Surprise! Kendall Jenner Is the Highest-Paid Model of the Year
The ability to be "super selective" about her gigs has paid off.
Looks like Jared Leto is going to have to update his infamous Thirty Seconds to Mars merch itemizing the salaries of top models. On Thursday, Forbes released its 2018 list of the highest-paid models in the fashion industry, and while there wasn't a major change at the top — Kendall Jenner is still number one, bringing in $22.5 million this year — there have been some shakeups beneath her.
Between 2002 and 2016, Gisele Bundchen held tight onto that top slot, slipping last year after having only made a measly $17.5 million. This year, however, Bundchen fell several rungs down to tie for fifth place with Cara Delevingne, both making an estimated $10 million. Ahead of her? Karlie Kloss, who shot all the way up to second place with $13 million, and an $11.5 million tie between Chrissy Teigen and Rosie Huntington-Whitely for third.
Rounding out the top 10 are Gigi and Bella Hadid — the former coming in seventh place with a $9.5 million deal and the latter tying with Joan Smalls for eighth place at $8.5 million. Doutzen Kroes finishes the list at $8 million. Dropping off the list altogether this year are Ashley Graham, Liu Wen and recently-retired Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima.
It's no surprise that Jenner has topped the list yet again, having been able to parlay her early reality tv appearances and famous family into mega-influencer status. The ability to be "super selective" about her gigs has paid off: Jenner's contracts with the likes of Estée Lauder and Adidas are certainly proving more lucrative than doing "like, 30 shows a season or whatever the fuck those girls do." (Her sister Kylie, however, makes this look like chump change, with Forbes reporting that the youngest of the Kardashian-Jenners raked in an astonishing $166.5 million in the same time period.)
See the full report at Forbes.com.
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