The 100 Hottest Supermodels of All Time

Off the runway and into your fantasies.

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Complex Original

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The word "supermodel" was first coined in 1981 by artist Henry Stacy Marks. In an interview with The Strand Magazine, Marks told journalist Harry How, "A good many models are addicted to drink, and, after sitting a while, will suddenly go to sleep. Then I have had what I call the 'super' model. You know the sort of man; he goes in for theatrical effect." From then on, the word would be adopted by journalists and authors everywhere to describe the seemingly different species of Homo sapien, one so statuesque, so perfectly structured, so effortlessly beautiful that it's hard to believe they're part of the same human race that birthed people like us.

And since then, they have gone on to dominate pop culture. The real-life mannequins started with taking over commercials and print ads and moved onto commanding the pages of Vogue and the hearts of big-name designers and film directors. Consequently, they've infiltrated our fantasies. 

There's no sign of the idea of the "supermodel" ever leaving our consciousness. They're here to stay in our wet dreams, on the posters on our wall, and, more often than not, on the arms of enivable Hollywood elite and pro athletes.

A group that started off with about a handful of people has now amassed over hundreds of gorgeous women. But while they're all exceptionally attractive, only a fraction of them are especially memorable. They are the 100 Hottest Supermodels of All Time

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100. Janice Dickinson

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Era: 1970s-1980s
Known For: Face of Revlon, Alberto V05, Balmain, Obao, Christian Dior, Clairol, Hush Puppies, Jenny, Keiko Bathing Suits, Lou Taylor, Max Factor, Virginia Slims, and Cutex

The self-proclaimed "first supermodel" is now recognized for her role as the mean judge on America's Next Top Model. Despite her image today, she was incredibly successful as a young model. She appeared on the cover of Vogue 37 times and was the face of multiple ad campaigns.

99. Carmen Kass

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Era: 1990s-present
Known For: Face of Christian Dior's J’adore, DSquared2, Michael Kors, Chloé and Kenzo

The Estonian model is so much more than a great pair of legs (and lips, and amazing hair, and beautiful face). She was elected president of the Estonian National Chess League in 2004 and is probably the richest girl in Estonia.

98. Alek Wek

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Era: 1990s-Present
Known For: Named MTV's "Model of the Year" in 1997

Wek has faced some unimaginable hardships. She was one of nine children in her family, and together they escaped to Britain to avoid the civil war in Sudan, documented in her autobiography, Alek: From Sudanese Refugee to International Supermodel.

97. Kristen McMenamy

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Era: 1980s-present
Known For: Face of Bally, Fendi, Chanel, Versace, Calvin Klein, Prada, Donna Karan, Cesare Paciotti, Moschino, Giorgio Armani and Versace Atelier

McMenamy was part of the androgynous craze, but she owes a lot of her career to one action: shaving her eyebrows off. After she got rid of her face caterpillars, she was the star of a booking craze. That's right girls, if you want someone's attention, shave off your eyebrows. What could go wrong?

96. Dorian Leigh

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Era: 1940s-1950s
Known For: Covered the September 1944 Harper's Bazaar (her first ever modeling gig), Face of Revlon

Leigh was one of the earliest fashion icons, and widely considered the "first supermodel." She was too old and short for a model, but her eyebrows are what sold her to multiple magazines, including her first cover shot for Harper's Bazaar. She lied about her age, saying she was 19 instead of 27, didn't mention her two children, and became one of the most recognizable models in the world.

95. Lauren Hutton

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Era: 1960s-1970s
Known For: Appeared on the cover of Vogue 27 times

In 2005, at 61-years-old, Hutton showed the world that she still has it when she posed nude for Big magazine. However, she's most revered as the adulteress in American Gigolo.

94. Du Juan

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Era: 2000s-Present
Known For: Miss China (2003), Face of Roberto Cavalli and Giorgio Armani

Du Juan is called the first international Chinese supermodel but she originally trained to become a ballerina. When she became too tall, six foot while en pointe, to find a suitable dance partner, she realized she needed to make a career change.

93. Jerry Hall

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Era: 1970s-1980s
Known For: Face of Invisible Zinc Skincar

Hall's long blonde hair and six-foot frame made photographers go nuts during her era. While she's most famous for her long time relationship with Mick Jagger, her reality show Kept, where she was searching for a boytoy, made her relevant again.

92. Yasmeen Ghauri

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Era: 1990s
Known For: Face of Chanel, Jil Sander, Hermès, Valentino, Anne Klein, Christian Dior, Lanvin, Versace, Muse for Azzedine Alaïa

Part of the "Canadian Invasion" era in modeling history, Ghauri blew away spectators with her runway walk and personal street style. She has since retired from the fashion industry, but let it be known: We owe you Canada.

