Why 2015 Was the Year of the Brazilian Model
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Brazilian beauties like Gisele Bündchen and Adriana Lima first blazed their way into our hearts in the early 2000s, but 15 years later, they're still ruling the world. And the past twelve months might have been their biggest yet. From Gisele's big bucks to the newest member of the Victoria's Secret Angels family, keep reading to see how we're counting all the ways these babes rocked 2015, then check out Alessandra Ambrosio's best street style looks.
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Gisele Bündchen's $700 Book Sold Out
Jaws hit the floor when the Tres de Maio native announced her coffee table book, "Gisele," would cost $700 — and there would only be 1,000 copies printed. But jaws dropped even further when the tome celebrating the supermodel sold out completely — an entire day before it even hit shelves! Now that’s buying power.
Adriana Lima Broke a Huge Victoria’s Secret Record
As if it wasn't enough that gorgeous gray-green-eyed Adriana hasn’t aged a single day since she started as a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2000, the 34-year-old mother of two broke the lingerie brand’s record as the longest-running Angel in history this year. All hail the queen!
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Alessandra Ambrosio Covered Maxim
Sunglasses never looked so good as they did on a steaming hot, nude Alessandra. The model rocked a pair and nothing else on the head-turning cover of Maxim’s December issue. The magazine gave the mom to Anja and Noah the title of World’s Sexiest Businesswoman, and we 100 percent agree.
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Lais Ribeiro Earned Her Victoria's Secret Wings
The stunner was our favorite success story of 2015. Lais moved to the US in 2010, and only five years later she's conquered runways abroad and walked in multiple Victoria’s Secret shows, becoming an official Angel this year.
Isabeli Fontana Was Named the International Face of L’Oréal Paris
Fontana’s striking facial features have earned her a spot on dozens of Vogue covers across the globe. But her latest accolade? Becoming the international face for makeup and skin care giant L’Oréal Paris, a major win for Brazilian beauties.
Júlia Pereira Launched a Swimsuit Line
The swimsuit model is known for her washboard abs, which she’s often seen flaunting on the beaches of Miami and in photo shoots. This year, she released a collaboration with Lybethras for a line of bikinis both cute and flattering.
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Gisele Bündchen Retired From the Runway With a Bang
While it was a sad day when Gisele hung up her runway stilettos, it was a moment to celebrate her brilliant 20-year modeling career and reflect on the many ways she paved the way for her fellow Brazilian models. She strutted her stuff one final time for São Paulo Fashion Week, and since then, luckily, has been gracing magazine covers left and right.
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Brazilian Models Topped Forbes’s Highest Earning Models List
Coming in on top in the money game for 2014 to 2015 was, of course, Gisele Bündchen, with earnings amounting to a staggering $44 million. Not far behind was Adriana Lima, whose overall dollars were around $9 million, followed by Alessandra Ambrosio at a cool $5 million. Who runs the world? Brazilian models, apparently!