Top model Alessandra Ambrosio splits her time between motherhood and a modeling career. On her time off, she takes care of her body with outdoor workouts. by Gabriel Ruas
Even though she has three homes – in Los Angeles, New York and Florianopolis – Alessandra Ambrosio spends most of her time at location shoots and photography studios. The 5’9 top model has perfect curves and is one of the most important models in the world. Alessandra has been appointed several times by renowned news outlets as the sexiest or more desired woman in the planet. All that fame didn’t happen overnight.
When she started modeling, Alessandra heard repeatedly that she wasn’t tall enough for the runway but, determined, she worked hard until she stepped on the catwalk of heavy weights like Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, Kenzo and Vivienne Westwood. Currently, she is one of the ‘Angels‘ under contract with the brand Victoria’s Secret, holding the longest running contract and one of the fattest pay checks of the industry, a fact evidenced by Forbes Magazine.
Known for her great personality, the girl from Erechim, Brazil is not only the face of hyped brands. She is currently developing a bikini line, stars in TV commercials and still finds time to dedicate to philanthropy. Not only that: she completely changed her routine in order to adjust to the biggest and more audacious life project, her daughter Anja. Since the birth of the little girl Ale, as she’s known by close friends, prioritizes jobs with her favorite clients in order to make more time for her family.
Victoria’s Secret, Next UK and Giorgio Armani are some of the lucky brands for which the top model will always make time for. As she likes to put it, they’re friends, almost part of the family. So much so that during those bookings she has freedom to control the music selection – Led Zeppelin, Faith No More, INXS, Pearl Jam and Nirvana are always among her choices – and during the break, between a click and another, she ties in a lively chat with the crew.
This lightness, Alessandra cultivates and cares for with special attention. She knows that the career she chose is tough and it’s necessary to believe in herself to accomplish and manage her success. That’s why, whenever she has the chance to chat with new faces, she doesn’t hesitate in sharing her recipe: Patience and always remaining professional.
Passionate about sports, Alessandra Ambrosio maintains her curvy body through practicing surfing, windsurf, running and playing volleyball. Last year, three months after giving birth to Anja, she walked down the Victoria’s Secret catwalk exhibiting perfect shape, leaving the fashion world in astonishment. What’s her secret for getting back in shape so quickly? The new routine with the baby is responsible for a great portion of these results, but the model confesses that combining healthy eating habits and workouts was the main factor that brought her perfect body back.
From here on, Alessandra intends to live every moment to its fullest. The focal point remains her family and work and, with the certainty that only a few successful people have, she is not afraid of what the future holds. Her modeling career is what fascinates her and what she desires to do for many more years to come. Even though she has considered adding acting to her resume, she gave up when she realized that she would be type-cast in that industry. After all, an ‘Angel’ knows perfectly well the mechanisms which maintain her life in motion and can manage the explosive combination of fame + power + beauty with tranquility. She is not someone who walks within pre-determined standards; she prefers to create her own paths.
Article originally featured as a cover story on L’Officiel Brazil # 33 July 2009
GABRIEL RUAS SANTOS ROCHA 