91. Sophie Dahl

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Face of Boucheron and Yves Saint Laurent's Opium

The granddaughter of Roald Dahl wears many hats. She's a model, who broke industry standards with her 38DD bra size, a writer, and a cooking show host.

90. Rachel Hunter

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Era: 1980s-2000s
Known For: Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 1994, Face of Ultimo

Most fortysomethings nowadays remember the New Zealand bombshell as the chick on Sports Illustrated's classic "Dream Team" swimsuit issue of 1994. But if you were still playing with action figures and LEGOs back then, then you know Rachel best as "Stacy's Mom" in the Fountains of Wayne music video. 

89. Naomi Sims

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Era: 1960s-1970s
Known For: Known for being the first black model on the cover Ladies’ Home Journal in November 1968 and on the cover of Life in October 1969

Sims is widely regarded as the first black supermodel, but that didn't come without facing a lot of adversity to get recognized in the '60s. She began modeling while she was on scholarship at FIT and studying psychology at NYU at the same time. After retiring from the industry, Sims went on to pen several books on modeling, health and beauty.

88. Gia Carangi

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Era: 1970s-1980s
Known For: Muse for Francesco Scavullo

Most of Carangi's dramatic life was documented in Gia starring Angelina Jolie, but before Carangi contracted and died of HIV, she was one of the world's first supermodels. Her rise to fame came suddenly when she was 17, and she told 20/20 she didn't "build into a model. [She] just sort of became one."

87. Nadja Auermann

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Muse for Peter Lindbergh, Face of Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Blumarine and Hermès

New York Times fashion columnist, Guy Trebay, hit the nail on the head when describing Auermann with "ice maiden visage and pole vaulter's legs." After making a name for herself, and her legs, the German model broke into Germany's film industry.

86. Donyale Luna

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Era: 1960s-1970s
Known For: First African American model to cover Vogue UK in March 1966

Donyale Luna was once the hottest model in Europe, but her drug use and difficult personality led to her downfall. She would never wear shoes, despite the weather, and she never paid her bills. She enjoyed brief success as an actress, notably in Andy Warhol films and Satyricon, where she had fire between her legs—literally. Characters would go to her with torches and wait for their turn to light it up.

85. Arizona Muse

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Face of Prada and Yves Saint Laurent

Arizona Muse inherently had her foot in the door—designers and photographers love her last name. She originally started her career in 2008 as a long-haired blonde, but left the runway to give birth to her son. When she returned with jaw-length brunette hair, she gained a lot more attention in the industry. In fact, Muse was ranked the no. 3 model by Models.com this year.

84. Abbey Lee Kershaw

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Face of Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel, Hugo Boss and Tom Ford

If Kershaw wasn't a supermodel, she'd be the hot hipster in your art class. She has ten piercings—including her nose, nipple, and ears—and a number of tattoos. She even has a lizard named Annie Hall.

83. Twiggy Lawson

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Era: 1960s
Known For: Being a 1960s personality

Twiggy was the 1960s version of Tyra Banks, not in looks—Twiggy was androgynous and skinny with doll-like eyes—but in their career. After being dubbed "The Face of 1966," Twiggy enjoyed an acting career and hosted her own talk show. Consequently, the petite model became incredibly influential. Even today, the trend of women in their 60s and 70s remaining stylish is called "The Twiggy Effect."

82. Daria Werbowy

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Era: 2000s-Present
Known For: Face of Celine, Balmain, Valentino, Hermès, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Missoni, Chanel, and Salvatore Ferragamo

Daria Werbowy holds the record for opening and closing the most shows in one season. Designers just can't get enough Werbowy, who is also an avid sailor. In 2011, she sailed from Guatemala around Central America to Costa Rica, a trip that took her two months. Werbowy, one of the world's greatest models, and a fantastic pirate.

81. Freja Beha Ericchsen

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Muse of Karl Lagerfeld, Face of Chanel

Ericchsen is one of the most highly requested models in the industry. Casting agent James Scully even noted, "[Ericchsen] is the perfect old-school clothes-hanger..." which, we guess, is a compliment for models. But most importantly, she lands more chicks than you do.

80. Doutzen Kroes

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Era: 2000s-Present
Known For: Face of Valentino, Calvin Klein White Label, Gianfranco Ferrè, Blumarine, Victoria's Secret Angel

She's shot major campaigns for numerous fashion houses, she's a Victoria's Secret Angel, and she runs a non-profit called Dance4Life, which educates youths about HIV and AIDS through song and dance. Basically, she's the perfect human. Unfortunately, the closest you'll ever get to the Dutch model is standing next to her wax figure at the Amsterdam branch of Madame Tussuad's Wax Museum.

