Gisele Bündchen’s Net Worth Is a Towering $400M: Modeling, Acting, Entrepreneurship, and More

Gisele Bündchen, the renowned Brazilian supermodel boasts a remarkable net worth of $400 million, completely independent of her former husband Tom Brady's $250 million fortune. When they were married, their combined net worth reached an impressive $650 million. The reason for Bündchen's greater wealth compared to Brady can be attributed to her substantial earnings over the years. Between 2000 and 2020, during his 20-year NFL career, Tom Brady earned around $330 million from salary and endorsements. In contrast, Gisele earned over $500 million in the same time frame.

 Early life

Gisele Bündchen, born on July 20, 1980, in Brazil, is a German-descent supermodel. She grew up in Southern Brazil with her twin sister and four other siblings. Fluent in multiple languages, Gisele was initially into volleyball but found her way into modeling after taking a course with her sisters. Discovered at a mall in Sao Paulo by Elite Model Management, she began her modeling career at the age of 14.

Modeling highlights and contracts

Gisele Bündchen's career soared after her breakthrough at New York Fashion Week in 1996. She appeared on the cover of Vogue Paris, British Vogue, and i-D, and in July 1999, she graced her first cover of American Vogue. Gisele was lauded as 'The Most Beautiful Girl in the World' by Rolling Stone in 2000. She opened shows for top designers during Fashion Week in Spring 2000 and was featured in every Dolce and Gabbana ad campaign from 1993 to 2003. Her allure helped establish the category of 'Brazilian bombshell' models.

In 2000, Gisele Bündchen signed a lucrative $25 million contract with Victoria's Secret, marking her retirement from Fashion Week runway shows. During the same year, she made headlines by donning the extravagant $15 million Victoria's Secret Fantasy Bra, known as the Red Hot Fantasy Bra, which holds the Guinness World Record for the most expensive lingerie ever created. In 2005, she modeled the $12.5 million Sexy Splendor Fantasy Bra, ranking as the second-most expensive bra ever made. Her association with Victoria's Secret came to an end in May 2007.

Bündchen's prominence in the fashion world continued, and she made multiple appearances on the cover of American Vogue, including her 11th cover in April 2010 and eight covers in 2011. Her July 2011 Vogue Brasil issue became the highest-selling edition, with 70,743 copies sold. She further solidified her position as a fashion icon by becoming the spokeswoman for Chanel No. 5 in May 2014. In Brazil, she became highly sought-after in television commercials, appearing in more of them than any other Brazilian celebrity in 2014 and 2015. By 2015, Bündchen's achievements were extraordinary, with over 500 ad campaigns, 800 fashion shows, 2,000 magazine covers, and 3,500 magazine editorials to her credit.

Entrepreneurship and authoring a book

Outside of modeling, Bündchen ventured into entrepreneurship by launching her line of designer sandals, Impanema, in collaboration with the Brazilian footwear company Grendene. Additionally, she became the owner of the Brazilian hotel Palladium Executive. In 2018, Bündchen released her book titled My Path to a Meaningful Life, which became a New York Times bestseller in the U.S. and dominated the bestseller list in Brazil for more than six months. The proceeds from the book supported various social and environmental causes, showcasing Bündchen's commitment to making a positive impact beyond the world of fashion.

Acting highlights

Bündchen's acting career included a role alongside Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon in the 2004 remake of Taxi. She also portrayed Serena in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada.

Salary highlights

As per Celebrity Net Worth, from 2002 to 2017, Bündchen held the title of the highest-paid model worldwide. As of 2023, her modeling and endorsement career has earned her a staggering $500 million, not considering her real estate assets and other non-liquid investments. In recognition of her remarkable earnings, Bündchen was featured in the 2015 Guinness World Records book as the model who earned the highest income from June 2014 to June 2015.

The last great 'Supermodel'

Bündchen can be considered a trailblazer, being one of the pioneering and highly intelligent models from Brazil who gained immense popularity. She set a high standard for all subsequent Brazilian models and played a significant role in shaping the outstanding reputation of models from that region. These models are admired for their intelligence, patience, professionalism, and strong business acumen, qualities that Gisele epitomized. Throughout her career, she has built an impressive empire and is often hailed as the last great 'Supermodel.'