Gisele Bündchen: The Supermodel With A $400 Million Empire

Just How Rich is Gisele Bündchen?

Let me tell you about Gisele Bündchen, the Brazilian supermodel who has amassed a staggering net worth of $400 million. Now, here's the kicker: this fortune stands independently from her ex-husband Tom Brady's $250 million empire. Back in the day, when they were married, their combined net worth reached a cool $650 million. But here's the real shocker—how did Gisele manage to out-earn Tom? Let’s break it down: Over a 20-year span in the NFL, from 2000 to 2020, Tom Brady earned $330 million through salary and endorsements. Meanwhile, Gisele pulled in over $500 million during that same time period. Impressive, right?

Gisele didn't just become famous; she revolutionized the modeling industry. She was part of the first wave of intelligent and ambitious Brazilian models who set a global standard. Thanks to her influence, Brazilian models are now synonymous with professionalism, intelligence, and business acumen. Gisele paved the way for an entire generation, earning her the title of the last great "supermodel." Over the years, she's built an empire that spans fashion, entertainment, and even real estate.

Her career highlights include working with top designers, creating her signature runway walk, bringing back the "curvy" model trend, becoming a Victoria's Secret icon, launching her own flip-flop line, acting in films, producing her own TV show, and serving as a Goodwill Ambassador. Oh, and she owns properties across the globe. Talk about diversifying your portfolio!

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Her Journey Begins: Early Life

Gisele Bündchen was born on July 20, 1980, in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. She hails from a family of German descent and was raised alongside her twin sister Patricia and four other siblings—Raquel, Graziela, Gabriela, and Rafaela. Growing up, Gisele was fluent in multiple languages, including Portuguese, English, Italian, Spanish, and French. Surprisingly, her early passion wasn’t modeling—it was volleyball. In fact, she once dreamed of making a career out of the sport. However, fate had other plans.

In 1993, Gisele, along with her sisters Patricia and Gabriela, took a modeling course to improve their posture. Fast forward to the next year, and Gisele found herself discovered in a mall in São Paulo by Elite Model Management. Though she only placed second in the Elite Model Look contest, the experience marked the beginning of her journey. By early 1995, at just 14 years old, Gisele moved to São Paulo to kickstart her modeling career. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Breaking Into the Big Leagues: Her Career

Gisele's big break came in 1996 at New York Fashion Week, where she made waves on the runway. However, her journey wasn’t always smooth sailing. In 1997, she auditioned for 43 shows but was only chosen for two international gigs. Her big moment came when she walked the runway for Alexander McQueen's Spring 1998 ready-to-wear collection, "Rain." What set her apart? Her ability to glide effortlessly on a slippery runway in sky-high heels. That same year, she became the face of major ad campaigns for Missoni, Chloe, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Gianfranco Ferre, Ralph Lauren, and Versace. Vogue Paris, British Vogue, and i-D all featured her on their covers, cementing her status as a rising star.

In 1999, Gisele graced the cover of American Vogue twice, marking a pivotal moment in her career. By 2000, Rolling Stone named the then-20-year-old "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World," placing her on the cover. She's often credited with creating the category of the Brazilian bombshell—a model archetype that became a global phenomenon.

Her success only grew from there. In 2000, she was featured on 37 international Vogue covers, including three American editions. During Fashion Week that spring, Gisele opened shows for Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, and Christian Dior in New York, Paris, and Milan. For a decade, from 1993 to 2003, she was the face of every Dolce & Gabbana campaign.

Gisele signed a $25 million contract with Victoria's Secret in 2000, marking a major milestone. That same year, she modeled the $15 million Victoria's Secret Fantasy Bra, known as the Red Hot Fantasy Bra, which holds the Guinness World Record for the most expensive lingerie ever created. In 2005, she donned the $12.5 million Sexy Splendor Fantasy Bra, the second-most expensive bra ever made. Gisele's partnership with Victoria's Secret ended in 2007, but her influence on the brand remains unmatched.

