Gisele Bündchen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gisele Bündchen
Bündchen in 2015
Born	Gisele Caroline Bündchen (1980-07-20) 20 July 1980 (age 45) Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Occupation	Model activist
Years active	1996–present
Spouse(s)	Tom Brady ​ ​ (m. 2009; div. 2022)​
Partner(s)	Joaquim Valente (2023–present)
Children	3
Modeling information
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Hair color	Blonde
Eye color	Blue
Agency	Option Model Agency (Zurich) Model Management (Hamburg)
Signature

Gisele Caroline Bündchen is a famous Brazilian supermodel and activist. She was born on July 20, 1980. For many years, she has been one of the highest-paid models in the world. Forbes magazine has often listed her as a top-earning model and one of the most powerful women.

Vogue magazine recognized Gisele for changing the look of modeling in 1999. She was also a Victoria's Secret Angel from 1999 to 2006. Gisele is known for a special way of walking on the runway called the "horse walk." Many people, including fellow supermodel Claudia Schiffer, consider her one of the last true supermodels. She has appeared on over 1,200 magazine covers.

Gisele has also acted in movies like Taxi (2004) and The Devil Wears Prada (2006). She was even an executive producer for an environmental cartoon called Gisele & the Green Team. She has supported many charities, including Save the Children and the Red Cross. Since 2009, she has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program.

Early Life and Discovering Modeling

Gisele Caroline Bündchen was born on July 20, 1980, in Horizontina, Brazil. Her family is of German Brazilian background and is Catholic. She grew up with five sisters: Raquel, Graziela, her twin Patrícia, Gabriela, and Rafaela. Her father was a university professor, and her mother was a banker.

Bündchen in 2006

Gisele originally wanted to be a volleyball player. However, in 1993, her mother enrolled her and two sisters in a modeling course. This course was meant to help them with confidence and posture. After the course, they took a trip where Gisele was discovered by Elite Model Management at a shopping center. She placed second in a national modeling contest. In 1995, Gisele moved to São Paulo to start her modeling career. She made her first appearance at New York Fashion Week in 1996.

Gisele's Amazing Career

Starting Out in Modeling (1996–2000)

Gisele began her modeling journey in 1996. In 1997, she faced many rejections in London before getting a chance to walk in an Alexander McQueen fashion show in 1998. That same year, she modeled for big brands like Missoni, Chloé, and Versace. She also appeared on the covers of Vogue Paris and British Vogue. ..... She won the VH1/Vogue Model of the Year award in 1999. By the age of 18, she was called an "über" model, meaning a super successful model. In 2000, Rolling Stone magazine featured her on its cover, calling her "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World." She also became the face of Dior's new Dior Saddle bag campaign.

Becoming a Global Star (2000–2008)

Bündchen in 2006

In 2000, Gisele appeared on 37 international Vogue covers. She opened fashion shows for famous designers like Marc Jacobs and Christian Dior. She also worked with Dolce & Gabbana for many years. Gisele became very famous after signing a contract with Victoria's Secret.

She wore the "Red Hot Fantasy Bra" for Victoria's Secret in 2000, which was worth $15 million and listed in Guinness World Records as the most expensive lingerie ever. .....

Gisele appeared on many other magazine covers, including W, Allure, and Time. She also appeared in the famous Pirelli Calendar. In 2004, she acted in the movie Taxi, and in 2006, she played Serena in The Devil Wears Prada. In 2007, Forbes listed her as one of the most powerful celebrities. In 2007, Gisele decided to end her contract with Victoria's Secret. She later shared that she felt uncomfortable being photographed in lingerie.

Continued Success and New Ventures (2009–Present)

In May 2009, The Independent newspaper called Gisele the biggest star in fashion history. She continued to appear on many Vogue covers, including her 11th American Vogue cover in 2010. In 2010, Gisele's flip-flop line for Ipanema sold over 250 million pairs.

Bündchen at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro

In 2011, Gisele launched her own eco-friendly skincare line called Sejaa Pure Skincare. She appeared on eight Vogue covers in 2011, more than any other model or celebrity that year. Her July Vogue Brasil cover, shot in the Amazon Rainforest, was the magazine's highest-selling issue.

In 2012, Gisele became the face of Banco do Brasil's first global ad campaign. Time magazine included her on its All-Time 100 Fashion Icons list. She also replaced Kate Moss as the face of David Yurman jewelry. By 2012, Gisele had appeared on 120 Vogue covers, holding the record for most Vogue Brasil covers.

In 2013, Gisele became the face of Chanel's make-up line, Les Beiges. She also became a Pantene ambassador. Gisele even released music! She recorded a cover of the Kinks' "All Day and All of the Night" for H&M's charity campaign in 2013. In 2014, she teamed up with DJ Bob Sinclar to record a cover of Blondie's "Heart of Glass."

In May 2014, Gisele was chosen as the spokeswoman for Chanel No. 5 perfume. She also signed a multiyear deal with Under Armour in September 2014. In 2015, the Guinness World Record book recognized her as the model who earned the most money from June 2014 to June 2015. By 2015, Gisele had appeared in over 550 advertising campaigns and 2000 magazine covers.

