by Wayfarer

Created on: November 26, 2008

KAROLINA KURKOVA SUPERMODEL FOR THE NEW MILLENIUM

Just when you thought the term "supermodel" had been left behind with the eighties and nineties, along comes a supermodel for the noughties.

Karolina Kurkova, born in Decin, the Czech Republic in 1984, is the woman taking the fashion catwalks by storm. She prefers to be known as KK, or Kinka.

Kurkova's rise to fame is almost classic fairytale stuff. Her story will resonate with every young girl who ever felt awkward and out of place. The daughter of a Slovakian mother and a Czech father, Karolina Kurkova inherited her basketball playing father's height which made her a figure of fun at school. But when she was 15 a friend, who saw something in her that others didn't, sent pictures to a modelling agency in Prague.

That's when Karolina Kurkova became the envy of young girls everywhere. The agency snapped her up! Almost immediately she was placed on the catwalk and appeared in print adverts. But Prague isn't quite the centre of the fashion world, so Karolina Kurkova made the move to Milan.

Milan was where her next big break possibly the biggest break a model could hope for occurred. She was spotted by none other than Miuccia Prada of the Prada label. He signed her up there and then. The looks that had made her seem ridiculous at school were exactly what Prada wanted.

Still aged only 15 Karolina Kurkova crossed the Atlantic to America where she was a smash. She modelled for Vogue and, two years later, became their youngest ever cover girl.

Hot from her Vogue exposure Kurkova was chosen by lingerie house Victoria's Secret to take part in a television campaign. Yves Saint Laurent, Tommy Hilfiger, Louis Vitton, Versace, Christian Dior, Hugo Boss, Chanel all the top name wanted this angelic Czech promoting their products.

One particular highlight of a career with very few downturns must surely have been becoming only the second Victoria's Secret Angel to model a diamond encrusted bra. These bras were worth $6.5 million and $10 million! Not the sort to leave lying around the bedroom floor!

Wise enough to know that fame in the fashion world is fleeting Karolina found herself an acting coach and it seems to have paid off. She's starring alongside Dennis Quaid in the new GI Joe movie. Perhaps unsurprisingly Kinka plays Cover Girl!

Karolina Kurkova is respected within the fashion world for her no fuss, hard work ethic. She seems to believe that you get out of this world what you put into it. "When you smile," she is reported as having said, "Life smiles back at you." Some people just have brighter, more profitable smiles than others! And Karolina Kurkova's smile along with the rest of her is making the world smile brighter in return.

She credits her father with teaching her the fine art of appreciation and her mother for showing her how to find the beauty in everyone.

The supermodel is back! Karolina Kurkova is the first supermodel of the new millennium!

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