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Alessandra Ambrosio - Biography

The Victoria's Secret Angel and model for houses including Gucci, Dior and Armani was born in 1981

Alessandra Ambrosio sat smiling at a fashion event
Hannah Watkin
Content Writer
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Early life

Alessandra Corine Ambrosio was born on 11 April 1981, in the small town of Erexim in Southern Brazil to petrol station-owner parents. The future supermodel who would become one of several Brazilian models to hit the international scene big time in the late 1990s developed her passion for the fashion business at an early age, enrolling in modelling classes at the age of 12.

Modelling success

In 1996 the stunning brunette entered Elite model agency's Look Of The Year competition and, although she didn't win, was soon listed on its books. After appearing on the cover of Brazilian Elle, she made the leap to ad campaigns for Guess. 

 Huge demand followed, and the young star went on to work with big-name brands including Revlon, Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, as well as starring in the famed Pirelli Calendar. But perhaps her best known collaboration was that with American lingerie brand Victoria's Secret, for which she worked as an Angel from 2006 to 2017. 

Other interests

Alessandra who lists skydiving, surfing, volleyball and snowboarding among her interests, has also shown an interest in pursuing screen career, having made a cameo appearance in 2007's Casino Royale. She later starred in New Girl, the Brazilian telenovela Verdades Secretas and the film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.

Personal life

Alessandra got engaged to businessman Jamie Maur in 2008. They welcomed a daughter, Anja, in 2008 and a son, Noah, in 2012, but the model announced they'd split in 2018 seemingly without having ever married. In 2021, she confirmed that she was dating the model Richard Lee.

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