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Karolína Kurková
Karolína Kurková at the 2008 São Paulo Fashion Week.
Birth name	Karolína Isela Kurkovácitation needed
Date of birth	February 28, 1984 (1984-02-28) (age 24)
Place of birth	Děčín, Czech Republic
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Hair color	Blonde
Eye color	Green
Measurements	34.5B-25-35 (US) 87-64-89 (EU)1
Weight	59 kg (130 lb/9.3 st)
Dress size	4 (US); 34 (EU)
Shoe size	9 (US); 41 (EU)
Agency	DNA Model Management Viva Model Management
Alias(es)	KK

Karolína Isela Kurková (born February 28, 1984²) is a Czech model, best known as one of the Victoria's Secret Angels. Mario Testino said of Kurková, "The proportions of her body and her face, as well as her energy level, make her a model who could fit almost into any moment."³ Designer Marc Jacobs said, "She has an angelic look with a dark side, she's sweet and fun but looks like she could be an evil bewitching child."³ Vogue editor Anna Wintour called her the "next supermodel".³

Early life and career

Karolína Kurková was born in Děčín, Czechoslovakia, to Josef Kurka, a Czech basketball player, and a Slovak mother. ⁴

After a friend sent photos of Kurková to an agency in Prague, she immediately landed a runway appearance, as well as a commercial and print ad. She was 15 at the time.² She later traveled to Milan to gain more experience. ⁵ There, Miuccia Prada, the designer behind the brand Prada, signed her to a modeling contract.⁶Daughter of a Czech basketball star, Karolina Kurkova inherited her father's figure and height. While Karolina was young she was made fun of for her height but that, along with her beauty, is what would help her succeed so much as a model. ⁷

In September 1999, the hard-working 15-year-old model landed a modeling job with fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue, in New York. Moving to New York City, Kurková, at the tender age of 17, received America's recognition when she graced the cover of the February 2001 edition of Vogue,⁸ becoming one of the youngest models ever to appear on the magazine's cover.

Modeling career

Following her Vogue cover, Kurková became recognized at haute couture fashion shows, and lingerie brand Victoria's Secret chose her to be a part of that year's televised fashion show special in 2001, she made her debut at the show in 2000.⁹ Prominent fashion houses such as Yves Saint Laurent signed Kurková to modeling contracts, while print campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Christian Dior, Hugo Boss, Versace, Mango, Rolex Oyster, Salvatore Ferragamo and others helped expose her even more. ¹⁰ In the 2002 Victoria's Secret fashion show she modeled the multi-million dollar bra worth almost $10 million, embellished with rubies and emeralds, which was designed by Hearts on Fire. Dubbed "the next supermodel" by Vogue editor Anna Wintour^{citation needed}, Kurková was named "Model of the Year" at the 2002 VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards for her noticed hard work ethics when she worked twenty-three weeks straight. ¹¹ Kurková later signed contracts with designers including Ralph Lauren, Óscar de la Renta, Chanel and Balenciaga.⁶

⁹ Kurková since her debut in the international high fashion scene in 2001 consistently walked the ramp in Haute couture and Prêt-à-Porter shows for high-end labels such as, Ready to wear - Alberta Ferretti, Alessandro Dell'Acqua, Alexander McQueen, Anna Molinari, Anna Sui, Anne Klein, Balenciaga, Bill Blass, Blumarine, Byblos, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, Celine, Chado Ralph Rucci, Chanel, Chloé, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Emanuel Ungaro, Emilio Pucci, Fendi, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Jil Sander, John Galliano, Karl Lagerfeld, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Missoni, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Roberto Cavalli, Rocco Barocco, Stella McCartney, Vera Wang. Haute Couture - Azzedine Alaia, Chanel, Christian Dior, Elie Saab, Emanuel Ungaro, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Valentino.

