By Wonderwall.com Editors
8:14am PST, Feb 28, 2020
When you think of Victoria's Secret models, some of the world's most iconic beauties come to mind, from Stephanie Seymour and Gisele Bundchen to Tyra Banks and Alessandra Ambrosio. To celebrate former Victoria's Secret Angel Erin Heatherton's 31st birthday on March 4, 2020, Wonderwall.com is checking up on her and more of the hottest VS models to find out what they're up to today… At just 17, Skokie, Illinois, native Erin moved to New York City and signed with the Marilyn Agency. She made her runway debut in the Diane Von Furstenberg fashion show in September 2006 and has since walked for a variety of luxury brands from Chanel to Prada. In 2008, just two years after making her modeling debut, Erin appeared in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and was officially contracted as an Angel from 2010 to 2013. She also famously dated Leonardo DiCaprio in 2012. Keep reading to find out what she's up to now…
RELATED: Supermodels of the '80s and '90s: Where are they now?
Erin Heatherton continued to model for Victoria's Secret after her Angel contract was up and also memorably appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in both 2015 and 2016. In April 2019, she filed for bankruptcy, citing debts of more than $500K. That same year, Erin signed with Select Model Management. She made her modeling return in November 2019 when she posed for the cover of Chicago Splash magazine.
RELATED: Supermodels of the '70s: Where are they now?
Brazilian beauty Adriana Lima took top titles in two Ford modeling competitions at 15, which helped land her a deal with Elite Model Management. Adriana scored a spot as a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2000 and has since walked in numerous televised fashion shows and become one of the most recognizable spokeswomen for the brand.
RELATED: Stars turning 40 in 2020
Adriana Lima became even more well known when she starred in a sexy Victoria's Secret Super Bowl XLII commercial in 2008. That same year, she wed Serbian NBA star Marko Jaric, but the couple called it quits in 2016. They have two children together, daughters Valentina and Sienna. Adriana has had the honor of sporting the coveted Fantasy Bra three times — in 2008, 2010 and 2014 — but in November 2018, she hung up her wings for good, walking in her final Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. In 2017, she started dating Turkish author and healer Metin Hara, but the couple called it quits in early 2019. She moved on later that year with Turkish businessman Emir Uyar.
At 17, Tyra Banks signed with Elite Model Management and in 1991, she took off for Paris to begin her catwalk career. In 1996, the California native became the first African American woman to grace the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Soon after, both CoverGirl cosmetics and Victoria's Secret jumped at the chance to sign the 5-foot-10 model.
After her modeling career took off, Tyra Banks dabbled in acting, appearing on shows like "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" in the '90s as well as in the movie "Coyote Ugly" in 2000. In 2003, she became a judge and host on the competition series "America's Next Top Model" and taught the world how to smize. In 2005, she took it a step further with "The Tyra Banks Show," which ran until 2010 and garnered her an Emmy. Tyra joined "FABLife" in 2015 with other co-hosts like Chrissy Teigen, but ultimately quit three months into the roundtable talk show's run. In 2013, Tyra started dating photographer Erik Asla and in 2016, the couple welcomed their first child, son York, via surrogacy. The pair split in 2017, the same year Tyra took over as the host of "America's Got Talent" for a two-season run. More recently, Tyra returned to her Sports Illustrated roots: She posed for one of three 2019 Swimsuit Issue covers, celebrating her third cover with the brand 22 years after she did it the first time. As of early 2020, Tyra was dating Canadian businessman Louis Bélanger-Martin.
What is it about Brazil that breeds such beautiful women? Whatever it is, this 5-foot-11 runway star is living proof that the South American country produces some of the world's most notable stunners. Gisele Bundchen had no intention of becoming a model when she was discovered at a Sao Paulo McDonald's at 14. But she gave it a go and went on to grace the cover of Vogue in 1999. Her curves redefined what a supermodel looked like in the fashion industry. In 2000, Victoria's Secret liked what they saw and hired her. She's seen here walking her first runway show for the brand — a benefit during the 53rd Annual Cannes Film Festival!
