Heidi Klum is a German-American model, television host, actress, and businesswoman. With a successful career in modeling, she has also explored her talents in acting, appearing in films and television sitcoms. As a designer, she has launched maternity lines and a jewelry collection. Additionally, she has proven her skills as an entrepreneur and singer. Beyond her professional endeavors, Klum is a dedicated philanthropist, serving as an ambassador for various charitable organizations and using her singing talents to raise money for humanitarian causes.
Quick Facts
- German Celebrities Born In June Age: 50 Years, 50 Year Old Females
- Family: Spouse/Ex-: Ric Pipino (m. 1997–2002), Seal (m. 2005–2012), father: Günther Klum, mother: Erna, children: Helene Boshoven Samuel, Henry Günther Ademola Dashtu Samuel, Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo Samuel, Lou Sulola Samuel
- Born Country: Germany
- Models
- Actresses
- Height: 5’9″ (175 cm), 5’9″ Females
- Ancestry: German American
Childhood & Early Life
Heidi Klum was born on June 1, 1973 in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany to Gunther Klum, an executive for a cosmetics company, and Erna, a hairdresser. When she was 18, persuaded by her friend, she submitted her photos for ‘Model 92’, a national model contest hosted by ‘Petra’, a young woman’s magazine. To her great surprise, she won the competition that offered her a modelling contract worth $300,000. She graduated from Staatliche Hochschule für Bildende Künste (Städelschule), a fine arts academy in Frankfurt.
Career
In 1993, she moved to New York, in pursuit of a career as a model. The next year, her appearance on the cover page of Mirabella magazine catapulted her into public attention and earned her more modelling opportunities. In the subsequent years, she became the cover model for magazines like ‘Marie Claire’, ‘ELLE’, and ‘Vogue’. Her major breakthrough came on February 20, 1998 with her swimsuit appearance that was featured on the cover of the illustrious weekly magazine, ‘Sports Illustrated’. This gave her recognition as one of the topmost models. In 1999, she was offered the chance to model for Victoria’s Secret, the largest American lingerie retailer. This gave her worldwide recognition and ranked her with ‘Angels’, the model line of Victoria’s Secret who participate in annual television shows. She pursued a career in Hollywood and made appearances in television sitcoms in the United States and Germany. In 2001, she appeared in ‘Blow Dry’, a comedy film starring Alan Rickman and Natasha Richardson. She started her business venture in 2002 and released her swimsuit calendars in the United States and Europe. In 2004, she managed to get roles in films like ‘Ella Enchanted’ and ‘The Life and Death of Peter Sellers’. The same year, she became the executive producer and hostess for ‘Project Runway’, the reality television show for design competition. In 2006, she started hosting ‘Germany’s Next Top model’, a German television show that offered the contestants the chance to win a contract with the IMG Models agency. She has also tried her hand in singing by releasing the single, ‘Wonderland’, the same year.
Major Works
Her first single ‘Wonderland’, released in November 2006, written as television advertisements for Douglas, the retailer, was a great success. It reached No.13 on the German singles chart. She has been very successful in her design ventures. She has designed shoes for Birkenstock, jewelry for Mouawad, a clothing line for Jordache, and makeup for Victoria’s Secret as part of their ‘Very Sexy Makeup Collection’, titled ‘The Heidi Klum Collection’. She also has two fragrances, called ‘Heidi Klum’ and ‘Me’.
Awards & Achievements
In 2013, she won the Emmy Award for her outstanding performance as a host for ‘Project Runaway’, a reality television show.
Personal Life & Legacy
On September 6, 1997, she married Ric Pipino, the famous stylist and hairdresser. The couple got divorced in November 2002. She then had a relationship with Flavio Briatore, the MD of the Formula 1 team of Renault. The couple got separated in January 2004, before the birth of their child Leni. She fell in love with singer Seal and married him on May 10, 2005. The couple has two sons, Henry Gunther Ademola Dashtu Samuel and Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo Samuel, and a daughter named Lou Sulola Samuel. After seven years of happy married life, the couple got divorced in April 2012. After the divorce, Klum started dating Martin Kristen, her bodyguard, and was in a relationship with him until early 2014. Since February 2014, she has been dating Vito Schnabel, son of artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel.
Trivia
- This contemporary German-American model is also a good painter. She has dedicated her painting, ‘Dog with Butterflies’, to honor the rescue operation done by dogs in the aftermath of the September 11 attack.
- This model and host of the television show, ‘Project Runaway’, is also a great designer who has designed collections for Mouawad jewelry and Birkenstock shoes.
- Victoria’s Secret sells a make-up range, ‘The Heidi Collection’, named after this famous model.