Kathy Ireland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kathy Ireland
Ireland in 2012
Born	Kathleen Marie Ireland (1963-03-20) March 20, 1963 (age 62) Glendale, California, U.S.
Occupation	Model, actress, entrepreneur, businesswoman, author
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Spouse(s)	Greg Olsen ​ (m. 1988)​
Children	3
Signature

Kathleen Marie "Kathy" Ireland (born March 20, 1963) is an American businesswoman, author, actress, and former fashion model. She became a famous supermodel in the 1980s and 1990s. She was known for appearing in 13 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues in a row.

In 1993, she started her own company, kathy ireland Worldwide (kiWW). This company licenses her brand name to be used on many different products. This smart business move has made her one of the wealthiest former models in the world. By 2015, she had a personal fortune of $420 million. In 2021, her company's products made $3.1 billion in sales.

Early life

Kathy Ireland was born in Glendale, California. She is the middle of three daughters. Her parents are John and Barbara Ireland. Her father was a labor relations executive, and her mother was a nurse. Her family later moved to Santa Barbara, where they still live.

Career as a Model and Actress

Modeling

When Ireland was 16 years old, she was discovered by Elite Model Management while at her high school. She soon appeared on the covers of famous magazines like Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Seventeen.

During her early career, Ireland stood up for herself when a photographer acted unprofessionally. She refused to do a photoshoot she was not comfortable with.

For the 50th anniversary of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, Ireland's 1989 cover was named "The Greatest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Of All Time."

Many models, like Kate Upton and Hannah Jeter, have said that Ireland's journey from model to successful businesswoman has inspired them.

Acting in Movies and TV

Ireland has also acted in many movies and TV shows. Her first movie was Alien from L.A. in 1988.

Some of her other roles were in shows like Melrose Place, Boy Meets World, and Muppets Tonight. She also appeared in movies like Mr. Destiny, Necessary Roughness, and Once Upon a Christmas.

In 2009, she competed on the TV show Dancing with the Stars. She also appeared on an episode of the business show The Profit in 2016, where she gave advice to a business owner.

Building a Business Empire

kathy ireland Worldwide

Ireland started her company, kathy ireland Worldwide (kiWW), in 1993. At first, it sold products only at Kmart. But in 2003, the company grew and began selling products in many different stores around the world. By 2019, it was the 26th largest brand licensor in the world.

Starting Out (1993–2003)

The business started after a line of socks with Ireland's name on them sold 100 million pairs. This success led Kmart to give her a whole clothing line. After this, Ireland founded kiWW to manage her brand. The company is owned entirely by her and her family trusts.

Growth and Success (2003–2013)

Warren Buffett, Ireland, and Bill Gates at the 2015 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting

Following the advice of her friend and famous investor Warren Buffett, Ireland expanded her company into home furnishings. This included furniture, lighting, and rugs.

A 2006 Forbes magazine article called her a "prototype for model-turned-mogul," meaning she set an example for how models could become powerful business leaders. By 2004, her brand was on products from 16 different companies, sold in over 34,000 stores in 14 countries.

Between 2005 and 2012, her brand made $2 billion in sales each year. A 2012 article in British Vogue called her the world's richest model.

Ireland also designed collections of wedding dresses, jewelry inspired by her friend Elizabeth Taylor, and even pet products.

Recent Ventures (2013–present)

In 2015, Forbes named Ireland one of America's 50 most successful self-made women. Her company continued to grow, adding new partnerships for jewelry, home furniture, and even shipping container buildings.

In 2019, singer and actress Vanessa Williams signed a management deal with kiWW. In 2020, her company partnered with Camping World to create a line of furniture for RVs.

Other Projects

Ireland has worked on many other projects besides her main brand.

• Fitness Videos: Starting in 1994, she released popular fitness videos. This led to her designing athletic clothing and fitness equipment.
• Writing: Ireland has written several books, including many for children. In 2020, she co-wrote her first novel, Fashion Jungle, which is based on her experiences in the modeling world.
• Record Label: In 2021, singers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. released their first album in 30 years on Ireland's record label, EE1. The album, Blackbird Lennon-McCartney Icons, reached No. 1 on the iTunes R&B Album chart on its first day.

Charity and Activism

Ireland is known for her charity work. She supports non-profit groups like the March of Dimes, Feed the Children, and City of Hope. She has also used her own properties to host charity events for groups like the US Marine Corps' Toys for Tots program.

She is an ambassador for 9-1-1 For Kids, an organization that teaches children how to use 9-1-1 in an emergency. She has also supported women's sports by hosting LPGA golf tournaments.

In 2019, she became the first woman to join the board of the NFL Players Association. She also serves on boards for the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

Personal life

Ireland married Dr. Greg Olsen in 1988. They have three children: Erik, Lily, and Chloe. She is a devout Christian.

Ireland was very close friends with the famous actress Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor was a mentor to Ireland and supported her in business and charity work. When Taylor passed away, she left some of her jewelry and her Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Ireland.

Filmography

Films

Television

See also

In Spanish: Kathy Ireland para niños