Gisele Bundchen's romantic life was just as hot as her signature walk in her early Victoria's Secret modeling days. She dated "Titanic" star Leonardo DiCaprio from 2000 to 2005 and started seeing NFL quarterback Tom Brady in late 2006. In 2007, she decided to leave the lingerie and swimwear brand but still earned the highest ranking on Forbes' World's Richest Models list after raking in $33 million the year prior. She married Tom in 2009 and gave birth to son Benjamin the same year. In 2012, she welcomed a baby girl, Vivian. In 2015, the world-famous model ended her catwalk career after 20 years. Since then, she's come out of retirement once, and for a very good reason: Gisele walked the runway in August 2016 during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Miranda Kerr began her modeling career at 13 after winning a 1997 magazine contest in Australia. But her star did not begin to rise until she moved to New York and started modeling for Maybelline in 2004. After Gisele Bundchen left Victoria's Secret in 2007, Miranda was given her wings and made an Angel.
In 2009, Miranda Kerr branched out from the runway and designed her own line of skincare products, Kora Organics. She married actor Orlando Bloom in 2010 and gave birth to son Flynn the following year. The 5-foot-9 beauty left the Victoria's Secret brand in 2013 shortly before announcing her split from the actor. In 2017, Miranda married Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel. The couple welcomed their first child, Hart, in May 2018. She gave birth to their second son, Myles, in October 2019.
In 2003 at 16, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley got her start with Levi's — and she hasn't stopped posing for the camera since. The British model-actress began to work for Victoria's Secret in 2006 but she really made a name for herself when she landed a gig with Burberry two years later.
This Brazilian bombshell took her first modeling class at age 12. Alessandra Ambrosio's career got off the ground when she won a 1996 Elite Model competition and soon after, she appeared in ads for the likes of Guess, Ralph Lauren and Christian Dior. In 2004, Victoria's Secret cast the model to spearhead its then-new Pink line — and the rest is history!
Alessandra Ambrosio was chosen to wear the exclusive Fantasy Bra in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2012 and 2014. In 2017, she decided to retire from her famous gig and walked in her final Victoria's Secret Fashion Show that same year. She has two children with former fiancé Jamie Mazur — daughter Anja and son Noah — but the couple split in 2018. She's since been linked to Alanui founder Nicolo Oddi.
British supermodel Naomi Campbell got her start after a scout spotted her in London at age 15. She modeled for the likes of Versace and Vivienne Westwood and even released an album called "Babywoman" in 1993. She walked in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show from 1995 to 2009.
Despite her fame on the catwalk, it's been a rough road for Naomi Campbell in her personal life. In 1998, the model was accused of being violent with numerous personal assistants and she went to rehab the following year for cocaine abuse. She's also faced multiple assault claims. Fortunately, the supermodel — who's been romantically linked to stars like Usher, Mike Tyson, U2's Adam Clayton and more over the years (including former One Direction singer Liam Payne, who's 23 years her junior, in 2019) — seems to have cleaned up her act these days. She transitioned to TV in 2015 with a role on FOX's "Empire" then popped up on "American Horror Story: Hotel" later that year. But that doesn't mean she's quit modeling — she walked in Versace's tribute show for Gianni Versace in 2017 and more recently signed her first ever beauty contract with NARS cosmetics in 2019. She's also long been the face of Fashion For Relief, the successful charity she founded in 2005.
San Diego native Stephanie Seymour started modeling on a small scale, but by the early '80s, she'd landed the covers of Vogue and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Around the same time, she also became a Victoria's Secret catalog model when the company was first starting out.
Stephanie Seymour gave birth to son Dylan in 1990. His dad is her ex-husband, musician Tommy Andrews. In 1995, she married wealthy businessman Peter Brant following a tumultuous romance with Axl Rose and had three more children. Aside from modeling, she's made a couple of small TV cameos including a one-episode appearance on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" in 2002. In 2019, she came out of retirement to not only walk in the Versace show but close it during Milan Fashion Week.
