Gisele Bündchen: the story of a supermodel, from Brazil to the US

Her name has been in the headlines for weeks because of allegations that her marriage to Tom Brady has come to an end. The Brazilian top model continues to be world-famous, even after her retirement from the catwalks.

Gisele Bündchen has absolutely never been 'the wife of'. In fact, she is estimated to have a higher net worth than the American football player she is married to. In addition, as an influential personality, Bünchen has been a staunch activist for the preservation of the environment. Check out her story in this gallery!

Gisele Bünchen was born on July 20th, 1980 in the city of Horizontina, Brazil. It's unlikely that either Gisele or her family ever imagined that this little girl would become one of the most famous supermodels in the world one day.

Photo: @gisele / Instagram

Both her parents are of German descent. Gisele Bündchen is the third daughter of Vânia Nonnenmacher, a former banker, and Valdir Bündchen, a university professor and writer.

Photo: @gisele / Instagram

The Bünchen family consisted of seven women and one man! Besides four other sisters, Gisele Bünchen has a twin sister, Patricia. Here we see Gisele and Patricia as newborns with their mother.

Photo: @gisele / Instagram

Gisele was raised among women. The older sisters helped to take care of the children while the parents worked outside the house.

Photo: @gisele / Instagram

Gisele once told the GNT channel that the love she received at home and at school caused her to always seek the same in every aspect of her life.

Photo: @gisele / Instagram

Gisele looks a lot like her mother, as you can see on this montage she shared on Instagram. She and her mother have the same age in the photos.

Photo: @gisele / Instagram

Gisele revealed in several interviews that she was very tall and thin as a teenager. She was even bullied at school, which did not contribute to her self-esteem. However, the girl's determination motivated her to practice sports like volleyball and athletics.

In 1994, when Gisele was 14 and taking part in a school excursion, scouts from the Elite agency approached her in a shopping mall in São Paulo. She made a photo portfolio and, months later, took part in an international model competition in Spain. Gisele made it to fourth place.

In 1995, Gisele Bündchen left Horizontina to live in São Paulo. She was rejected in several castings, mostly because people thought her nose was too big. But then, an opportunity arose in Japan and Gisele's career took off.

In 2014, Gisele Bundchen was chosen by the French brand Chanel to star in the commercial of its iconic perfume, Chanel No. 5. A few months later, the designer Karl Lagerfeld himself photographed the top model for the Brazilian edition of Vogue magazine.

For seven years, Bündchen walked the catwalk for the lingerie brand Victoria's Secret (1999 - 2006). In 2000, she was the one who wore the brand's most expensive bra to this day. The famous 'Fantasy Bra' had diamonds and rubies encrusted and cost 15 million dollars.

Gisele Bündchen and Leonardo DiCaprio formed one of the most famous couples in showbiz between 2000 and 2005. The model was 20 when they got together and 25 when they separated.

Gisele would later reveal to Potter Magazine why they broke up: "I didn't want to get contaminated with cigarettes, booze, and a lot of work. I was becoming more and more aware of the things I had chosen not to look at," she said about DiCaprio's lifestyle.

They met at the end of 2005 through a mutual friend. In an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, the model said that she was delighted with the American football player from the first day she saw him.

Two months after they started dating, Tom Brady discovered that his ex-girlfriend, Bridget Moynahan, was expecting a child from him. In spite of that news, Gisele decided to continue the relationship with him. Nowadays, Tom's teenage son is very dear to Gisele.

In April 2009, Gisele and Tom were married in an intimate ceremony in Santa Monica (USA). Soon afterwards, they held a second celebration in Costa Rica. At the end of 2009, the couple's first child was born: Benjamin.

In 2012, the model became pregnant again. This time she had a girl. Vivian is the second child of Gisele and Brady.

Between 2015 and 2017, rumors emerged that Brady had cheated on Gisele and that they were about to split up. However, they continued to appear together in public and display their love on social media.

In 2014, Gisele Bündchen participated in a 'protest fashion show' organized by Karl Lagerfeld. She and other international top models carried posters and called for the preservation of the environment and freedom of expression.

Very concerned with the state of the planet, Gisele uses her influence as a celebrity to fight for environmental causes. She has been appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations and even addressed the 72nd General Assembly of the UN in 2017.

In the photo: Gisele Bündchen with French President Emmanuel Macron

"On a trip to the Amazon in 2004, I learned the hard truth about the massive destruction we humans are causing," Gisele said at a UN conference at the launch of 'Global Compact for the Environment.'

The top model took to the main stage at Rock in Rio 2017 to launch the global project 'Believe Earth/Amazônia Live.' She spoke emotionally: "I dream of the day when we will find the balance between having and being, enjoying and preserving... I dream of the day when we will live in harmony, in total harmony with mother earth..."

In 2015, the model decided to give priority to her family and say goodbye to the catwalks. During her last show at the São Paulo Fashion Week, she was honored by fellow models like Caroline Ribeiro and Fernanda Tavares.

The supermodel likes to walk the streets in comfortable yet elegant clothing. Jeans are essential in Gisele's wardrobe. In this casual look, she combines pants with a white shirt and blazer.

Jeans are a staple in Gisele's wardrobe. In this casual look, she combines jeans with a dark top.

In late 2018, the model published an autobiography with the title: 'Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life.' She revealed that she regretted putting silicone in her breasts. When she saw herself in the mirror after the surgery, she recalled, "I couldn't recognize my body anymore."

In 'Lessons' she also talks about dark scenes in the fashion industry, such as sabotage at fashion shows. In an interview with Exame Magazine, she explains that "when you can open up and expose your vulnerabilities, it not only helps you to work on your wounds and heal them but also to feel useful."

Image: the cover of 'Lessons' by Gisele Bündchen

The beauty of the model is really something that runs in the family. In the photo, on Gisele's Instagram profile, we see her hugging her mother and sisters during the wedding of one of them.

Photo: @gisele / Instagram

For her environmental activism, the top model was honored by the Hollywood for Science Gala, organized by the Institute for Environment and Sustainability at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2019.

Gisele Bündchen accumulated amazing wealth as a model and remains an active influencer on social media. Celebrity Net Worth estimates her fortune at 400 million dollars.

Between September and October 2022, media outlets such as PageSix claimed that the couple was facing a crisis, exacerbated by Tom Brady's return to the fields.

Several media have reported that the model and the athlete are already preparing their divorce papers. It seems, therefore, that the separation is real this time - as opposed to the earlier periods of crisis that the couple endured in past years.

Read more: the financial repercussions of a divorce between Tom Brady and Giselle Bünchen.