Gisele was born in Brazil, but her parents are of German descent. Here she's pictured (center) with her fraternal twin, Patricia, and another sister, Gabi.
Source: Instagram
Gisele was discovered by a modeling scout in Brazil while eating a Big Mac. Her childhood nickname was "Olive Oyl," a reference to cartoon "Popeye's" gangly wife. She won a contest and was sent to Sao Paulo. Here she's pictured in a 1995 interview telling the station about how she hoped to break into the business.
Source: YouTube
At age 16, she appeared on the cover of a Brazilian teen magazine with the headline "Gisele Bundchen, 16 years old, has gone to the top."
Source: SCStyleCaster
Her early modeling shots got her noticed, and by 1996 she was flying to New York for Fashion Week.
Source: YouTube
Her big break-out came in 1998, when she walked in Alexander McQueen's famous "Rain" show. McQueen dubbed 18-year-old Gisele "The Body."
Source: Fashion TV
Later that year, she was selected to pose in a Versace ad. She also did campaigns for Chloe, Missoni, and Valentino.
Source: FashionExplorer.com
Two years after moving to the U.S., Gisele was one of the most in-demand models. By the end of 1999, she had three Vogue covers under her belt.
Source: Voguepedia
In 2000, Gisele had her biggest career moment yet, signing a record-breaking $25 million contract with lingerie powerhouse Victoria's Secret. She walked in the televised fashion show and soon became synonymous with the brand.
Source: Elite Model Look
She also made tabloids for her relationship with actor Leonardo DiCaprio in 2000. Their 5-year relationship solidified her status as a household name.
Source: Celebuzz
In 2004, Gisele made her acting debut in "Taxi" starring Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon. She'd also appear in "The Devil Wears Prada" in 2006.
Source: IMDB
In late 2006, Gisele began dating her now-husband, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The pair now has two children.
In 2007, Gisele announced she was leaving Victoria's Secret, leading to industry speculation about her future. She had become the most famous Victoria's Secret model, and it was difficult to imagine her as anything else.
Source: People
Gisele continued walking fashion runways and posing for magazine covers. Her 2007 Vanity Fair Style Issue cover was one of the best-selling of all time.
Source: Vanity Fair
In 2010, Gisele signed a contract to represent Dutch brand C&A in Brazil. After Gisele's commercials aired, sales soared 30%.
Source: Racked
She also has her own highly successful flip flop line with Ipanema. The shoes sell for $7 and are responsible for doubling the company's share price.
Source: Bloomberg
In 2012, luxury jeweler David Yurman reportedly fired Kate Moss to hire Gisele.
Source: Huffington Post
