Raquel Zimmermann
Bust
34
Waist
24
Hip
34
Eyes
Blue
Hair
Blonde
Shoes
10
Height
5 Feet, 10 Inches

Net worth $7 Million

Birthday
May 6, 1983
Birthplace
Birth Sign

About

Raquel Zimmermann is a Brazilian fashion model and environmental advocate celebrated for her chameleon-like ability in front of the camera. Born on May 6, 1983, in Bom Retiro do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, she rose from a small-town childhood to become one of the industry’s most recognizable faces, gracing more than thirty Vogue covers and topping the Models.com rankings from late 2007 through early 2010. Even after two decades on runways for Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Prada, and countless others, she remains on the site’s “Icons” list—a nod to both longevity and influence. Away from fashion, Zimmermann lends her voice to sustainability conversations, using interviews and social media to champion mindful consumption and climate awareness.

Before Fame

Zimmermann’s path began at fourteen when a scout noticed her while she attended a local modeling course. Within two years she had relocated to Tokyo to gather early portfolio experience, an adventure that taught the teenager how to live alone, navigate airports, and adapt to different cultures long before she could legally drive in Brazil. The true break arrived in 2000, when legendary photographer Steven Meisel booked her for the September cover of Vogue Italia. The shoot’s success triggered a domino effect: French Vogue followed, then campaigns for Dior makeup, Escada, Hermès, and Gucci. By the mid-2000s Zimmermann was earning top rates and walking upward of seventy shows per season, a schedule so hectic she once joked that airports felt more familiar than her own kitchen.

Trivia

  • Music-video muse. Nick Knight cast Zimmermann in Lady Gaga’s visually daring “Born This Way” video (2011), where she appeared alongside tattooed model Rick Genest.
  • #1 rank. From December 2007 to February 2010, Models.com listed her at the very top, a position rarely held for so long.
  • Mindfulness practice. She credits Transcendental Meditation—learned while traveling in New York—for helping her stay calm during fashion month marathons.
  • Creative hobbies. Between bookings she plays guitar, rides a skateboard, and, more recently, shapes minimalist ceramic pieces shown in indie galleries.
  • Record cover count. By her mid-thirties Zimmermann had clocked thirty-seven global editions of Vogue, a feat matched by only a handful of peers.

Family Life

Zimmermann was raised in a tight-knit German-Brazilian household and speaks Portuguese, English, and basic German. In 2011 she quietly married Spanish-born photographer and filmmaker Ruy Sánchez Blanco; the two often collaborate, with Sánchez Blanco shooting editorial or personal projects that highlight her more experimental side. The couple split their time between New York City and a countryside studio, where Zimmermann says she enjoys gardening and “trading stilettos for muddy boots.” Although private about relatives, she has mentioned calling her mother before major shows for a boost of encouragement.

Associated With

Throughout her career, Zimmermann has worked under the lenses of Steven Meisel, Mario Testino, Nick Knight, and David Sims, each praising her knack for embodying a brand’s spirit without overshadowing it. Designers such as Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel), Tom Ford (Gucci era), Miuccia Prada, and Donatella Versace tapped her for headline campaigns; in Versace’s Spring/Summer 2016 ads she posed alongside Gigi Hadid and Natasha Poly, demonstrating her ability to share the spotlight with newer generations. Pop-culture collaborations extend beyond fashion: her appearance in Lady Gaga’s video introduced her to millions outside runway-watching circles and underscored her versatility. Today, younger models—including Imaan Hammam, who joined her in Vogue’s “Natural Selection” story—cite Zimmermann’s professionalism as a standard to aim for.

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