79. Lara Stone

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Face of Givenchy, Calvin Klein, Just Cavalli, Versus by Versace

Lara Stone is one of the most popular "It" girls in the business and has had incredible success. She's known as the anti-model, and highly regarded for not being the typical android on the catwalk. Why is she so low on our list then? Well, there was that little bitty incident where she appeared in blackface in French Vogue's October 2009 issue

78. Jean Shrimpton

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Era: 1960s
Known For: Named "Model of The Year" by Glamour in 1963

Shrimpton is one of the first women to ever be called a "supermodel." "The It Girl" was an icon of Swinging London, and we have her to thank for helping launch the miniskirt.

77. Anja Rubik

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Era: Present
Known For: Face of Emanuel Ungaro, Emporio Armani, Jimmy Choo, Tod's, Chloe, Cesare Paciotti, Oscar de la Renta, Giorgio Armani, Gucci and Fendi

If you can't get enough of Polish models on runways and magazines, then go out, buy a Wii, and invest in Yoga Wii. There's two positives to this: you'll get in shape and get to watch Rubik guide you through 30 different yoga positions.

76. Carolyn Murphy

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Muse for Calvin Klein

Murphy is considered one of our "Modern Muses," thanks to Vogue and Calvin Klein's obsession. But Murphy doesn't just mug it up for still cameras. She appeared in the film Liberty Heights, and she's also set to replace Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as host of the second season of Project Runway All Stars.

75. Anna Bayle

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Era: 1970s-1980s
Known For: Being the first Asian supermodel

When the industry was looking for blondes, Bayle went to Paris and, in two years time, became one of Europe's top models. When she returned to NYC after making a name for herself overseas, she was sent away by an assistant at an agency until the manager saw her leaving. And to think, before her international stardom, she was just another pre-med student on the basketball team in the Philippines.

74. Natalia Vodianova

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Face of Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenburg, Nina Ricci, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy, Spokesperson for David Yurman

The girl who used to sell fruit on the street with her mother has walked in over 175 fashion shows. After escaping her life of poverty, Vodianova became the founder and president of Naked Heart Foundation, an organization that creates safe and inspiring environments for children living in urban Russia.

73. Cintia Dicker

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Era: Present
Known For: Face of DSquared2 and Moschino Jeans

With her freckles, it's easy to confuse Dicker with the girl-next-door. However, we'd like to remind you that your crush in grade school was probably not in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for four years in a row or walking the runway for the biggest fashion houses.

72. Daniela Pestova

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Face of Guess?

Daniela "The Chameleon" Pestova is revered for being able to constantly change her look. The Czech model could credit her success to a woman she could've looked up to: Claudia Schiffer, whom Pestova modeled alongside for Guess? in the '90s.

71. Lindsey Wixson

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Era: 2000s-Present
Known For: Face of Miu Miu, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen

One of IMG Models' greatest mistakes ever is rejecting Lindsey Wixson. The then-15-year-old girl they passed on, the one whose looks apparently "wouldn't translate well on and off the runway," went on to become one of the most talked about models of the 2009-2010 seasons. 

70. Amber Valletta

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Era: 1990s-present
Known For: Face of Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Versace, and Elizabeth Arden

Valletta was incredibly successful as a model, but her film career isn't something to be overlooked. She creeped us out in What Lies Beneath, gained more attention for her role in Hitch and had a recurring role in Revenge as Lydia Davis.

69. Karen Mulder

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Era: 1990s
Known For: Face of MaxMara, Valentino couture, Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel cosmetics

Mulder had a lot of success in the '90s, but her depression overtook her. The Dutch model began making public allegations that powerful executives at her modeling agency, Prince Albert of Monaco, and her own father had tried to rape her. After a brief comeback, reports surfaced that she attacked her plastic surgeon. She has since kept a low profile.

68. Hilary Rhoda

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Era: 2000s-Present
Known For: Face of Balenciaga, Givenchy, Estée Lauder,Valentino, Jones New York, and Donna Karan

Hilary Rhoda should be a household name by now. She's been in the pages of Sports Illustrated, laced up lingerie for Victoria's Secret and worked with major designers. Yet, for some reason, her name stays out of conversation. Take a look at these pictures—clearly, we need to change that. 

67. Liu Wen

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Era: Present
Known For: Face of ck and Estée Lauder, Being the first Asian to walk the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

With her characteristic humor, Wen admitted she was surprised to walk for Victoria's Secret because most of their models "have big boobs."

66. Constance Jablonski

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Era: Present
Known For: Face of D&G, Hermès and Bally

In 2009, Jablonski was the most requested cat-walker of the season. We're still trying to see if she will come cat sit for us as she must be great with animals.

65. Jourdan Dunn

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Era: Present
Known For: Face of Benetton and Burberry

Currently ranked no. 28 on the 50 Top Models list by Models.com, Dunn is a star on the rise. She was the first black model to walk for Prada in over a decade, and she walked in the 2012 London Olympics closing ceremony. If you can't recall her, she was the one rocking the larger-than-life golden headdress.

