Biography

One of the most sought after of Brazilian beauties entering the modeling world in the late 1990s (including Gisele Bündchen, Ana Beatriz Barros, Fernanda Tavares, Ana Hickmann, Isabeli Fontana and Alessandra Ambrosio), the 5′10″, chestnut-haired Adriana Lima rose to stardom out of less than glamorous conditions. Lima was discovered at the age of 13 while shopping at a local mall. At the age of 15, she finished 1st place in a Ford Supermodel of Brazil model search. Lima later followed with a 2nd place finish in the 1996 Ford Supermodel of the World contest.

Shortly after, Lima moved to New York City, and eventually moved on from Ford, signing with Elite Model Management. Her early career consisted mostly of fashion editorial work (with early appearances in international editions of Vogue and Marie Claire in 1997/1998), as well as runway work (Christian Lacroix, Valentino, and others). Lima’s first big break came when she was featured in a Vassarette billboard in Times Square. Her print career followed, and like many other famous names (Claudia Schiffer, Laetitia Casta, Eva Herzigova), Lima became a GUESS? Girl in their 2000 Costanoa campaign.

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