Elsa Benítez facts for kids

Elsa Benítez Yáñez, born on December 8, 1977, is a famous model and TV host from Mexico. She is well-known for appearing in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She even made it to the cover of this special magazine in 2001!

Elsa Benítez's Modeling Journey

How Elsa Started Modeling

Elsa Benítez became a model after winning a contest in Costa Rica in 1995. She soon started working with fashion companies in Mexico. Later, she moved to the United States. This helped her become more recognized. After that, she moved to Europe.

In 1996, she got a big chance. She was chosen to appear in Vogue Italia, a major fashion magazine. She was even on the cover for three months in a row!

Becoming a Magazine Star

After joining the Elite modeling agency, Elsa appeared on many magazine covers. These included Vogue, Elle, Glamour, and Harper's Bazaar. She was on the cover of Vogue in Mexico, Greece, and Germany. She also appeared in several issues of Marie Claire.

Then, she received an offer that made her famous worldwide. She was asked to be in the US magazine Sports Illustrated. This magazine is very popular.

Walking the Fashion Runways

When Elsa arrived in Europe, she worked in France and Italy. She presented collections for top fashion designers. She walked on runways for "ready-to-wear" clothes. She became a favorite model for the Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana. She starred in their fashion shows and advertising campaigns.

Elsa also walked for many other famous fashion houses. These included Chanel, Valentino, Versace, Fendi, and Christian Dior. In the U.S., she modeled for Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta.

She also modeled for "Haute Couture" shows in Paris. These are very special, high-fashion shows. Elsa walked for Chanel, Christian Dior, and Versace in these shows.

Other Modeling Work

Elsa has also worked for big stores like Macy's. She modeled for brands like J.Crew and Nine West. She even modeled for Victoria's Secret.

In 1999, Elsa appeared in the Pirelli calendar. This calendar shows women from different time periods. She was shown representing the 1970s. In 2002, she was in the music video for "Love to See You Cry" by Enrique Iglesias.

From 2009 to 2012, Elsa Benítez was the host of Mexico's Next Top Model. This was a TV show where models competed.

Elsa Benítez's Life

Family Life

In 1999, Elsa married Rony Seikaly. He was a basketball player. In 2003, they had a daughter named Mila. Elsa and Rony divorced in 2005. Elsa currently lives in Santa Monica, California.

A Close Call

In 2004, Elsa Benítez shared a story in Sports Illustrated magazine. She was supposed to be on a flight called TWA Flight 800 in 1996. But when she got to the airport, she had a very strong bad feeling. She started crying and couldn't stop. She called her husband and told him she felt something bad would happen. He told her to wait a few minutes. If she still felt the same, she should change her ticket.

Elsa couldn't stop crying. So, she bought a ticket for a different flight. Her new flight took off just 10 minutes after the first one. This experience made her truly appreciate how special it is to be alive.

See also

In Spanish: Elsa Benítez para niños