One of our favorite Kardashian-Jenner ladies turns 23 on Nov. 3, 2018! In celebration of Kendall Jenner's special day, Wonderwall.com is taking a look at the supermodel's growing empire. Keep reading to learn the ins and outs of Kendall's entertainment business!
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Born to an affluent family in Calabasas, California, Kendall Jenner's Hollywood journey began at the young age of 12. In 2007, she joined her famous family members on the E! reality show "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." The series was a huge hit that launched the careers of siblings Kim Kardashian West, Kylie Jenner, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Rob Kardashian, momager Kris Jenner and, of course, Kendall. (Her dad, Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner — then known as Bruce — had already been famous for decades!)
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With the help of momager Kris Jenner, Kendall Jenner launched her modeling career in 2009. She signed to Wilhelmina Models when she was 14 and immediately began appearing in advertisements for Forever 21 and Teen Vogue.
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In 2011, Kendall Jenner walked in her first runway show for Sherri Hill during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. By the end of 2012, she'd scored the covers of American Cheerleader, Teen Prom, Looks, Raine, GenLux, Lovecat and Flavour Magazine while also booking campaigns for White Sands Australia, Leah Madden and Agua Bendita. Kendall and sister Kylie Jenner also created two signature nail polishes for the 2011 Nicole by OPI Kardashian Kolors nail polish line, earning each sister $100,000!
Kendall Jenner really started bringing in the dough in 2013 when she and sister Kylie Jenner launched the Kendall & Kylie Collection with PacSun and the Metal Haven by Kendall & Kylie jewelry collection. The fashion partnerships expanded Kendall's net worth to $2.5 million. Kendall also signed with The Society Management in November 2013, signaling a change in direction to high-fashion work.
Right on the heels of their PacSun success, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner launched a shoe and handbag line with Steve Madden's Madden Girl line for Nordstrom. The collaboration proved to be just as successful as their clothing lines had been, increasing Kendall's bank account in the process.
Kendall Jenner's modeling career took off in 2014. The 5-foot-10 teen walked in shows for Marc Jacobs, Giles Deacon, Givenchy, Chanel, Donna Karan, Diane von Fürstenberg, Tommy Hilfiger, Fendi, Ports 1961, Bottega Veneta, Pucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Sonia Rykiel and Balmain. Kendall also shot covers and editorials for Interview, LOVE and Teen Vogue — bringing her net worth to a cool $5 million.
In June 2014, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner co-authored a young adult novel, "Rebels: City of Indra," with ghostwriter Maya Sloan. The book didn't receive the best reviews from literary critics, but Kendall's fans couldn't get enough.
Kendall Jenner closed out the year by signing a lucrative deal with Estée Lauder and buying a new home. The model became an official Estée Lauder representative that November and purchased her first home, a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath condominium in Los Angeles, for $1.4 million.
Kendall Jenner continued to dominate the fashion world in 2015 with numerous runway appearances, campaigns and editorials. The brunette beauty walked for Chanel, Alexander Wang, Diane von Fürstenberg, Donna Karan, Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Giles Deacon, Fendi, N°21, H&M, Balmain, Givenchy, Elie Saab and Ports 1961. Kendall also appeared in publicity campaigns for Balmain x H&M and shot covers and editorials with Marie Claire Indonesia, Harper's Bazaar, GQ, Vogue China, LOVE and Vogue issues in Japan, France and America. If that wasn't enough, she was also featured in campaigns for Marc Jacobs, Karl Lagerfeld, Fendi, Balmain and Estée Lauder!
In March 2015, Kendall Jenner became the face of Calvin Klein Jeans, which greatly contributed to her $4 million earnings that year. "Modeling for Calvin Klein Jeans is really a dream come true," she said at the time. "I've grown up wearing the brand and seeing the iconic advertising in magazines and on billboards featuring some of the world's top supermodels. To now be a part of that legacy is truly an honor." Two months later, Kendall signed a contract with Penshoppe.
Kendall Jenner also became a spokesperson for several makeup products including her very own signature Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte Sculpting Lipstick in a shade called Restless (described as "part poppy, part orange crush"). In September 2015, she launched her own subscription-based mobile app, which operated for three years.
E! gave the Kardashian-Jenner family a huge payday in 2015 nearly eight years after "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" hit TV screens. The channel agreed to a reported $80 million deal to continue to film the famous family through Season 14.
Kendall Jenner finished out 2015 by walking in her very first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York City. The burgeoning supermodel took to the catwalk twice — first in a red and blue lacy corset and then in a sheer, sequined turquoise number (pictured here).
In 2016, Kendall Jenner and her sister, Kylie Jenner, stepped up their fashion game and launched a whole new clothing line in collaboration with TopShop. The Kendall + Kylie collection hit stores in February and continues to be a super-successful brand to this day. It can be found in 390 stores in the States and 975 worldwide including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Shopbop, Revolve, I.T. Hong Kong and Luisa Via Roma. The retail prices range from $50 to $495.
Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner also launched two other lucrative products in 2016. Their mobile game, "Kendall & Kylie," hit app stores nationwide in February and their second book, "Time of the Twins," was released in November.
Never one to stray far from the catwalk, Kendall Jenner continued to expand her modeling empire in 2016. She walked for Chanel, Diane Von Fürstenberg, Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Versace, Bottega Veneta, Balmain, Dior, Elie Saab and Miu Miu. Kendall Jenner also shot covers and editorials for Vogue Brazil, W Korea, LOVE, Vanity Fair, V, Self Service Magazine and Harper's Bazaar.
Kendall Jenner walked in her second Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2016 and had campaign features for Mango, CPS Chaps, Calvin Klein, Rock The Vote/Independent Journal Review and Denimlab. She became so huge in the modeling world that Vogue's editors devoted a special edition editorial to her that April. Her modeling success, along with her endorsements, businesses and reality show, contributed to her $17 million earnings that year.
Kendall Jenner's supermodel career continued into 2017. She hit the runway for Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Balmain, Versace and a host of other designers at New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and London Fashion Week.
Kendall Jenner's takeover of the fashion world paid off in late 2017: That November, Kendall was named the world's highest paid model by Forbes Magazine, with earnings of $22 million. She used some of that hard-earned cash to buy a new $8.5 million mansion in the exclusive Mulholland Estates gated community in Los Angeles.
In 2018, Kendall Jenner decided to take a step back from modeling after being on the "verge of a mental breakdown," she told LOVE Magazine. She skipped New York, London and Milan Fashion Weeks in February and opted out of NYFW again in September. "…I had a million jobs, not only catwalks but everything else. The whole combination was very overwhelming and I started to freak out a little bit and needed to take a step back," Kendall explained. Nevertheless, she is still worth a nice $18 million, according to Money.