Fashion Home »
Karolina Kurkova
Karolina Kurkova
Karolina Kurkova (b. February 28th, 1984 in Decin, Czech
Republic) is a supermodel.
Karolina Kurkova had a slight taste of what celebrity
would be like, as her father Josef Kurka was a star basketball
player. As a child, her height made her relatively awkward
and gangly, but that would all change with age.
A close friend recognized her beauty and sent photos
of Kurkova to an agency in Prague. Kurkova 
immediately landed a runway appearance, not to mention
a commercial and print ad. Still, being a model in the
Czech Republic did not expose her to what fashion was
really about, so Kurkova took a chance and traveled to
Milan to gain some more experience.
There, Miuccia Prada (the designer behind the famous
brand name) signed her to a contract that proved to be
the beginning of her stellar career. On September 7th,
1999, Kurkova's hard work as a 15-year-old model culminated
in a meeting with some Vogue editors in New York. She
impressed them immediately and the execs began to slowly
groom her for success.
A move to the Big Apple and hectic work schedule ensued.
It all paid off when Kurkova finally made her presence
known in the February 2001 issue of Vogue. One of the
youngest models ever to grace its cover, the magazine
helped propel her to stardom. She was now recognized at
haute couture fashion shows and Victoria's Secret swept
her up and chose her to be part of that year's television
special, in November. Even fashion houses like Yves Saint
Laurent took note of the stunning beauty and proceeded
to sign Kurkova to deals.
Print campaigns for Tommy, Valentino and others helped
expose Karolina Kurkova even more, while she headlined
the second Victoria's Secret show the following year.
The constant flow of work (she is said to have worked
23 weeks straight) was recognized by Vogue as they honored
her with the "Model of the Year" title at the
2002 VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards.
The usual contracts with big designers such as Ralph
Lauren, Oscar de la Renta and Balenciaga continued, and
a recent tally put Kurkova's magazine cover appearances
at 60 and counting. She is revered as much in the fashion
world for her personality, which is described as intense
and energetic, as for her looks. This attractive attitude
leaves little doubt that Kurkova will emerge as a legendary
supermodel; even Vogue editor Anna Wintour called her
the "next supermodel."
Living in New York's TriBeCa district with her longtime
boyfriend, Karolina Kurkova is able to separate herself
from modeling enough to enjoy courtside basketball games
at Madison Square Garden.
|