64. Karlie Kloss

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Era: Present
Known For: Face of See by Chloé, Dolce & Gabbana, Hermès and Christian Dior

Kloss is 20 years old; she can't even legally drink in the U.S. yet and she's already considered one of the top 30 models of the 2000s by Vogue Paris. Her runway walk, often described as powerful, unique, and a "moody gait," is legendary in the fashion world.

63. Coco Rocha

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Era: Present
Known For: Face of Chanel's Paris-London Collection, DeBeers and Coca Cola Light

Rocha is one of the few models who has spoken out about the negative effects her career has on young girls. She has stated that, during her first year of modeling, she was told, "Anorexia is in," and "We don't want you to be anorexic, but that's what we want you to look like." Since then, she's appeared on Anderson to speak about how girls are scouted too young for the industry.

62. Lily Donaldson

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Face of Miss Sixty, Jil Sander, Nicole Farhi, Christian Dior, Max Mara, Gucci and Aldo

If you aren't a die-hard member of the fashion world but Donaldson still looks vaguely familiar to you, it's because of the 2012 London Olympics. She and other models (including Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell) walked the runway during the closing ceremony while your girlfriend asked where the Spice Girls were.

61. Crystal Renn

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Era: 2000s-Present
Known For: Face of Jean Paul Gaultier and Jimmy Choo

One look at Crystal Renn doesn't scream "plus-size," but that's what the 26-year-old beauty has been marketed as. The size-eight Miami native, who posed for the pages of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue this year, was the first model weighing more than a feather to cover Harper's Bazaar

60. Gemma Ward

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Era: 2000s
Known For: Face of Jill Sander, Hermès, Valentino, Burberry, Calvin Klein's Obsession, Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton

Sometimes we spend hours staring at Gemma Ward. Yes, of course, because she's beautiful. But also because we want to make sure she blinks and we're not just staring at a life-size doll.

She may have retired from modeling, but that is far from the last you'll see of Ward. She's already starting to build a pretty impressive film résumé and will be in The Great Gatsby in 2013 as Catherine.

59. Carol Alt

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Era: 1980s-1990s
Known For: Covered Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (1982), Face of Diet Pepsi, General Motors, Cover Girl Cosmetics, Noxema and Hanes

Alt got into modeling when she was 18 years old to try to make money for college. We tried the same thing, which explains why we're in debt. Toward the end of the '80s, Alt shifted her focus on her acting career and the Queens-born model began appearing in numerous Italian productions.

58. Rebecca Romijn

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Host of MTV's House of Style, Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (1999)

Romijn's hotness speaks for itself. She can be covered in blue body paint, like in X-Men, or playing a character who was born a man, like in Ugly Betty, and it would not deter anyone from still hitting on her.

57. Milla Jovovich

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Era: 1980s-present
Known For: Spokesperson for L'Oreal and Mango, Face of Ann Taylor

It's not often that we're terrified of models (except for looking like losers in front of them), but Jovovich is the scariest of all. Her hobbies include martial arts, and she's become an action star thanks to the Resident Evil franchise. We fancy that Jovovich would be a good companion if there ever was a real zombie apocalypse.

56. Irina Shayk

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Covered Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2011), Face of Intimissimi and La Clover

We spoke of our Shayk love before. She may have gotten a late start for a model, at age 19, but she has quickly taken the world by storm. Cristiano Rinaldo's jump-off even appeared in the Kanye video, "Power."

55. Esti Ginzburg

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Era: Present
Known For: Appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2009, 2010, 2011)

Ginzburg's feud with fellow Israeli model, Bar Refaeli, is legendary in the inner circles of the fashion world. What could the two models fight over? Well, it's not as shallow as you probably assumed. Ginzburg criticized Refaeli for avoiding mandatory Israeli military service through a short-lived marriage to a family friend, while Ginzburg was proudly drafted in 2009, ending her service in 2011.

54. Tatjana Patitz

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Era: 1980s-2000s
Known For: Face of Valentino and Marina Rinaldi

Patitz was considered a great supermodel of her era, appearing on innumerable magazine covers and international television commercials. The secret to her success? Her suggestive name.

53. Alyssa Miller

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Era: Present
Known For: Face of Stella McCartney, Diesel and Guess?

Miller always thought she'd appear in Sports Illustrated for soccer, one of her passions and what she thought she'd be doing professionally. The sports mag still got her though, when she appeared in their Swimsuit Issue covered in body paint. Close enough!

52. Izabel Goulart

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Era: 2000s
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel, Face of A/X Armani Exchange and Dolce & Gabbana

During Goulart's fashion show debut, she experienced a wardrobe malfunction when her bikini top fell off on the runway. While we're sure it seemed like a high school nightmare for her, it was one of those moments where humanity looks up to the heavens and says, "Thanks, man."