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Gisele continued to dominate the industry, gracing the cover of American Vogue for the 11th time in 2010. Her July 2011 Vogue Brasil issue became the magazine's best-selling edition, selling 70,743 copies. By 2015, she had starred in over 500 ad campaigns, walked in 800 fashion shows, appeared on 2,000 magazine covers, and been featured in 3,500 magazine editorials. Talk about leaving a legacy!

The FTX Fallout

In 2021, Gisele and Tom Brady announced their partnership with the crypto exchange FTX, becoming "Brand Ambassadors." They appeared in several commercials for the platform. But as we all know, FTX collapsed into bankruptcy in November 2022. The company's CEO and co-founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, was arrested and extradited from the Bahamas to the U.S. to face charges of money laundering and wire fraud.

A January 2023 bankruptcy court filing revealed that Gisele and Tom were equity holders in FTX. Gisele received 686,761 common shares, while Tom was awarded 1,144,861 common shares. Television personality Kevin O'Leary, who received 32,000 shares, estimated his FTX stake was worth $1 million at its peak. Using these figures, it's estimated that at one point, Tom and Gisele's combined 1.8 million shares were worth approximately $57 million. They likely also received tens of millions in additional compensation.

Unfortunately, like many other celebrity endorsers, Tom and Gisele will likely see no return on their equity stakes due to the collapse.

Acting Ventures

Gisele ventured into acting, co-starring with Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon in the 2004 remake of "Taxi." In 2006, she played Serena in "The Devil Wears Prada," showcasing her versatility beyond the runway.

Her Personal Life

Gisele's personal life has been as fascinating as her career. She dated model Scott Barnhill and actor Josh Hartnett before starting a high-profile relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio from 2000 to 2005. She briefly dated surfer Kelly Slater in 2005-2006.

Gisele began dating New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in late 2006 after a blind date set up by a mutual friend. They tied the knot in a private ceremony at St. Monica's Catholic Church in Santa Monica, California, in February 2009. Later that year, they held a second ceremony in Costa Rica. Together, they have two children and Gisele is also a stepmother to Brady's son with actress Bridget Moynahan. However, after years of marriage, Tom and Gisele officially divorced in October 2022.

Gisele is deeply committed to humanitarian causes, contributing to initiatives like the I Am African campaign, (Product) Red, and Zero Hunger. She's also raised funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Hurricane Katrina relief. Recognized for her efforts in preserving rainforests and promoting reforestation, Gisele was named a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme.

Her Modeling Earnings

Gisele was the highest-paid model in the world from 2002 to 2017. To date, she has earned a staggering $500 million from her modeling and endorsement career alone. In 2015, she was recognized in the Guinness World Records as the model who earned the most money in a single year, from June 2014 to June 2015.

Her Real Estate Portfolio

Massachusetts

In 2013, Tom and Gisele purchased a lot in a gated community in Brookline, Massachusetts, for $4.5 million. They custom-built a 10,000-square-foot mansion, which they later listed for $39.5 million in 2019. As of this writing, it remains unsold.

Tom also bought a building in Boston for $6.24 million in 2006. After spending $11.5 million to convert it into four condos, he sold the penthouse for $9.3 million in 2011 and the remaining units for a combined $8 million.

Brentwood

In 2009, Tom and Gisele bought a plot of land in LA's Brentwood neighborhood for $9 million. They spent an additional $20 million building a 14,000-square-foot eco-friendly mansion. The home, constructed from acid-washed limestone, featured stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. Complete with a moat filled with koi fish, a large pool, and a motor court accessible by a bridge, the property was sold to Dr. Dre for $50 million in 2014—a tidy profit indeed!

New York City

In 2018, Tom and Gisele paid $25.5 million for a 12th-floor unit in a NYC building. They sold it in December 2020 for $40 million. They still own a smaller unit in the same building, offering 4,300 square feet of living space with breathtaking views of the Hudson River.

Florida

In late 2020, the couple purchased a two-acre estate on Miami's exclusive Indian Creek Island for $17 million. Known as "Billionaire Bunker