Bündchen getting ready for the Met Gala, 2017

Gisele made a memorable appearance at the 2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro on August 5, 2016. In 2018, she released her book, Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life, which became a New York Times bestseller. The money from her book sales went to support social and environmental causes. In 2023, Gisele reunited with Victoria's Secret for their Icons campaign, after 17 years.

Giving Back: Philanthropy and Environmental Work

Since the 2000s, Gisele has focused a lot on helping social and environmental causes. She has supported campaigns like the Breast Cancer Campaign to teach women about breast self-exams.

Charitable Activities

Bündchen traveling with the United Nations in 2010

Gisele has donated to Brazil's Zero Hunger program. She designed a special necklace for Harper's Bazaar to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She also donated an autographed iPod for an auction to help musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina.

In 2006, Gisele became the face of American Express's Product Red card, which donates money to help people with HIV/AIDS in Africa. She also started The Luz Foundation in 2007 to help girls with self-esteem. In 2010, she donated $1.5 million to the Red Cross to help after the earthquake in Haiti. She also partnered with Pantene and the Children's Safe Drinking Water Program to provide clean water to people in need.

In 2020, Gisele created the Luz Alliance fund with the Brazil Foundation. This fund helps families in Brazil by providing hygiene kits, food, and financial aid, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also worked with her former husband, Tom Brady, and Wheels Up to donate 10 million meals to Feeding America.

Environmental Efforts

In 2004, after visiting an Amerindian tribe in Brazil and seeing the problems caused by water pollution and deforestation, Gisele decided to act. She has since supported many projects, especially those focused on forests and water in the Amazon rainforest and Atlantic Forest.

In 2008, Gisele and her family started Projeto Água Limpa (Clean Water Project) in her hometown. This project helps manage the environment and plant trees to protect water sources. More than one million trees have been planted in her name to help reforest the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

In May 2011, Gisele received the Global Environmental Citizen Award for her eco-efforts. She was also named Greenest Celebrity at the 2011 International Green awards. Gisele donates money from her Ipanema sandals sales to different environmental charities each year. A forest was even named after her, the Gisele Bündchen Forest, where over 25,000 trees were planted.

Gisele has participated in many United Nations campaigns to fight climate change. She encourages people to protect forests, wildlife, and reduce food waste. In 2014, she joined the Rainforest Alliance board of directors. She also became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to raise awareness about protecting the environment.

In 2016, she was a correspondent for the climate change documentary show Years of Living Dangerously. In 2019, Gisele was an executive producer for the documentary Kiss the Ground, which focuses on "Regenerative Agriculture" to help the climate and food supply. On her birthday in 2020, she launched the Viva a Vida initiative and donated funds to plant 40,000 trees in Brazil.

Goodwill Ambassador Role

Bündchen attends the UNEP Champions of the Earth Award ceremony in 2014.

In September 2009, Gisele was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme. She visited Kenya in 2012 to learn about energy poverty. In June 2012, she planted the first of 50,000 trees in Rio de Janeiro for World Environment Day.

Gisele's Personal Life

From 2000 to 2005, Gisele was in a relationship with actor Leonardo DiCaprio. She later shared that she ended the relationship because their lifestyles no longer matched.

In December 2006, Gisele started dating NFL quarterback Tom Brady. They were introduced by a mutual friend. The couple married on February 26, 2009, in California, and had a second ceremony in Costa Rica. Gisele and Tom have two children: a son born in 2009 and a daughter born in 2012. She is also the stepmother to Tom's first son from a previous relationship. Gisele and Tom are Catholics. They divorced on October 28, 2022, after 13 years of marriage.

Since June 2023, Gisele has been in a relationship with Jiu-Jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente. They met in December 2021 when she started taking self-defense classes. In October 2024, it was announced that she was expecting their first child together. In February 2025, Gisele gave birth to her third child, a boy, her first with Joaquim.

Gisele practices Transcendental Meditation. She and her family follow a mostly plant-based diet. She owns several homes in South Florida. In December 2023, she earned a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Gisele's Wealth and Influence

Gisele has consistently been recognized for her success. In August 2011, Forbes listed her among the World's 100 Most Powerful Women. She was also named one of the 20 Youngest Power Women. In 2011, Forbes called Gisele and Tom Brady the World's Highest-Paid Celebrity couple.

Forbes named Gisele the world's top-earning model for many years, from 2002 to 2017. In 2013, she was ranked among the most successful female entrepreneurs by Forbes. Her Ipanema sandals sold about 25 million pairs annually in 2013. In 2016, Under Armour's CEO said sales for their women's brand increased because of Gisele.

Gisele has five sisters. Her twin sister, Patricia, is her manager. Her other sisters, Gabriela and Rafaela, have also helped with her career.

Filmography

Discography

Singles

Music videos

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Gisele Bündchen para niños

• List of Brazilians