51. Molly Sims

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (1999), Spokesperson for Old Navy

Before Sims was Delinda Deline in Las Vegas and before she famously wore a bikini for Sports Illustrated that was worth $30 million, Sims was just a Delta Delta Delta sorority girl trying to become a lawyer. We don't say this often, but thank god she dropped out. Now, Sims is best known for her acting career, her roles in comedy films, and, most notably, as the girl who inspired Andy Samberg's first riff of, "Jizzed in My Pants."

50. Josie Maran

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Face of Guess?, Spokesperson for Maybelline

Things you may not know about Maran: she was in a Backstreet Boys music video, she was in a band with Nicole Ritchie, and she played one of Dracula's wives in Van Helsing. Things you do know about Maran: she's hot. You're so lucky you have us here to educate you.

49. Angela Lindvall

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Era: 1990s-present
Known For: Face of Chanel, Christian Dior, Missoni, Calvin Klein, Fendi, Zara, Hermès and Prada

The Best Dressed Environmentalist Award goes to Lindvall. The only thing Lindvall loves more than, we assume, stepping out of eight-inch heels into comfy cozy slippers, is the environment. She is the founder and president of Collage Foundation, which promotes sustainability and environmentally conscious choices among young people.

48. Jessica White

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Face of Chloe and CoverGirl

To the fashion industry, she's the girl whom Tyra Banks dubbed as "the model of her generation." To Hollywood, she's the chick who made a cameo in Big Mamma's House 2. To tabloid readers, she's that really hot chick Sean Penn dated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

47. Candice Swanepoel

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel, Face of Guess? swimwear

Candice Swanepoel became a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2010, and the world would just like to take this moment to thank the underwear company for all they have done for us.

46. Erin Wasson

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Face of Roberto Cavalli, Donna Karan, Tiffany's & Co, Giorgio Armani and Michael Kors,

Wasson is one of the most recognizable models of her generation and quickly becoming a highly regarded fashion designer herself. Recently, the free-spirited beauty appeared in the historically correct film Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter as the vampire Vadoma.

45. Yamila Diaz-Rahi

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: First Latina model of CoverGirl

Yamila Diaz-Rahi almost never became a supermodel. The Argentine beauty was studying Economics in Buenos Aires when, in 1996, she was discovered while vacationing in Uruguay. Had she even missed that flight or decided on another tourist spot, the pages of Sports Illustrated would've felt strangely empty.

44. Fernanda Tavares

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Face of Chloe and Guerlain

Gisele Bundchen's BFF, Tavares, was paid over one million dollars to appear nude in her Guerlain ad. If that doesn't speak enough about her hotness, we invite you to do a Google image search. One time, the Brazilian media criticized her for being in "poor shape" when she had cellulite at a fashion show. To which we'd respond, "Shut up Brazilian media, shut up. Don't interrupt this."

43. Beverly Johnson

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Era: 1970s-1980s
Known For: Being the first African American model to appear on the cover of Vogue and the French edition of Elle in 1974

Johnson was the first black model to appear on Vogue and the French edition of Elle magazine in 1974 and she is considered one of the most influential people of the 20th century in fashion. She is currently the star of her reality TV show, Beverly's Full House, where she tries to make amends with her daughter, Anansa Sims, the plus-sized model.

42. Jessica Gomes

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Face of Diddy's Unforgivable fragrance and Emprani Cosmetics

She's hot, she's exotic, she's Australian. The wonder from down under looks a lot more accessible than her icy Russian model counterparts. Besides modeling, our November 2007 cover girl is a full-fledged celebrity overseas, even appearing on Korea's Dancing With the Stars.

41. Isabeli Fontana

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Era: 1990s-present
Known For: Face of Hermès, H&M Lingerie, Missoni, Louis Vuitton cruise, Cesare Paciotti, Moschino and Dolce & Gabbana

Fontana sparked controversy when she was 16 and appeared in a Victoria's Secret catalog in lingerie. Soon after, however, she was signed by Versace, Ralph Lauren, and Valentino. After all, there's no such thing as bad publicity.

40. Shalom Harlow

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Face of DKNY, Isaac Mizrahi, Chanel, Anne Klein, BCBG, Max Azria, Versace, Giorgio Armani and Tiffany & Co.

Harlow is mostly retired from modeling, but she still appears on magazine covers to ensure that we are still in love with her. If you haven't followed her modeling career though, you've probably seen her films. Remember that girl who bet Matthew McConaughey that he couldn't get a girl to love him in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days? Harlow at her best.

39. Christine Teigen

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Era: Present
Known For: Named the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue "Rookie of the Year" in 2010

Forget boring photoshoots, Teigen is currently trying to make her moves on the television world. Her credentials already include appearing as a substitute model on Deal or No Deal, filming a special for the Cooking Channel called Cookies and Cocktails, and serving as a recurring guest host for EXTRA.

Fun fact: Despite the numerous swimsuits she's modeled, she is reportedly terrified of swimming.

