Top 10 Highest-Earning Models of 2023

Adriana Lima is a Brazilian supermodel who was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 1999 to 2018. She holds the title of the longest-serving Angel and was named 'Victoria's Secret's Most Valuable Angel' in 2017. She has also been a prominent spokesperson for Maybelline cosmetics since 2003 and has appeared in Super Bowl ads and Kia Motors commercials. At the age of 15, Lima won the 'Brazilian Supermodel' competition organized by Ford and placed second in the 'Ford Supermodel of the World' competition. She later signed with Elite Model Management in New York City.

Lima has served as a brand ambassador for Spanish clothing brand Desigual, Italian swimwear brand Calzedonia, and Italian fashion brand Sportmax. She is currently ranked among the 'Top New Supermodels' by models.com. Since 2014, Adriana Lima has consistently been one of the highest-paid models worldwide. In 2012, Forbes ranked her fourth on the list of the highest-paid models with an estimated income of $7.3 million. She climbed to third in 2013 and second in 2014 with earnings of $8 million. In 2015, Lima earned $9 million and retained her second-place position. By 2016, she continued to rank second with earnings of $10.5 million. In 2023, Adriana Lima remains one of the highest-paid models, earning $31 million.

Cara Delevingne is a British supermodel and actress. Her modeling career began at the age of 10 when she was photographed for Vogue Italia alongside model Lady Eloise Anson by photographer Bruce Weber. Cara signed with Storm Management in 2009, and in 2012, she caught the eye of Christopher Bailey of Burberry while working part-time at a fashion website. She was soon featured in Burberry's Spring/Summer 2011 campaign. Cara has walked the runway for major brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Jason Wu, Burberry, and Mulberry.

Delevingne also made two appearances at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. While Cara has shifted her focus toward acting, she remains a prominent figure in the fashion industry. She has starred in films such as Anna Karenina (2012), Paper Towns (2015), and Suicide Squad (2016). With over 34 million Instagram followers, she is one of the most recognizable models and among the highest-paid in the industry. In 2023, Cara Delevingne earned $31 million, securing her place among the top-earning models.

Gigi Hadid is an American model and television personality. Born in Los Angeles, she began her career as a child model for Baby Guess. She signed with IMG Models in 2013 and made her New York Fashion Week debut the following year. In November 2014, Gigi Hadid made her first appearance in the Models.com Top 50 Models ranking. Her debut on the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway came in December 2015, after two failed attempts to become an Angel.

In December 2016, Gigi Hadid returned to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, earning her wings for the first time. That same month, she was awarded International Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards, presented by Donatella Versace. Gigi Hadid became the global ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger and continued her collaboration with the designer on a capsule collection launched during New York Fashion Week that fall. She has walked for top designers such as Versace, Chanel, Elie Saab, Fendi, Marc Jacobs, Anna Sui, Miu Miu, Balmain, and Diane Von Furstenberg. In 2023, Gigi Hadid remains one of the highest-paid models, with earnings of $20 million.

Bella Hadid is a top supermodel who has starred in campaigns for world-renowned brands such as Bulgari and Fendi. She made her runway debut for Tom Ford at New York Fashion Week in 2015. Bella also graced the covers of magazines like Vogue Australia, Elle, Teen Vogue, and Seventeen, and appeared in high-profile campaigns for Givenchy, Calvin Klein, and Topshop. In June 2016, she expanded her career into acting, starring in Tyler Ford's short film, 'Private.'

Bella participated in the Victoria's Secret Pink Holiday campaign alongside Rachel Hilbert and Devon Windsor, and featured in an ad campaign for Boghossian Jewelry. She walked in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows from 2016 to 2018. In 2016, Bella was named 'Model of the Year' by Models.com. Over four years, she appeared on the cover of international Vogue magazines 27 times. As the face of Dior Parfums, Bella secured one of the most lucrative contracts in the fashion industry. In 2023, she remains one of the highest-paid models, with earnings of $19 million.

Joan Smalls is a Puerto Rican model and actress who signed with Elite Model Management in 2007. She initially worked in commercial modeling with brands like Nordstrom, Liz Claiborne, and Sass & Bide. After leaving Elite, she joined IMG Models, focusing on runway shows. Her big break came when she was chosen as the exclusive model for Givenchy’s Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2010 show, marking a turning point in her career.

Since then, Joan Smalls has walked for major fashion houses like Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, and Tom Ford. She became a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2010, appearing in their shows from 2011 to 2016. In 2011, she made history as the first Latina to represent Estée Lauder cosmetics.

Joan Smalls made her debut on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid models in 2013, ranking eighth with earnings exceeding $3 million. In January 2014, she graced the cover of Elle USA with the feature “The Return of the Supermodel.” By 2012, she was ranked the number-one model in the world by Models.com. Today, she remains one of the highest-paid models in the world, with earnings reaching $19 million.