Germany native Claudia Schiffer started modeling at age 17 and soon after moved to Paris where Karl Lagerfeld recruited the 5-foot-11 bombshell to represent Chanel. Claudia joined Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell on the runway at the 1997 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Claudia Schiffer married director Matthew Vaughn in 2002 after breaking off her engagement to magician David Copperfield in 1999. She and Matthew have three children together, son Caspar and daughters Clementine and Cosima. Claudia transitioned into the clothing business with her own eponymous line of cashmere clothes in 2011. She's also popped up in numerous movies including "Zoolander" and "Love Actually."
Marisa Miller, who hails from Santa Cruz, California, got her start in 2001 when fashion photographer Mario Testino took notice of her work in smaller magazines. Just a year later, Marisa scored the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In 2007, her work with Victoria's Secret began to heat up. She filmed a commercial for the brand and walked in the annual fashion show the same year.
Aside from becoming a major Victoria's Secret force, Marisa Miller became the spokesperson for Harley-Davidson in 2008 and made her film debut alongside Ryan Reynolds in the 2013 movie "R.I.P.D." The model, an avid surfer, was married to Jim Miller for two years until 2002. She then married Griffin Guess in 2006. The couple welcomed son Gavin in 2012 and son Grayson in 2015. That same year, she made headlines when she posed naked while pregnant with Grayson to protest SeaWorld's animal practices. These days, Marisa keeps a pretty low profile. Her official Instagram account bio reads, "Santa Cruz beach bum."
Karolina Kurkova, the 5-foot-11 blonde born in Czechoslovakia, was only 15 years old when she was discovered in Milan and just 17 when she made it onto the cover of Vogue! Victoria's Secret officially made Karolina an Angel in 2005 after she showed off her supermodel skills on the catwalk for Alexander McQueen, Versace, Louis Vuitton and more.
Karolina Kurkova married Archie Drury in 2009 right before giving birth to their son, Tobin. In November 2015, the couple welcomed their second son, Noah. She went on to work alongside fellow runway walkers Naomi Campbell and Coco Rocha as a coach on the modeling competition show "The Face." She's active in numerous charities including organizations like Women Together and Free Arts. Her latest venture, Gryph & IvyRose, is an all-natural herbal-based wellness line that includes bath and body products. "It's really kind of going back to the garden or the nature of food," she told Ocean Drive in 2020. "This philosophy I remembered from growing up really stayed with me."
Berkeley, California, native Rebecca Romijn left the University of California Santa Cruz to pursue a modeling career in Paris when she was just 19. By 1994, the gorgeous star had landed a contract with Victoria's Secret. Five years later, Rebecca turned heads when she appeared on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Rebecca Romijn eventually branched out into acting in movies like the "X-Men" franchise and TV shows such as "Ugly Betty." She was married to "Full House" actor John Stamos from 1998 to 2005 and wed "Piranha 3D" star Jerry O'Connell in 2007. She gave birth to twin daughters Dolly and Charlie in 2008 and continues to enjoy a thriving acting career. In 2019, she joined the cast of "Star Trek: Discovery" and appeared in the film "Satanic Panic."
After winning the 1986 Miss Denmark competition, Copenhagen-born Helena Christensen furthered her career in front of the camera by relocating to Paris. Helena worked the runway for huge brands like Hermes and Prada and eventually inked a deal with Revlon. By 1997, she was workin' it as a Victoria's Secret Angel.
In 1999, Helena Christensen gave birth to her son, Mingus. She dated his father, Norman Reedus, for about five years before they split in 2003. She started dating Interpol singer Paul Banks in 2008. When her modeling life calmed down, Helena became an in-demand photographer. She also ventured into the clothing business, partnering with a pal to launch the clothing line Christensen and Sigersen in 2006.
