World’s highest paid model is 22

Chelsea Ritschel 

Supermodel Gisele Bündchen — the highest-paid model in the world for 15 years — has finally been knocked off the top spot. Kendall Jenner has knocked Bündchen off the top spot for the first time since 2002, after leveraging her reality star fame to become the most profitable model in the industry.

Although a relative newcomer to the world of high-fashion modelling, especially when compared to 37-year-old veteran Giselle (who earned Rs114 cr), Jenner — half-sister of Kim Kardashian-West has taken the industry by storm. According to Forbes, Jenner’s earnings totalled £16.6m (Rs142cr) this year, which “are in large part due to deals with Estee Lauder, La Perla and Adidas, among others, in addition to her Kendall + Kylie clothing line” she shares with her sister. Jenner’s earnings also come from her family’s outrageously popular reality TV show, and the money she rakes in through social media endorsements targeted to her 85 million followers. 

Somewhat surprisingly, Jenner, who is just 22 years old, has already scored some extremely covetable modelling opportunities, including “a cover on Vogue’s September issue, a lead spot on the Marc Jacobs Runway, and as the face of Estee Lauder.” However, social media may have been one of Jenner’s biggest earners. According to Forbes, “This year’s list is dominated by Insta-girls, including the Instagram-famous sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid.”  — The Independent