Be it New York, Paris or Milan, that angel spreading her wings over ramps that matter goes by the name of Alessandra Ambrosio. How high is this angel flying? The first spokesperson for Victoria’s Secret’s Pink line –– the lingerie range that targets young women –– notched up around $5 million last year from her various earthly pursuits. The Coachella regular’s friend list includes Candice Swanepoel, Adriana Lima, Jonas Brothers, Chris Pine, Heidi Klum, Jessica Alba, Lily Aldridge… phew! And a bare-all Ale is one of the big draws of the 304-page coffee-table book Angels.
How did the double A magic begin? What entitles her a double A? t2 looks at the rise and rise of Alessandra Ambrosio, who turned 34 on April 11.
Room of supermodels
Born to middle-class parents of Italian and Polish descent, a 12-year-old Alessandra enrolled at modelling school and though she entered the Elite Model Look competition in 1996, she didn’t win. But this didn’t hamper her chances at landing a contract with Elite and soon after her first gig with Brazilian Elle, she found a career in the Big Apple. This is where she shared an apartment with two other models… let’s make that supermodels, Gisele Bundchen and Adriana Lima. Needless to say, NYC lapped her up.
The A-team
After appearing on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in 1998, Alessandra landed catwalk shows with… just to name-drop a bit… Christian Lacroix, Fendi and Kenzo in Paris, Milan and New York. But the big break came in 2000 when she was chosen as the face of Guess. She has also been in campaigns and advertisements for Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Oscar de la Renta.
VS royalty
Alessandra’s first show for the largest American retailer of lingerie… that’s Victoria’s Secret, of course… was in 2001; in 2004-05, she became the ambassador for Victoria’s Secret Pink line. And she has walked the ramp wearing the famed jewel-encrusted Fantasy Bra twice! “I have been a part of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show for the last 14 years and I am always excited for it. Each year it gets bigger and bigger,” she has told the online magazine Askmen.
Butt seriously
The man behind the sizzle quotient of Ale’s long pins is her fitness teacher Leandro Carvalho, who is famous for the Brazil Butt Lift, which involves “lower-body sculpting moves to help you make your booty your best feature”, according to the description on the sleeve of his official DVD. His method “works all three major muscles of the buttocks from multiple angles to lift your butt, reduce your hips and thighs, and tone those stubborn trouble zones”. Alessandra also practices Capoeira, a form of Brazilian martial arts, which combines elements of dance and music.
Bacon for breakfast
Ale likes bacon and eggs for breakfast, besides coffee, muffins, sandwiches, bagels, bread and fruits. That’s according to healthyceleb.com, an aggregator of health-related information of celebrities. Her lunch menu includes a salad with fillet mignon or chicken breast and rice and beans. Her other favourites are miso soup and tuna rolls. Evening treats include a handful of nuts and a cup of coffee, which leaves enough space for a dinner of lobster ravioli, salami, caviar and tiramisu.
Family first
For the mother of two (Noah and Anja), it’s important to strike a work-family balance. She spends as much time as possible with her kids and partner Jamie Mazur, a businessman. “When I am travelling for work I make sure to speak to my kids every day or through Skype, and when I am with them I just love to spend as much time with them as possible and show them as normal a childhood as I can,” Alessandra told Romy & the Bunnies.
Ale and hearty
Name: Alessandra Ambrosio
Nationality: Brazilian
Age: 34
Current occupation: Victoria’s Secret Angel
Height: 5ft 9.5in
Vital stats: 34-25-34.5
Partner: Jamie Mazur
Children: Noah and Anja
Style icons: Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin
Own label: ále by alessandra
