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Stunning Heidi Klum has been famous for so long that it’s hard to believe there was ever a time when she was a German teen just starting out in the modeling business. Some fans remember her best from her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show heyday in the late ’90s and 2000s, while others know her as the Emmy-winning former Project Runway host, longtime America’s Got Talent judge and host of Germany’s Next Topmodel. We’ve got Heidi’s best looks, from when she was breaking out as a model in the late ’90s to the fashion icon, television star and timeless beauty she remains today.
Heidi first got into modeling by winning a contest in her native Germany in 1992, beating out 25,000 other hopefuls to become victorious in Model 92. Her stunning facial features helped land Heidi on the cover of various editions of Vogue magazine across Europe in the mid-90s, including France, Spain and Germany.
Heidi made a splash in the U.S. when in 1998 at the age of 24 she landed on the cover of the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. Heidi knelt down in in the sand wearing a black one-piece with a plunging white knit top, showing her ample assets. That body would go on to land her more appearances in SI’s annual swimsuit issue, but it also led to her becoming the face and figure of Victoria’s Secret.
Heidi first appeared in the lingerie brand’s annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show when it was still in it’s infancy, for it’s third ever show in 1997. Heidi would become so associated with the brand and the lingerie catwalk display that she hosted the event in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. She stopped working with Victoria’s Secret in 2010.
Heidi had already begun transitioning away from primarily being a model and into television. She was the original host of Bravo’s Project Runway, which debuted in 2004. Alongside mentor Tim Gunn, Heidi became the face of the Emmy-winning fashion competition series and remained with the show for 16 seasons before departing in 2018. She later reunited with Gunn for Amazon’s Making the Cut and eventually returned to the Project Runway franchise following its revival.
Now 53, Heidi has been an American television mainstay for more than two decades. In addition to her fashion-focused projects, she joined the judging panel of America’s Got Talent in 2013 and has remained a fan favorite on the NBC competition series, aside from a brief hiatus during season 14. Beyond AGT, Heidi continues to host Germany’s Next Topmodel, one of the most successful reality shows in Europe. Whether she’s making headlines with her elaborate Halloween costumes, turning heads at events like the Met Gala and Cannes Film Festival, or appearing on television screens around the world, Heidi remains just as captivating today as she was when she first broke through as a young model.
Take a look back at the mother of four‘s best photos through the years in the gallery above.
