The 22-year-old supermodel/reality star/celebuspawn is easily the world’s highest-earning model, taking home a whopping $22 million last year from her family’s reality TV show, her Kendall + Kylie clothing line with her sister, Kylie Jenner, and numerous social media endorsements (in addition to her modeling money, of course).
According to Forbes:
She edges out Gisele Bundchen (No. 2, $17.5 million) who had a quieter year. The 37-year-old Bundchen still posed for a Carolina Herrera fragrance and Arezzo shoes and Vivara jewelry in her native Brazil, but fewer campaigns meant her take-home dipped 43% from 2016’s $30.5 million total.
Rounding out the top three is Chrissy Teigen (No. 3; $13.5 million), who joins the list for the first time. With an outsized social following, the former Sports Illustrated cover girl and foodie mints millions from deals beyond fashion, including adverts with beverage brands such as Vita Coco and Smirnoff…
… As fashion changes, so does the highest-paid models ranking. This year’s list is dominated by Insta-girls, celebrity scions–and features the first curve model to make the cut.
…Take Instagram-famous newcomer Bella Hadid (No. 9; $6 million), who joins the top earners thanks to a busy year posing for more than a dozen brands including Dior makeup, Nike and Nars cosmetics. Her sister, Gigi Hadid (No. 5; $9.5 million) out-earns her by $3.5 million, marking the first time siblings have ever appeared on the highest-paid models list.
Social media has decentralized fame to empower women once ignored by fashion. Ashley Graham (No. 10; $5.5 million) built her own audience instead of relying on editorial shoots that rarely feature models beyond sample size for exposure. The first curve model to make our highest-paid list, Graham has her own lines for Addition Elle, Dressbarn and Swimsuits For All, plus campaigns for Lane Bryant and H&M, among others.
…While previous lists examined the top 20, this edition focuses on the 10 highest-paid women to give a true picture of modeling’s biggest moneymakers. Near misses include Joan Smalls, Taylor Hill, Candice Swanepoel and Lily Aldridge, who all banked just below the $5.5 million cut off.
(Photo: Pacific Coast News)
