Isabeli Fontana

Early life

Isabeli Bergossi Fontana was born on 4 July 1983 in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, to Maribel Bergossi and Antonio Carlos Fontana, of Italian and Portuguese descent; she gained Italian citizenship in 2021. She was discovered at 12 through a local Elite Model Look contest, placing third, and moved to Milan around age 13 or 14 to model professionally.

Runway debut and early milestones, 1998–2004

Fontana made her Milan Fashion Week runway debut at 15 for Versace, Givenchy and Michael Kors, and appeared in a Victoria’s Secret catalogue at 16 in 1999, a booking that drew scrutiny over the brand’s minimum-age policy at the time. Her first Vogue cover came with Vogue Hellas in 2001, followed by Vogue Paris in March 2002. In 2004 she appeared on a group Vogue US cover with eight other models and became the face of Hermès, alongside campaigns for Versace and Balenciaga.

A decade of Vogue covers, 2005–2014

Fontana returned to Vogue Paris’s cover in 2005 and again in November 2009, following Vogue US’s "Face of the Moment" feature that year. In 2008 she ranked 11th on Forbes’ top-earning models list, with estimated earnings of $3 million. In 2011 she was photographed by Karl Lagerfeld for the Pirelli Calendar, judged Miss Universe, fronted Donna Karan New York’s "Power of a Woman" campaign, and appeared on covers of Vogue Paris and Vogue Korea, followed by a Vogue Italia cover in 2014. She has long been the face of Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb and Bulgari’s Goldea fragrance campaigns.

Recent record, 2025

Fontana walked Dsquared2’s Fall/Winter 2025/26 show at Milan Fashion Week on 25 February 2025, and fronted Genny’s "Garden of Delights" campaign that spring, photographed by Giampaolo Sgura. She walked Ralph Lauren’s Collection Fall 2025 show in New York on 17 April 2025, and starred in Donna Karan’s Fall 2025 campaign, revisiting the brand’s 2011 "Power of a Woman" theme. That July she walked Elie Saab’s Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2025/26 show and Christopher Esber’s show at the Palais de Tokyo during Paris Fashion Week. She is represented by Women Management across New York, Paris and Milan.

Why is Isabeli Fontana ranked #67?

• Starred in Donna Karan's Fall/Winter 2025 campaign revisiting 'Power of a Woman', and Genny's Spring 2025 'Garden of Delights' campaign.
• Walked and fronted Etro's Fall/Winter 2025 show and campaign at Milan Fashion Week, February 2025; walked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, October 2024.

Confidence: High confidence · evidence reviewed. Scores may change when a source is corrected or new work enters the current window.