5. Natalia Vodianova – earned $7 million in 2015
Natalia Vodianova’s story is one of rags to riches. Growing up in a very poor region of the then Soviet Union, she was accustomed to selling fruit on the street with her mother to keep them out of poverty. She’s now one of the highest paid models in the world, never mind one of Russia’s most famous exports.
By the time she turned 17, she had signed with a modelling agency and moved to Paris, embarking on a successful career full of runway shows and magazine covers. Throughout her career, Vodianova has walked in over 300 shows, and has been photographed by fashion’s most reputable photographers, including Patrick Demarchelier, Mario Testino and Anni Leibovitz.
Very keen on philanthropy, Vodianova founded the Naked Heart Foundation which supports Russian children from disadvantaged backgrounds who are living with disability. She was inspired to start the charity because her own sister suffers from cerebral palsy.
