Claudia Schiffer

Born on August 25, 1970
Claudia Schiffer is a German model and actress, who reached the height of her popularity during the 1990s, initially due to her striking resemblance to Brigitte Bardot. Schiffer is one of the world's most successful models, having appeared on over 500 magazine covers. Forbes estimated her net worth at about $55m (£38m).

When notables, such as John Fairchild of Women’s Wear Daily, claim that Claudia "looks better in jeans than any model ever looked in Chanel," who are we to argue? But that smoldering body came at a price in the ‘90s; she loves food, but she had to monitor what she ate and she worked out four to five days a week with two-hour sessions that included cardio and weight training.

At the pinnacle of her career she destroyed the hearts of teenage boys with glossy images of her hair, lips and body; now she destroys the hearts of men with the fact that she is married with two children.

She completed her education and then began to work as a model. She flew out to Paris for a trial photo shoot and soon after she appeared in the cover of French Elle after being well received in Paris. After several other magazine appearances she quickly achieved supermodel status when she was selected by Karl Lagerfeld to become the new face of Chanel. Schiffer went on to become a world-famous supermodel, becoming instantly recognizable with her blue eyes, blond hair and tall figure, now standing at 5ft 11.

In the early 1990s she starred in highly publicised Guess? jeans adverts in North America which created essential publicity for Schiffer. Paul Marciano said in E! Forbes Top 15 Supermodel Beauties Who Made Bank, "Guess name became really much more known around the world because [of] Claudia". Soon after appearing in the campaigns, her name was launched worldwide, appearing on five magazine covers in the United States and seven covers around Europe. Her modelling career continued to grow. Schiffer joined Thomas zeumer's prestigious Metropolitan Models and was contracted to model for Revlon. She also became deeply involved in modelling for several catalogues and modelled on high profile catwalk shows. Schiffer has done catwalk modelling for Versace, Jil Sander, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren and Valentino. Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, The New York Times and People all saw Schiffer as the first model to make their covers. She has also appeared many times on covers of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan and Time.

Schiffer has also been the face of Mango, a chain of Spanish clothes storesand Accessorize, where she had her ears pierced especially for her Autumn/Winter 2006 Accessorize advertising campaign in 2006. Schiffer still holds a contract with L'Oréal and Ebel watches,and her billboard picture for Kenar has also hung over millions of tourists at Times Square.Since 1990, she has created a swimsuit calendar each year which she stars in and designs herself.

Schiffer later secured contracts with Pepsi appearing in advertisements promoting the brand, and has also danced with a cartoon version of Mickey Mouse in advertisements promoting Fanta for an estimated $2 million.From her appearances in a 1998 Citroën advertisement, she earned a reputed £3 million. Karl Lagerfeld recently filmed her for a Dom Perignon campaign, some ten years after her first appearances in Chanel adverts.

She is signed to several agencies, including 1/One Management in New York City and her mother agency 'Model Management' in Hamburg.

Media appearances
Schiffer has appeared in a number of films and music videos. Her first appearance in film was in the children's movie Richie Rich in 1994 and then starred opposite Dennis Hopper and Matthew Modine in Blackout. She went on to appear in Friends & Lovers and Black and White in 1999, In Pursuit and Life Without Dick in 2001, and then Love Actually in a semi-cameo role. Schiffer has made several other cameo appearances in film which include, Ben Stiller's Zoolander in 2001.

Schiffer has appeared on several talk shows and sitcoms, such as Larry King Live, The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Dharma & Greg and Arrested Development. She was also in boyband Westlife's music video for "Uptown Girl", and made a cameo in Bon Jovi's video for "Say it isn't so".

She has also released four exercise videos, entitled Claudia Schiffer's Perfectly Fit, which were successful and reached the bestsellers list. Schiffer has hosted the French Fashion Awards and the World Music Awards in Monaco.

