Adriana Lima Biography

Adriana Lima, Model

Date of Birth: June 12, 1981

Birthplace: Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Sign: Gemini

Adriana Lima was born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil to mother Maria Da Graca Lima and father Nelson Torres. Lima boasts a diverse ethnic background that includes African, Native American, and Swiss heritage. She has two half brothers, 7 and 11, from her father's second marriage.

Though Lima never banked on being a model, she found herself in her first modeling competition as a favor to her close friend. Both girls sent in their photos for the competition, but it was Lima who was called back. Adriana ranked first place in "Fords Supermodel" of Brazil model search. As a result, she later entered the 1996 "Ford Supermodel of the world" and came in second place.

After three years she made the move to New York and signed with Elite Model Management. Her earliest model campaigns included Vogue and Marie Claire. She has walked in various fashion shows for major designers such as Vera Wang, Christian Lacroix, Emanuel Ungaro, Giorgio Armani, Fendi, Ralph Lauren, and Valentino.

In the fall of 2000, Adriana Lima became a Guess girl in their ad campaign. In addition, Lima has appeared in countless print work for Maybelline, Keds, Bebe, Mossimo, Armani, Bulgari, De beers, FCUK, Intimissimi, Swatch, Versace, and BCBG. Adriana has also done covers and editorials for Harpar's Bazaar, Elle, Vogue, GQ, Marie Claire, Arena, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, and so much more. In April 2006, her cover in GQ granted the magazine its best issue ever.

In February 2008 she appeared on the cover of Esquire Magazine, re-making the original 1966 Angie Dickinson feature on Esquire's 75th anniversary. Included in the issue were model colleagues Karolina Kurkova, Izabel Goulart, and Selita Ebanks. Lima was also featured on Models.com and landed at #3 for the hottest models today. But Lima is most noted for her stint as a Victoria Secret Model since 1998. She later took to the stage in the Victoria Secret fashion show a year later and began her contract in 2000. Her most memorable walk was in the Victoria Secret Fashion show in 2003 in which she opened.

Lima has also appeared in television ads such as the "Angles of Venice" in 2003 with Bob Dylan which has been hailed and critiqued. Her appearance in the Super Bowl XLII commercial, which was the most seen ad, conjured up 103.7 million viewers. In 2008, Lima hosted the "What is Sexy" show for E! Entertainment Network and conducted a tour in July for Biofit Uplift Bra Launch in Long Island, Boston, and Miami Beach.

In November of 2008, Lima will take on the Miracle Bra Campaign. To top it off, Adriana is scheduled to don the "Fantasy Bra" in the 2008 Victoria Secret Fashion Show. She has also extended her contract with Victoria Secret and increased her contract to five more years with Maybelline.

Adriana Lima has acting aspirations as well appearing in The Hire, playing the role as the wife alongside starring Clive Owens. Most recently in 2008, Lima appeared in Ugly Betty which was her second acting role playing herself.

Currently, Lima is the fourth highest paid model as of 2007.