38. Veronica Verakova

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Covered Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2004), Face of NIVEA

Like most models, Verakova is interested in things besides clothes and walking down a skinny aisle in high heels while people snap countless photos. Her hobbies include painting, golfing, and climbing the highest free-standing mountain in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro. You know, usual model stuff.

37. Raica Oliveira

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Face of Lancome, Avon, Ultimo and Punto Blanco

Despite being the body of Ultimo lingerie, Oliveria, dubbed as "The Sensation" in 1999, has explicitly stated she will never go nude. Yeah, that sensation you're feeling now is probably disappointment.

36. Chanel Iman

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel, Muse for Phillip Lim

In between having dinner with Sarah Jessica Parker and President Obama (while helping raise money for his campaign), Iman is busy being a Victoria's Secret Angel, opening a clothing boutique with her mother called "The Red Bag," and lending support to the East African Drought.

35. Karolina Kurkova

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel, Face of Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Bottega Veneta, and MaxMara

With a name like Karolina Kurkova, she was pretty much born to dominate the runway. And she has, for such designers like Vera Wang and Karl Lagerfeld. Czech her out! Get it?! No? OK, moving on.

34. Jessica Stam

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Face of H&M, Giorgio Armani, Christian Dior and Bvlgari

Jessica "Doll Face" Stam was discovered in a Tim Hortons, a bake shop most people go to stuff their face with donuts, after coming back from Canada's Wonderland. Which left many girls to say, "Hold up. A trip to an amusement park, followed by donuts, followed by someone telling her she's beautiful enough to make money just by being beautiful? How did you get my diary from fourth grade?" Stam has it all, even a line in Kanye's "Christian Dior Denim Flow."

33. Ana Beatriz Barros

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue(2002), Face of JLo Lingerie,

Barros is known for being fit, sexy, and, as JLo put it, "urban." The Brazilian beauty has walked for almost all of the most prestigious fashion houses and continues to give helpful advice to young girls: "Be nice and don't give up."

32. Brooklyn Decker

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Era: Present
Known For: Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2010)

Brooklyn Decker has all the makings of the "hot girl" in a coming-of-age teen flick about a boy trying to lose his virginity. She's got suburban girl-next-door looks, she's from a small town in Ohio, and she was discovered at her local mall. It's no wonder the all-American former Sports Illustrated cover model is every shaggy-haired boy's wet dream. And one of those boys actually landed her: tennis pro Andy Roddick, her husband.

31. Marisa Miller

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel, Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2008), Face of True Religion Jeans

Our November 2008 cover girl boxes, surfs, is a muscle car and Harley Davidson enthusiast, and she'll more than likely shotgun a beer during Sunday football. The only difference between her and your best guy friend is that she just happens to look really good in Victoria's Secret lingerie.

30. Petra Nemcova

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Era: 2000s
Known For: Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2003), Face of Fortunoff Jewelry, Rampage, Hewlett-Packard-computers, and Anne Taylor's fragrance Possibilities

Excuse Nemcova for not always being in the spotlight when it comes to modeling, she's a bit busy trying to save the world. She started Happy Hearts Fund, after the Tsunami of 2004, which killed her fiance and left her holding onto the top of a palm tree for eight hours before she was rescued with a broken pelvis.

Her organization sent 100% of donations to children who were affected by the tsunami and helped ensure them housing, food, and education. She and her charity also helped victims of Hurricane Katrina and the 2007 Peru earthquake.

29. Emanuela De Paula

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Face of Alexandre Herchcovitch

De Paula is the quintessential "model." She carries herself with grace, she has an undeniable sense of fashion, and she has cheekbones you could cut bread with. Is that an expression?

28. Eva Herzigova

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Face of Guess?, Wonderbra, Roberto Cavalli and Chopard

"Hello Boys," were the only two words printed on Herzigova's Wonderbra's debut advertisment. The magical tool of female power, the Wonderbra, pushes up Herzigova's assets in such a way that even she is surprised they're up there.

27. Iman

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Era: 1970s-1980s
Known For: Muse of Yves St. Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent once said, "My dream woman is Iman." Ours too, man, but for probably different reasons—as in, we don't want to dress her up. Just kidding, we know she's David Bowie's girl, and we still have nightmares about Labyrinth; we'd never try to come between her and the Goblin King.

26. Elsa Benitez

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Era: 1990s
Known For: Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2001)

If you told us the Final Destination franchise was based on the Mexican's model own experiences, we'd believe you...considering her escape from death is eerily similar to the first film's first scene. In 1996, Benitez was slated to board the TWA Flight 800 that exploded over the Atlantic shortly after takeoff, but she switched her ticket after having a premonition.

25. Bar Refaeli

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Era: 1990s-present
Known For: Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2009), Spokesperson for Moët & Chandon

Refaeli has been modeling since she was a little younger than eight months old. What were you doing at eight months old, slacker?! After taking over the fashion industry, a goal she had in mind since she was literally in diapers, the Israeli beauty is now focusing on an acting career.

