salvation Army before becoming a stripper at the age of 17. Gregory House would be a bit perturbed with Sophie, as she was diagnosed with Lupus in college. A lot of guys will love hearing about this: Howard loves old Nintendo games and has two tattoos on her ankle, a standby switch and a Super Mario mushroom, to represent power and life.
Alice PanikianAlice Panikian was born in Bulgaria but moved to Canada when she was five years old. She represented Canada in the Miss Universe competiton in 2006 finishing sixth.
Zoe DuchesneZoe Duchesne is a Canadian probably best known for her work with Victoria’s Secret, but she’s also done extensive print work for Guess.
Noemie LenoirNoemie Lenoir is a Frenchwoman who was discovered by Ford Models when she was only 16. She’s appeared in numerous fashion campaigns, and has dabbled in acting, appearing in Rush Hour 3 and After The Sunset.
Gemma SykesGemma Sykes is a 22 year old from Australia that is still fairly unknown, but we are confident we’ll be seeing her in plenty of things in the coming years. At least we hope so.
Stacey HayesStacey Hayes isn’t just a model, she’s also dabbled in competitive ice skating over the years. She is British but grew up in Nebraska, and has appeared in numerous soap operas over the years. She’s also made appearances on Boston Legal and Las Vegas (a show that was pretty model friendly to it’s credit).
Oluchi OnweagbaOluchi Onweagba is the most famous thing to come out of Nigeria since the 419 scam. She entered modeling after winning a competition called Faces of Africa that a friend convinced her to enter. She’s become one of the most famous models in the world over the past ten years, and will be hosting the first season of West Africa’s Top Model this year. Yes, the show has spread that far.
Frankie RayderGQ once named Frankie Rayder the sexiest woman in the world, and it’s not hard to see where they were coming from. Rayder’s done extensive work for Sports Illustrated and Victoria’s Secret as well as numerous fashion designers. Rayder grew up in River Falls, Wisconsin where she played on her high school basketball team.
Ana Beatriz BarrosBrazil features some of the hottest models on earth, and Ana Beatriz Barros is one of the hottest from that country. Barros has worked for Guess, Bebe, Victoria’s Secret, and Chanel, and she’s appeared in the SI swimsuit edition an incredible seven times.
Helena ChristensenHelena Christensen is one of the original Victoria’s Secret “Angels”. Her career started when she represented her home country of Denmark in the 1986 Miss Universe competition. She also starred in what is probably the hottest music video of all time.
Fernanda TavaresFernanda Tavares began modeling at the age of 9, won a contest at the age of 13, and was signed by an agent at 14. She has worked for numerous designers, and she’s currently a VJ for MTV Brazil.
Elle MacphersonElle Macpherson is one of the most famous models ever. She appeared on a record five SI Swimsuit edition covers, and is said to be worth about $90 million by Forbes. Macpherson has been working continuously since 1982, recently signing a three year deal with Revlon.
Tricia HelferTricia Helfer is a former model these days. She’s probably better known for her role as Number 6 on the television show Battlestar Galactica. Helfer hails from Canada, and got her lucky break by winning a Ford Models’ Supermodels of the World modeling contest in 1992.
Jessica GomesJessica Gomes has one of the most unique heritages of anyone on this list. She is Australian with Singaporean Chinese and Portuguese heritage. She has been modeling since 1998 when she was 13 years old, and has worked for Levi’s Jeans, DKNY, and Victoria’s Secret.
Josie MaranJoise Maran is an American model who has also had some success acting. She has been in films such as The Aviator and Van Helsing, and she also appeared on Dancing With The Stars in 2007, getting kicked off after just one episode. Maran is a bit eccentric, claiming not to believe in marriage (saying “I don’t believe in marriage. I just don’t think it’s necessary in this day and age. I just think if you need to get married, then you’re already distrusting the person. Why do you have to sign something to show your love? You just love, everyday”), and also having her first child in the backyard of her home. Not as an emergency or anything, that was the plan all along. I’m guessing that was a weird day for the neighbors.
Izabel GoulartIzabel Goulart is yet another Brazilian model on our list. She was a Victoria’s Secret angel from 2005-2008 and now works for Armani Exchange. Unbelievably the other children made fun of Goulart growing up, calling her “Giraffe”. Her career got off to a rocky start with a wardrobe malfunction in her very first runway appearance, but she seems to have recovered pretty nicely.
Daniella SarahybaDaniella Sarahyba comes from modeling stock. Her mother was also a model, and appeared with a three day old Daniella on the cover of Brazilian parenting magazine Pais & Filhos. Sarahyba’s career seems to just be ramping up; she’s appeared in every SI Swimsuit edition since 2005.
Tyra BanksTyra Banks gets a lot of hate these days from guys who are irritated (and defensibly so) by her talk show, so it’s easy to forget what a goddess she was back in the late 90’s and early 00’s. She was the It girl when it came to Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editions, and I can remember her posters being positively iconic. You can’t stay hot forever though, which is why I can’t blame Tyra for having other aspirations and moving on from being eye candy. It definitely is irritating, but I prefer to remember her in her prime.
Molly SimsMolly Sims is probably best known for her extensive work with Sports Illustrated, but she’s also gained a small amount of fame recently for her work on the relatively short lived show Las Vegas. Sims has also had roles in a number of films, including Yes, Man and The Benchwarmers.
Bar RafaeliBar Rafaeli continues to prove that Leonardo DiCaprio is a lucky bastard. She was the covergirl for this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. Rafaeli has been modeling since she was eight months old, appearing in a baby commercial at that age.