With fellow supermodels Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, and Elle Macpherson, Schiffer was joint owner of a chain of fashionable restaurants called the Fashion Café in 1995. Schiffer remains a prominent figure in German society and helped present and carry the trophy with Pelé during opening ceremonies at the 2006 World Cup. She also presented Prince William with a polo trophy in 2002.

When talking about the model profession at present, she said: "Supermodels, like we once were, don't exist any more." She has said that Gisele Bündchen was the only person who comes close to earning the supermodel title.

Claudia Schiffer Quotes

"I know one day I`ll be considered too old. I think 40-year-old women actually look more healthy and fit than some girls in their 20s. I`ve met women who have way better bodies in their 40s because they`ve been working on them for all these years."

"I love being pregnant. You can do whatever you want. You don`t feel guilty, because I used to feel guilty about having a day off. And, you know, something really strange happened to me. Before my pregnancies, I was someone who had to watch their weight. "

"I actually don`t meet very many men because they are, I guess, afraid to approach me or think that I`m from another planet. - on turning 30, to the German magazine Stern "

"I love my engagement ring. It is the only thing I wear to bed! "

"Quentin Tarantino asked me to work with him but there is no way I am going to do that while Matthew Vaughn is working in film. "

"“I do have one vivid memory of the World Cup from 2002 when Brazil beat Germany. But that isn't such a nice memory.”"

"I`ve never done any nudity, but I would do basically anything if a role called for it. "

"For me, football always meant that we came together as a family and, in the summer we played football outside. "

"But it is true that some magazines have a policy to show only a certain amount of black girls on their covers. Naomi is right. It`s not fair, and I wish it would change. "

"I love wearing flat shoes, but I am not one of those girls who walks around in sweat pants and sneakers. I think I have something going on with shoes. Flat shoes. I buy them in several colors at once. High heels are for work and they have always been uncomfortable for me. I`m amazed when I see mothers wearing high heels. If your kids run off you can`t run after them. "

"(on turning down appearing in Playboy in the nude): "It`s not that I`m against nudity. I`m German, I`m very open, in Germany they lay in the park naked. It`s just the principle.""

"I love movies, I've always been interested in them, but I wanted to wait for the right time to start acting."

-Claudia Schiffer

Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight: 124 lbs (56 kg)
Measurements: 36C-24-35 (US);
90-61-88 (EU)
Dress Size: 8 (US); 38 (EU)
Shoe Size: 9 (US); 40 (EU)
Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde
Ethnicity: German
Nationality: German
Hobbies: Dancing, horseback riding, painting, reading, tennis, skiing

Filmography
Actress:

1. Love Actually (2003) .... Carol
2. "Dharma & Greg" .... Gretchen (2 episodes, 2002)
- This Diamond Ring (2002) TV episode .... Gretchen
- I Think, Therefore I Am in Trouble (2002) TV episode .... Gretchen
3. Life Without Dick (2002) .... Mary
4. In Pursuit (2001) (V) .... Catherine Wells
... aka Rules of the Game (USA: DVD title)
5. Meeting Genevieve (2000) .... Genevieve
6. Black and White (1999/I) .... Greta
7. Friends & Lovers (1999) .... Carla
... aka Friends and Lovers (Philippines: English title)
... aka Love and Testosterone (International: English title: informal title)
8. Desperate But Not Serious (1999) .... Gigi
... aka Reckless + Wild (USA: DVD title)
9. The Blackout (1997) .... Susan
... aka The Blackout (France)
10. Ri¢hie Ri¢h (1994) .... Aerobics Instructor

Playing Herself:
* Í skóm drekans (2002) .... Herself (presenter)
* 666 - Traue keinem, mit dem Du schläfst! (2002) .... Herself
* Zoolander (2001) .... Herself
* The Sound of Claudia Schiffer (2000) .... Herself
* Beautopia (1998) .... Herself
* 1997 VH1 Fashion Awards (1997) (TV) .... Herself
* An Audience with Elton John (1997) (TV) (uncredited) .... Herself
* Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life (1997) (TV) .... Herself
* The 68th Annual Academy Awards (1996) (TV) .... Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Costume Design
* Catwalk (1996) .... Herself
* Perfectly Fit (1996) (V) .... Herself
* Around Claudia Schiffer (1995) (TV) .... Herself/Interviewer
* Schönsten Frauen der Welt - Claudia Schiffer, Die (1995) (TV) .... Herself
* Prêt-à-Porter (1994) (uncredited) .... Herself
* The Magic of David Copperfield: 15 Years of Magic (1994) (TV) .... Herself
* Noche de tu vida, La (1993) (TV) .... Herself - Hostess