24. Alessandra Ambrosio

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel, Face of Next

Ambrosio's last name should really be Ambrosia, considering she's famous for being quite the eye candy. And she constantly keeps us satiated—with sexy lingerie pictures, no less.

23. Heidi Klum

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Era: 1990s-present
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel, Host of Project Runway, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl

And now, a brief history lesson of Heidi Klum's heritage: Klum's ancestry is rich with good looking ladies. In fact, they were so good looking that their last name was bestowed upon them. However, due to a censorship rule in the '40s, an "L" was thrown in. But their family crest remains the same. Translated from its original German it reads, "Art thou in or art thou out?"

Disclaimer: None of this is true. But really, is there anything we don't know about the world's most popular supermodel of the moment?

22. Paulina Porzikova

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Era: 1980s-1990s
Known For: Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (1984, 1985), Face of Oscar de la Renta, Versace, and Escada

Porizkova was a celebrity before she was even being considered to model clothes. After her parents fled Czechoslovakia because of the Warsaw Pact invasion, they thought Paulina could be brought out later. What followed was a seven-year split between Paulina and her parents and a surge of media attention surrounding the fight for her custody. Sometime after their reunion, when Paulina turned 18, her friend sent photos of her to Elite Modeling Agency hoping to be hired as a photographer. Instead, they signed Paulina as a model.

21. Joan Smalls

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Host of MTV's House of Style reboot, Face of Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, Stella McCartney and Estee Lauder

Joan Smalls is the new generation's Tyra Banks. The host of MTV's rebooted House of Style has appeared in countless campaigns, including Chanel and Barney's New York, and in numerous editorials for mags such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. According to Models.com, she's currently ranked the no. 1 model in the world as of September 2012.

20. Cheryl Tiegs

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Era: 1970s-early 1980s
Known For: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl three times (1970, 1975,1983)

Tiegs, besides being a foxy supermodel and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition staple, also helped turn the drowning company, Sears, around. Her own fashion line made nearly a billion dollars. Yeah, the girl in the pink bikini on the poster you found in your dad's stash helped save a department store and she's now saving the Earth by encouraging everyone to go green.

19. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Face of Paul Smith, Burberry and Loewe, Spokesperson for Victoria's Secret Pink Line

Our former cover girl Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is the only woman who could possibly replace Megan Fox in Transformers. While reviews of the film were scathing, we wonder how a director could go wrong when the opening shot of his movie is Whiteley's butt. Literally, it's the only thing we remember from it, Michael Bay.

18. Miranda Kerr

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel, Face of Arden B.

Kerr, who's married to Hollywood elf Orlando Bloom, maintains her gorgeous looks with daily yoga, light jogging, and eating steamed veggies, fresh fruit, and fish. If you've ever wondered why there aren't more beauties like Kerr in the world, it's because her diet is boring as shit.

17. Selita Ebanks

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel, Played "The Phoenix" in Kanye West's "Runaway"

Selita Ebanks is best known as the girl who inspired uncomfortable thoughts of bestiality in us when she embodied "The Phoenix" in Kanye West's short film for "Runaway." Playing a winged creature is natural to Ebanks, who's second most famous for being a Victoria's Secret Angel.

16. Kate Upton

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Era: Present
Known For: Muse for Terry Richardson, Face of Beach Bunny Swimwear, Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2012)

For those of you who don't know who Kate Upton is: Hello, the year is 2012, we hope the coma you were in wasn't too inconvenient and we're here to update you on what is important in our day and age. Kate Upton's pretty much it. Here are two videos of our former "Hot Complex" star milking a cow and doing the Cat Daddy.

15. Helena Christensen

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Era: 1990s
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel

Christensen is an enigma to us. After being asked if normal girls would feel comfortable in her self-designed clothing, the Denmark beauty queen is infamously quoted as saying, "I don't care. I have no clue. I don't think about anyone but me." However, she's also well known for her support and funding of breast cancer organizations.

14. Stephanie Seymour

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Era: 1980s-1990s
Known For: Face of Almay Cosmetics, Christian Dior, Valentino and Louis Vuitton

What's great about Stephanie besides her stunning looks is her name, because it's exactly what we'd like to do. We love when people's names are like a pun. Yes Stephanie, we'd like to see more. See more, Seymour. Haha.

13. Christie Brinkley

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Era: 1970s-2000s
Known For: Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (1979, 1980, 1981), Face of CoverGirl

Brinkley is often considered the most beautiful of the all-American beauties. The California girl was plucked from a post office in Paris and skyrocketed to international stardom. Nowadays, however, Brinkley is less known for her fancy shoots and more famous for her multiple marriages, including to Billy Joel, the Piano Man himself.

