Some people have all the luck. Gisele Bundchen appears to have been born into her very own fairy tale. I guess it's only fitting for someone who looks like a princess! There is more to this woman than the famous men she has dated. In fact, she is a force to be reckoned with.
Everyone knows Gisele is Brazilian. The South American country is a cultural and racial melting pot. Colonists and traders came in hopes of carving out a better life. The slaves they brought with them and the native Brazilians they mixed with added more spice to an already heady mix of races. Interracial relationships and children abound in Brazil. Gisele Bundchen herself is of German and Brazilian descent.
Like almost all supermodels, Gisele's childhood included getting teased for being extremely tall at a young age. Her skinniness also did not do her any favors, earning her the nickname "Olivia Palito", a Portuguese reference Olive Oyl, Popeye the Sailor's tall, skinny girlfriend. In school, Gisele was an athlete who once wanted to play for Brazil's national volleyball team. This idea was aborted after the now famous 1993 school trip to Sao Paolo, where she was spotted by a model scout. Three years later, she moved to New York to begin her modeling career.
The emergence of Gisele Bundchen heralded the end of the so-called "heroin chic" era of fashion models. Her arrival was perceived and welcomed by many as the antithesis of the sallow complexions and half-starved appearance of models from the previous generation. Her golden glow and athletic sexiness translated into high-profile magazine covers shot by top photographers, lucrative lingerie campaigns and a highly-popular line of footwear.
Today, Gisele is considered one of the most powerful women in fashion. The impending arrival of her first baby only adds more allure to what must be the most famous supermodel in the world right now.