Appearance in documantaries

* Noche de tu vida, La (1993)
* The Magic of David Copperfield: 15 Years of Magic (1994)
* Die schönsten Frauen der Welt - Claudia Schiffer (1995)
* Around Claudia Schiffer (1995)
* Catwalk (1996)
* The 68th Annual Academy Awards (1996)
* Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life (1997)
* An Audience with Elton John (1997)
* 1997 VH1 Fashion Awards (1997)
* Beautopia (1998)
* The Sound of Claudia Schiffer (2000)
* Í skóm drekans (2002)

Mother agency:
Model Management - Hamburg

Agencies:
* Elite Model Management - New York
* One Management
* Independent - former ICM Models
* Elite Model Management - Paris
* Artform - Tel Aviv

Notes:
- Claudia was 17 years old when she was discovered by Michel Levaton of the Metropolitan agency in a Düsseldorf nightclub where she was celebrating a friend's birthday. Until then, she had always intended to become a lawyer like her father.
- Claudia has produced a series of fitness videos entitled 'Claudia Schiffer's Perfectly Fit' and an autobiography called 'Memories'.
- She was also featured in Peter Lindbergh's book '10 Women' and the book 'A second decade of Guess? images'.
- Along with fellow models Karen Mulder and Naomi Campbell, she has a toy doll made in her likeness.
- Claudia had a cameo role in the film 'Richie Rich' and has also appeared in 'The Blackout', with Matthew Modine and Beatrice Dalle, 'Friends and Lovers', opposite Robert Downey Jnr., 'Desperate But Not Serious', 'Wayne's World', 'In Pursuit', 'Chain of fools', 'Waiting for Genevieve', 'Black and White', co-starring Ben Stiller and 'Life without Dick'.
- She is a part owner in the Fashion Café restaurant chain with Naomi Campbell and Elle MacPherson.
- Claudia holds the record for appearing on the most magazine covers (over 700).
- A wax statue of her appears in the Grévin Museum in Paris.
- Claudia appears in the music video "Say it isn't so" by Bon Jovi.

Fashion Shows:
Haute Couture - Autumn/Winter 1990 {Chanel}
Ready to wear - Autumn/Winter 1993 {Chanel, Fendi, Victorio & Lucchino}
Haute Couture - Spring/Summer 1994 {Chanel, Gianni Versace}
Ready to wear - Spring/Summer 1995 {Chanel, Chloe, Gianni Versace, Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino}
Haute Couture - Spring/Summer 1995 {Chanel, Gianni Versace, Valentino}
Ready to wear - Autumn/Winter 1995 {Chanel, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Gianni Versace, RoccoBarocco}
Haute Couture - Autumn/Winter 1995 {Chanel, Christian Dior, Gianni Versace, Thirry Mugler, Valentino}
Haute Couture - Spring/Summer 1996 {Chanel, Gianni Versace, Valentino, Christian Dior}
Ready to wear - Autumn/Winter 1996 {Anna Sui, Chanel, Gianni Versace, Ralph Lauren, Valentino}
Haute Couture - Autumn/Winter 1996 {Yves Saint Lauren}
Ready to wear - Autumn/Winter 1997 {Badgley Mishka, Christian Dior}
Haute Couture - Spring/Summer 1998 {Valentino}
Ready to wear - Spring/Summer 2000 {Balmain, Joop!, Louis Vuitton}
Ready to wear - Spring/Summer 2001 {Chanel}
Haute Couture - Spring/Summer 2002 {Yves Saint Laurent}