Liu Wen, also known as Lưu Văn, is a renowned Chinese model who made history in 2012 when The New York Times dubbed her the 'first supermodel from China.' She became the first Chinese model to walk the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and the first East Asian model to represent Estée Lauder. Liu also made waves by becoming the first Asian model to feature in Forbes’ annual list of highest-paid models. In 2017, Liu made history again as the second Chinese model to appear on the cover of Vogue US, breaking barriers as the first to appear on the cover, not just inside the magazine.

In April 2020, Liu Wen graced the cover of Vogue US once more, marking her second appearance, making her the first Chinese model to appear twice on the prestigious magazine’s cover. Represented by The Society Management and based in New York City, Liu Wen became the first Asian model to break into the top 5 of Forbes’ highest-paid models list in 2013, ranking fifth. She repeated this achievement in 2014 with an impressive salary jump, from $4.3 million to $7 million. Liu Wen continues to rank among the highest-paid models in the world, with an income of $18 million.

South African supermodel Candice Swanepoel masterfully balances her time between a major contract with Victoria's Secret and partnerships with brands like Biotherm and Maxfactor. She has earned millions of dollars from her various endorsement deals and is currently one of the highest-paid models in the world. In 2010, Candice officially became a Victoria's Secret Angel and was later named the most coveted Angel in the brand's history. Her big moment came when she was chosen to wear the iconic "Fantasy Bra" at the 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. This $10 million bra, called the "Royal Fantasy Bra," was designed by Mouawad and featured over 4,200 gemstones, including rubies.

Discovered at the age of 15, Candice Swanepoel went on to grace the covers of Elle, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, iD, and Lush, among others. She has also starred in campaigns for high-profile designers such as Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Christian Dior. Candice remains most recognized for her long-standing role as a Victoria's Secret Angel, a title she’s held since 2010. Beyond modeling, she is an advocate for the charity Mothers2Mothers, which aims to eliminate HIV from the lives of mothers and children in Africa. Candice has been consistently ranked among the world’s most beautiful women.

One of the most beautiful women in the world today, Kendall Jenner claims the top spot as the highest-paid model globally. In 2015, Forbes ranked her 16th on the list of highest-paid models with an estimated annual income of $4 million. By 2017, Kendall had surpassed Gisele Bündchen, the longtime leader of the list, to become the highest-paid model in the world. She continues to hold this title.

Kendall Jenner began her modeling career at just 14 years old. After appearing in print ads and commercial shoots, she had a breakthrough in 2014 and 2015, walking for top designers during New York, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks. She also appeared in campaigns for Balmain x H&M and participated in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2015. Kendall has walked the Victoria's Secret runway three times.

Kendall has modeled for some of the most prestigious fashion brands, including Balmain, Marc Jacobs, Givenchy, Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel, Alexander Wang, Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg, Tommy Hilfiger, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, and many more. She has graced the covers of various international Vogue editions, appeared in editorials, and become a brand ambassador for Estée Lauder.

Gisele Bündchen is a Brazilian model, actress, and producer. She began rising to fame in the 1990s and by 1999, she was credited with ending the era of heroin chic in fashion. Often regarded as the last true supermodel, Gisele was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 1999 to 2006. Over the course of her career, she appeared on more than 1,200 magazine covers.

In 2007, Gisele Bündchen became the 16th richest woman in the entertainment industry, and in 2012, she topped the list of the highest-paid models according to Forbes. In 2014, Forbes also ranked her as the 89th most powerful woman in the world. Gisele continued to dominate the modeling world, being named the highest-paid model for five consecutive years, from 2007 to 2011. Although she retired from the runway, Gisele remained one of the highest-earning models. In 2016, Forbes estimated her income at $30.5 million. Gisele held the top spot as the highest-paid model from 2002 to 2017 until she was surpassed by Kendall Jenner.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a renowned British model and actress, widely known for her work with Victoria's Secret, where she once graced the brand as one of its Angels. She also became the face of Burberry Body fragrance in 2011. Rosie’s modeling career began when she was just 15 years old. In 2003, she appeared in a Levi's ad, and in 2004, she was featured in Teen Vogue and debuted on the runway in New York alongside Naomi Campbell. This marked a pivotal moment in her rise to stardom.

In 2006, she officially became a Victoria's Secret Angel and went on to participate in their iconic fashion shows. In 2015, Rosie transitioned to acting, playing the role of The Splendid Angharad in the post-apocalyptic action film Mad Max: Fury Road. Rosie’s career has brought her significant financial success, earning $32 million in 2023, securing her spot among the highest-paid models in the world.