Lifestyld By Lauren: Arrivederla Gisele

The once twelve year old Gisele Bundchen, supermodel to be, was already putting us to shame with the body that men and women alike will never forget - fashion industry or not.

#tbt 12-year-old Gisele is 2nd set of legs in on the left! (if you couldn't tell...)
The supermodel with three friends wearing majorette outfits, crop top, booty shorts and go-go boots for their dance recital!
She captioned the photo: “Ready to the show..How about the hairdo?? hahahaha #tbt #1992 #greatmemories,”
First and foremost, from a more personal standpoint - I have watched you on the catwalk, in magazines and as soon as I could get online; whether you are representing Victoria's Secret, High Fashion, Football, Family or the United Nations, you are a beautiful woman and such an inspiration.

The now 5'11" mother of two, wife of Tom Brady has announced her retirement from the catwalk, hanging up her heels with her last strut at Sao Paulo Fashion Week, her home and modeling birth place, Brazil. It is absolutely surreal that she was discovered by an elite modeling agency in a place like McDonald's and has touched the Fashion Industry in such a marvelous way. She was born in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and has inspired a generation of young Brazilian women to seek their fortunes on the runway. She has become the international standard by which supermodels for years to come will be judged and determined.

Energetically waltzing down the catwalk at Sao Paulo Fashion Week on Wednesday night; it began with her usual killer strut and smile and finished with an inevitable emotional farewell to the runway after two decades! However, before this occurred she did announce that although she was indeed retiring from the catwalk, she was not leaving the fashion industry as a whole. She has expressed her gratitude through various posts and interviews, stating on instagram: "I am grateful that at 14, I was given the opportunity to start this journey. Today after 20 years in the industry, it is a privilege to be doing my last fashion show by choice and yet still be working in other facets of the business." As I can imagine most mothers want or strive to be able to do so, Gisele will be able to spend the most time possible with her family by making the choice to retire at 34.

Husband, Tom Brady sat front row to watch his wife's final runway show. The Patriots Quarterback also posted this tribute to his wife: “I am so proud of you and everything you have accomplished on the runway. I have never met someone with more of a will to succeed and determination to overcome any obstacle in the way. You never cease to amaze me.”

Her final appearance was for Brazilian label Colcci, with her own three outfit changes, she walked the runway on t-shirts and crop tops on the other models as well! This final runway show was also an emotional moment for the supermodel's mother, Vania Bundchen, who watched the final appearance."She did her part, and it's a choice people have to respect," she told Globo TV as she wiped away tears. - Highly respected, but she will surely be missed...

Bundchen commented to the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper,
"I want to be with my family more and focus on special projects."

Gisele was arguably the world's most successful model financially in 2014 ("late" in her career) - Forbes magazine reported she earned an approximate $47 million in contracts. The 34 year old supermodel is also the face of Chanel and Carolina Herrera and has her own line of lingerie, fitting with her long-term connection to Victoria's Secret.

Vogue Italia - Photographed by the legendary Michael Comte

The Brazilian supermodel earns a whopping $128,000 per day according to the Daily Mail and has an equally impressive networth of $320 million - well deserving of a toast to her final hurrah, an undoubtedly illustrious career. As Rachel Zoe reported yesterday, it truly is "the end of an era", what this one woman has brought to the industry is undeniable.