Petra NemcovaPetra Nemcova is easily one of the hottest models on earth, but lately her life has been full of tragedy. She was stuck with her fiancee during the Thailand Tsunami in 2004, which resulted in her fiancee being killed and Nemcova suffering severe injuries including a broken pelvis. She has since started a charitable fund called The Happy Hearts Fund that helps children who are not receiving the essential help they need for healthy childhood development.
Adriana LimaAdriana Lima is probably best known for her work with Victoria’s Secret, having modeled for the company since 1999. Models.com recently named her the sexiest model in the world, but she’ll have to settle for 17th on this list. Still not too shabby.
Heidi KlumHeidi Klum is probably one of the most famous women on Earth overall, not just among models. The German model has been a superstar since the mid-90’s when she was a staple in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit issues. In 2004 she became the host, judge and executive producer of Project Runway, a massive hit for Bravo that involves fashion designers competing for a chance to show their work at New York Fashion Week and to launch their own clothing line. Believe it or not, Project Runway actually recently won a Peabody Award, the first time a reality show was honored.
Raica OliveiraRaica Oliveira is one of the top Brazilian models, working with every major fashion company including Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Victoria’s Secret, and Dior. She is also the face of Avon. Unfortunately she is opposed to posing nude, saying “I could not pose nude. Nothing against those who do, but I never felt right about it. It’s not something that would make me proud.”
Selita EbanksSelita Ebanks is from the Cayman Islands, technically making her British. She grew up extremely poor, even lacking money to buy shoes when she entered elementary school. She later moved to America to attend NYU, but was spotted by a model scout at Six Flags. She quickly signed and now primarily promotes Victoria’s Secret.
Gemma AtkinsonGemma Atkinson is a British lingerie and glamour model, as well as a television personality. She has been in a few different movies and a bunch of reality shows, including the UK’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Soapstar Superstar. It seems the UK does a better job with their C level celebs than the US judging by Atkinson.
Aline NakashimaAline Nakashima is Brazilian-Japanese with some Portuguese tossed in. She has appeared in the SI swimsuit issue a couple of times, and was discovered at the age of 17 when she attended a modeling tryout.
Miranda KerrMiranda Kerr is an Australian model, best known for her work as a Victoria’s Secret Angel. At age thirteen, Kerr entered and won a modeling competion put on by Dolly Magazine and Impulse. Her shots in Dolly Magazine caused some controversy as some conservative outlets claimed the pictures of her in a bathing suit constituted child pornography. Kerr is rumored to be engaged to Orlando Bloom.
Brooklyn DeckerOhio’s own, Brooklyn Decker just recently married tennis star Andy Roddick. Decker was discovered in a shopping mall as a teenager, and eventually became best known for her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition appearances.
Yamila Diaz-RahiDiaz-Rahi is an Argentine model of Lebanese and Spanish descent. She comes from a thoroughly middle class background; her father was a doctor and her mother was a health care manager. Yamila was studying Economics in Buenos Aires when she took a holiday in Uruguayand it was there she was discovered by a modeling scout and her career began.
Zhang ZilinZhang Zilin won Miss World 2007 and has since become a runway model in Paris and Berlin. She sang during part of the 2008 Summer Olympics soundtrack.
Lucy PinderLucy Pinder is another British glamour model. She was voted as having “the most beautiful all-natural pair in Britain” by the Daily Star, with which it is hard to argue. She’s been on all kinds of goofy reality shows in the UK like Celebrity Big Brother and I’m Famous and Frightened!. If you’re ever getting a lecture from a Brit about the US being a cultural wasteland this info will come in handy, as they really produce some crap over there. For every brilliant show there seems to be five shows featuring a bunch of celebrities in silly situations. Not that I wouldn’t watch Lucy Pinder in something … I’m just saying.
Karolina KurkovaKarolina Kurkova is a Czech model who is one of the famous Victoria’s Secret Angels. Kurková was named “Model of the Year” at the 2002 VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards and has appeared on dozens of magazine covers worldwide. Fun fact: Kurkova is apparently a pod person as she has no navel. Photographers have to alter all of her shots to conceal this.
Elsa BenitezElsa Benitez began modeling in 1995 after winning a modeling contest in Costa Rica. She moved to Mexico and eventually was featured on the cover of the 2001 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Benitez is currently involved in a lawsuit against paparazzi who sold nude sunbathing pictures of her and sold them online. So, you know, those are out there if you’re so inclined.
Marissa MillerMarissa Miller is a true fan favorite when it comes to the SI Swimsuit Issue. Her 2008 cover was one of the most popular in recent memory, and led to her being named Maxim’s hottest woman of 2008. That was the first time anyone ever debuted on the list at number one.
Keeley HazellKeeley Hazell rose to fame in 2004, winning a “Search for a Beach Babe” Page 3 contest. She has since branched out into all sorts of modeling, including videogame cover work. In 2008 Keeley released a single called “Voyeur”. Hazell is constantly featured on hottest women lists just like this one, usually landing consistently in the top 10. If you’re a fan of a certain part of female anatomy Keeley really can’t be beat.
Gisele BundchenGisele Bundchen has in the past few years become one of the most famous women in the world. Her US profile has been raised significantly with her marriage to NFL QB Tom Brady. Forbes named her the riches model in the world, and she’s appeared on a hard to believe 500+ magazine covers.
Alessandra AmbrosioAlessandra Ambrosio isn’t the most famous model ever (she’s not even the most famous model today), but we consider her to be the hottest model of all time. She is a Victoria’s Secret “Angel” and has appeared in People magazine’s “Most Beautiful People” issue. Ambrosio is friends with all sorts of models, including Adriana Lima, Ana Beatris Barros, and Gisele Bundchen, who loaned Ambrosio her apartment when she first moved to New York. Alessandra is only 28 years old, so we’ll be enjoying her for years to come, and I imagine it’ll be awhile before someone takes her spot as our hottest model in the world.
