Biography
Who is Gisele Bündchen?
Early life and background
Gisele Caroline Bündchen was born on July 20, 1980, in Horizontina, Brazil. Her parents are Valdir Bündchen and Vânia Nonnenmacher, and she grew up with five sisters, including a fraternal twin. The family is Catholic, and her grandfather once served as mayor of Horizontina.
As a student, she studied German and speaks English fluently alongside her native Portuguese. Initially, she aspired to be a volleyball player. However, in 1993, her mother enrolled her and her sisters in a modeling course to build confidence and posture.
Modeling discovery and career beginnings
Following the modeling course, Gisele Bündchen traveled to Curitiba, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. She was discovered by Elite Model Management at a shopping center and placed second in the Elite Model Look national contest. In 1995, she moved to São Paulo to begin her professional career.
The following year, she debuted at New York Fashion Week. After facing initial rejections in London, she was cast in an Alexander McQueen runway show in 1998. That same year, she posed for major fashion houses including Missoni, Chloé, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, and Versace.
Rise to supermodel status
Gisele Bündchen signed with IMG Models in 1999 and quickly became a dominant force in the industry. Vogue credited her with bringing the heroin chic era to an end. She appeared on numerous magazine covers and won the VH1/Vogue Model of the Year award in 1999.
From 1999 to 2006, she worked as a Victoria's Secret Angel. During her tenure, she wore the Red Hot Fantasy Bra in 2000 and the Sexy Splendor Fantasy Bra in 2005. She is also credited with popularizing the horse walk on the runway and appeared on more than 1,200 magazine covers.
Acting and environmental work
Beyond modeling, Gisele Bündchen pursued acting roles. She appeared in the 2004 remake of Taxi alongside Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon, and played Serena in The Devil Wears Prada in 2006. She also executive produced the educational cartoon Gisele & the Green Team.
An active environmentalist, she has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program since 2009. Her philanthropic efforts also support organizations such as Save the Children, the Red Cross, and Doctors Without Borders.
Birthday and age
Gisele Bündchen was born on July 20, 1980, which makes Gisele 46 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Gisele shares the date with 31 other famous people.
Explore more