Kurková has appeared in almost 20 Vogue magazine covers from around the world including French, Italian, American, UK, German, Russian, Greek and Korean Vogue. She also appeared as the new face for DELL. Kurková has also graces the covers of various international editions of Elle magazine and has also been featured in fashion spreads in other major fashion magazines including the international editions of Vanity Fair and The Face. In Germany she covered the GQ SUMMER STYLE GQ Sommer Stil and the Park Avenue besides that she was part of many articles in fashion magazines like Max or GALA. She has worked with well-known fashion photographers including Steven Klein, Mario Sorrenti, and Mario Testino. Kurkova has been featured on sixty magazine covers since the age of 17 and still counting. ¹²

She was again featured in the 2006 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, showcasing the multimillion dollar bra, this one worth $6.5 million, decked with almost 2000 diamonds weighing 800 carats, and a centerpiece diamond brooch weighing 10 carats. She happens to be the only other Victoria's secret angel besides Heidi Klum to model the multimillion dollar bra at the annual Victoria's secret fashion show twice in 2002 and 2006.⁹ Karolina has done several print and ad campaigns for lingerie giant Victoria's Secret. Although she was one of the most visible models of the Victoria's Secret fashion show since 2001, she only happened to be contracted as an Angel since 2005. Rumors say that she won't renew her contract, and will end working as an Angel in the end of 2008.

Kurková is among the world's top-earning models,having earned an estimated $5 million in the year 2007. She was placed at the 6th position in the Forbes annual list of the highest earning supermodels. ¹³¹⁴

She has no navel - possibly as a result of an abdominal operation in infancy. ¹⁵ Lingerie and swimware photographs are often altered by the addition of an image of a navel, to hide this.

In December 2007, she could be seen in print ads for Dell and was featured on the February 2008 cover of Esquire magazine, re-creating the classic 1966 Angie Dickinson cover on Esquire's 75th anniversary along with fellow Victoria's Secret Angels Adriana Lima, Izabel Goulart and Selita Ebanks. Model.com featured her at No.5 on the list of the hottest models today. She graced the cover of Elle magazine's February 2008 issue and appeared only in shoes, diamonds and gloves for the November 2007 issue of Vanity Fair celebrating 20 years of supermodels with her fellow Angels. Karolina was chosen to be a part of People magazine's 100 most beautiful people in the world, sharing that space with her fellow 'Angels', with whom she also received a star on the Hollywood "Walk of Fame" prior to the 2007 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

Kurková is currently represented by top modeling agencies such as Viva Models - Paris. ⁹

In the last Cía Marítima fashion show, Kurková's unexpectedly heavier physique brought criticism from the Brazilian press as having "too much back fat, love handles and cellulite". ¹⁶¹⁷ This sparked a discussion on the media, on why a woman with an average body is considered fat.

In November 2008, E! Entertainment Television voted her the world's sexiest woman, beating the likes of Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, Gisele Bündchen and her fellow angels Heidi Klum and Adriana Lima. ¹⁸ .

Television/Movie career

Kurková has appeared on Showbiz Tonight, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Miss Junior 2005.

Kurková is also set to make her film debut alongside Frankie Muniz, Harvey Keitel and Amber Valletta in Howard Himelstein's coming-of-age dramedy, My Sexiest Year.¹⁹

She has been cast as Courtney A. Kreiger / Cover Girl in the live action G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra to be released in 2009.²⁰

She appeared on the 2008 Academy of Country Music Awards along with Dwight Yoakum in presenting the "Top Female Vocalist" award to Carrie Underwood.

Personal life

She currently lives in New York City's TriBeCa district and enjoys courtside basketball games at Madison Square Garden.⁶ She is said to be dating Ukrainian professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko²¹. Karolina's interests are basketball, hiking, and acting.

Kurková has been quoted as saying, "Everyone likes and deserves to have some fun. In the end, when you smile, life smiles back at you!"²²

Charity

In March 2006, Kurková received an award from the non-profit organization, Women Together, for her humanitarian work. Kurková was honored for working for the welfare of children through organizations such as "The Beautiful Life Fund", "Free Arts" and "Global Youth Action Network".²³ Karolina Kurkova Received the Atmosphere Magazine Award at the Madrid Planet Hollywood on December 18, 2003. ²⁴

References

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External links

• Karolina Kurkova E! World's Sexiest Woman Photo Gallery
• Karolína Kurková at the Internet Movie Database
• Karolina Kurkova in the Fashion Model Directory