Being a model is one thing; being able to turn modelling into a profitable, long-term career is a whole another game. Modelling is a career path that does not require any training or investment; your only capital is your appearance. When you’re a top fashion model, it’s easy to break into the film industry and establish yourself as one of the highest-paid performers. However, there is a lot more happening behind the scenes than meets the eye. It’s difficult not to lose your mind in a self-conscious world, with super early wakeups, frequent travel, and being continuously scrutinized by critics and fans alike. However, these females have left their mark in the modelling sector, reshaping it and using their position as a platform to become more relevant.
So, it is no surprise that they have proven themselves to be worth a spot in the world’s top ten highest-paid models.
10 Highest Paid Models in the World
1. Kendall Jenner ($30 Million)
Right now, she is among the most beautiful people on the planet. Kendall ranks first among the highest-paid models in the world. Kendall’s ‘ballet skills’ have lately come under scrutiny, but hey, she made $10 million in 2018. We do not think she cares for the haters. She’s amongst the most popular Instagram users.
She is mainly remembered for her reality show ‘Keeping Up with The Kardashians’, in addition to walking the runway for some of the most prestigious brands and serving as a spokesperson for Este Lauder and La Perla. Jenner had breakthrough seasons in 2014 and 2015, walking the runways for high-end designers in New York, Milan, and Paris Fashion Week.
2. Gigi Hadid ($29 Million)
Gigi, who is only 25, is one of the highest-paid actresses, with an approximate net worth of $29 million. Contracts with Maybelline, Tommy Hilfiger, BMW, and Topshop have helped her climb the rankings. At Models.com, she was ranked among the Top 50 Models. Also, the British Fashion Council named her International Model of the Year 2016.
Gigi started her modelling career at the age of two when she was spotted by Paul Marciano of Guess. She continued with Baby Guess but took a break to focus on school, but she eventually returned and continued to work with them.
3. Cara Delevingne ($28 Million)
Perhaps a pleasant surprise. Cara Jocelyn Delevingne is ranked third in the top ten highest-paid models in 2021. She is now concentrating on her film career, but she is still very well-known in the modelling world. With 43.4 million Instagram followers, she is among the most popular, if not the most popular, earners.
Delevingne is a singer, actress, and fashion model. Delevingne began modelling at the age of ten, and in 2009, after graduating from high school, she affiliated with Storm Model Management. Delevingne was named “Model of the Year” at the British Fashion Awards twice, in 2012 and 2014.
4. Joan Smalls ($26 Million)
The Puerto Rican actress, a runway professional, appears in more shows than her other list members while also shooting advertisements for Estee Lauder, Moschino fragrances, and other brands. Smalls is also one of the most well-known and well-paid models in the country. She first joined the fashion world in 2007, once she moved to Queens with her aunt after leaving her homeland. Elite Model Management quickly signed her. She starred in Ricky Martin’s “It’s Alright” music video with the aid of designer Riccardo Tisci whilst in her first year in the industry.
5. Karlie Kloss ($25 Million)
Karlie Kloss, an American fashion model and entrepreneur, is ranked number 5 with a net worth of $25 million. From 2011 to 2015, Kloss, one of America’s most stunning models, was a Victoria’s, Secret Angel. She is one of the most attractive models in the United States. Karlie Kloss got her start in modelling when she was spotted at a mall charity fashion show by Mother Model Management, the same agency that launched Ashton Kutcher’s career. Two years later in 2007, she participated in her first formal fashion show for Calvin Klein at New York Fashion Week.
6. Bella Hadid ($25 Million)
The most recent addition to the list of highest-paid models. Hadid, 24, is the star of Dior Beauty, Bulgari, and Tag Heuer watches. Advertisements are still commonplace, but companies are increasingly valuing her messages to her 39.9 million followers on Instagram. Bella Hadid’s wealth was $12 million in 2018 but is now expected to reach $25 million by 2021. Bella was also ranked 8th on her sister’s Forbes list of the highest-paid models in 2018, despite earning a million dollars less than Gigi Hadid.
7. Liu Wen ($23 Million)
Liu Wen, a Chinese supermodel, has both the face as well as the body; her long-term contracts with Estee Lauder and La Perla make her among the highest-paid models in the world. She is the very first East Asian-American model to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Liu was the second Chinese model to grace the front cover of American Vogue in 2017. She is based in New York City and is defined by The Society Management.
8. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley ($13 Million)
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, is one of the most beautiful English models, is ranked number eight on our list. Home-grown talent pulled in a cool $13 million. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, the majority newcomer, designed her range of lingerie, make-up, and perfumes for department store Marks & Spencer’s. She got her work experience at London West End-based model agency Profile as a 15-year-old student before beginning her GCSEs.
Her first modelling session was for Levi’s jeans advert after she graduated from high school in the summer of 2003 at the age of 16. When she went to New York City for a shoot with Teen Vogue in January 2004, she had her first big break.
9. Adriana Lima ($11.5 Million)
The longest-serving angel in Victoria Secret history, the Brazilian supermodel is officially ranked ninth among the world’s highest-paid models. Lima has been a spokesmodel for Maybelline cosmetics since 2000, and even from 2003 to 2009, she appeared in Super Bowl and Kia Motors advertisements. Victoria’s Secret Angel is her most well-known role.
Lima first considered modelling after winning a beauty contest in grade school. She then competed in Ford’s “Supermodel of Brazil” competition at the age of 15. She then placed second in Ford’s “Supermodel of the World” competition. She then relocated to New York City, where she partnered with Elite Model Management, and her career has taken off.
10. Emily Ratajkowski ($11.4 Million)
She is a model and actress from the United States, who was born on June 7, 1991. She first featured on the cover of the pornographic magazine treats! in March 2012, which led to her starring in two music videos: Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” (the number-one single of 2013 in many countries) and Maroon 5’s “Love Somebody.” Ratajkowski was featured in the swimsuit issues of Sports Illustrated in 2014 and 2015.
She started her professional career runway modelling debut for Marc Jacobs at New York Fashion Week in 2015, and she has later walked for Miu Miu and Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, and Versace at Paris Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week, respectively.