12. Niki Taylor

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Era: 1990s
Known For: Face of CoverGirl, Became a millionaire at 16 for her company Niki, Inc.

Here's a fun fact about Niki: Her parent's names are Ken and Barbara, so obviously she has some Barbie doll-like genes in her. This explains why she was the first girl younger than 18 to sign as a spokesmodel for CoverGirl.

11. Kathy Ireland

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Era: 1980s-1990s
Known For: Made 13 consecutive appearances in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition

Ireland has moved on since her bikini days. While Forbes calls her the "prototype for model-turned-mogul," British Vogue names her the richest model in 2012, over the widely regarded top-earner Giselle Bundchen. And it all started from putting her name on socks at KMart, which quickly became their best-seller.

10. Elle Macpherson

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Era: 1980s-2000s
Known For: Covered the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue five times (1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, 2006), Appeared in every issue of Elle for six consecutive years

Sports Illustrated covers aside, The Body—a nickname well deserved—has won awards just for being a great entrepreneur with her lingerie line, Elle Macpherson Intimates, and her skincare line, The Body. Her only downfall? She's not very original when it comes to naming her companies.

9. Linda Evangelista

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Era: 1980s-1990s
Known For: Muse of photographer Steven Meisel

Linda Evangelista is infamous. You might remember the Canadian model as the woman who had Selma Hayek's now-ex-husband's (the French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault) love child. Or you might recall when she told Vogue magazine, "We don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day." But, chances are, you remember her from one of her 600 magazine editorials.

8. Naomi Campbell

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Era: 1980s-1990s
Known For: First black model to cover French Vogue

Campbell is famous for being an O.G. supermodel, dating everyone from Mike Tyson to Robert De Niro, appearing in nude photos with Madonna and Big Daddy Kane in the book Sex, and maybe a couple of highly publicized convictions for assault.

7. Christy Turlington

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Era: 1980s-1990s
Known For: Face of Calvin Klein for 20 years

Turlington repped Calvin Klein from 1987 to 2007—that's 20 years of looking absolutely perfect. But the model isn't just a hot body in tight jeans. After her documentary, No Woman, No Cry—about maternal mortality in Tanzania, Bangladesh, Guatemala, and the United States—was completed, she founded Every Mother Counts to increase education and reduce maternal mortality around the world.

6. Gisele Bundchen

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel, Walked Alexander McQueen's rain-themed show in towering heels in 1998, Face of Dolce & Gabbana for 11 straight campaigns

Ah, Gisele. What could we possible say about her that hasn't already been said? Let's tick off the list: she's regarded as the only "remaining supermodel," married to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, the highest paid model in the fashion industry, and she's dubbed "the Boobs from Brazil"—she inspired 36,000 breast enhancement surgeries in Brazil in 2000 alone.

5. Claudia Schiffer

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Era: 1980s-2000s
Known For: Face of Guess?, Chanel and Yves St. Laurent

This household name rose to fame in the '90s and quickly became one of the most ubiquitous models ever. Which explains why she's so frequently stalked, including one guy who claimed the Pope told him to marry her.

4. Adriana Lima

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Era: 2000s-present
Known For: Victoria's Secret Angel, Known as "the Catherine Zeta-Jones of Italy" for campaign with Telecom Italia Mobile, Face of Donna Karan and Guess?

The Brazilian bombshell is a good girl. She apparently attends Mass every Sunday, and in 2006, sparked men to have an obsession with her when she confessed she was a virgin and sex is for after marriage. Lima, the girl who's considered the hottest Victoria's Secret Angel of all time, successfully waited for the bling when she married NBA player Marko Jaric.

3. Tyra Banks

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Era: 1990s-early 2000s
Known For: Host of America's Next Top Model, First African-American to cover the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Victoria's Secret Angel

Tyra Banks is one of the most recognizable models of our time. She was featured in everything from Vogue to the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. But no matter how publicized she is, you don't know where the hell she's come from! You still have no idea what she's been through! 

2. Cindy Crawford

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Era: 1980s-1990s
Known For: Host of MTV's House of Style, Face of Halston and Pepsi,

Cindy Crawford is one model who simply cannot settle for not being the best. She changed the "All-American Girl" image from blonde hair and blue eyes to Cindy Crawford; she took Marilyn Monroe's iconic mole and made it Cindy Crawford; she's even invading your homes and making your furniture more like Cindy Crawford. From model to furniture designer, Crawford will not fail.

1. Kate Moss

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Era: 1990s-2000s
Known For: Face of Calvin Klein, Rimmel London and Topshop

While the poster child of heroin chic is a controversial figure, it's undeniable how much she has affected pop culture as a whole. In the 1990s, Moss was an unstoppable force. She ruled over Calvin Klein, dated Johnny Depp, and partied until her heart was content. Nowadays, she's still the Queen of Cool—just peep her Supreme ads.

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