The world is full of beautiful people. But being sexy dwarfs beauty — it is more than just a pretty face or nice physique. When you look at the Sexiest Girls we have chosen, you see a common factor: they all own their sexuality. There will always be critics, but being sexy is about having the cheers of admiration drown the whispers of jealousy.
So each week, let FIB give you a glimpse into our upcoming book, TOP MODELS Volume 63 — Sexiest Girls. Be warned, though: some of these women can make Kate Moss jealous.
There is a certain wildness to Isabeli Fontana’s turquoise stare. It alludes to the fierce spirit within, the air of a woman that knows exactly who she is and what she wants, which makes men lust for her, and women want to be her. This quality has allowed Fontana to remain at the peak of her nineteen-year modelling career with poise, and no small amount of attitude.
Born in Curitiba, Brazil, on July 4, 1983, Fontana was destined to model. In 1996 she placed third in the Brazillian Elite Model Look Contest. Coincidentally the Brazilian winner, Ana Beatriz Barros, is also featured in our countdown. Initially discouraged from modelling by her father, Fontana credits her entrance to the modelling industry to her mother. In 1997 Fontana moved to Milan to pursue modelling at the tender age of 14, and it is a testament to her determination that she rose so gracefully through the cut-throat industry.
Fontana took her time with her career, allowing for several relationships, including model ex-husband Alvaro Jacomossi, and two children, Zion and Henrick. It was the early 2000s that saw the Brazilian beauty hit her stride. Vogue’s 2004 “World’s Next Top Models” cover featured Fontana along with several other top models, including Natalia Vodianova and Karolina Kurkova.
Fontana’s career has not been without controversy. In 1999, 16-year-old Fontana posed for a Victoria’s Secret catalogue, even though it was against the lingerie line’s policy to photograph minors. It was feared that the scandal would damage Fontana’s career, and the future of Victoria’s Secret, but if anything, it spurred them on. Though never made an official angel, Fontana joined the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2003 and continued to walk for them in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012.
2008 was a huge year for Fontana. Opening shows in New York and Milan, walking for Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, and Givenchy in Milan and Paris, and photographed by famous photographers including Mario Sorrenti and Steven Meisel, Fontana reached new heights in her career. After earning approximately three million in just that year, Fontana was named the eleventh highest paid model by Forbes.
Fontana’s personality seems to jump off the page, and her presence has a lasting effect, which has been extremely rewarding to her career. She has been the face of Hermes, H&M Lingerie, Louis Vuitton, Cesare Paciotti, Moschino and Dolce & Gabbana in the last decade.
A model’s true beauty lies in her adaptability to different situations. Fontana is at home modelling high fashion, lingerie, or swimwear, appearing in the 2002 and 2003 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, and the 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Pirelli Calendar.
Off the runway, Fontana’s beauty shines through her work as a Rotary Polio Ambassador. She became impassioned about polio vaccinations when she took her own son to be vaccinated as a representative of Brazil’s national immunization campaign. In an interview with Rotary, she expressed her passion “to change the world so we can all be healthier – so all children have the chance to stay healthy and play and be happy.” As part of her role, Fontana travelled to India to assist workers and volunteers with vaccination and meet the children benefiting from the organisation.
2015 has seen Fontana shoot several covers, including Maxim USA, Vogue Brazil twice, Elle France, and Harper’s Bazaar three times. She has featured in nine editorials, including Maxim USA, Vogue Brazil, Vogue Italy, Elle France and L’Officiel Brazil. On top of these, she has walked for Emilio Pucci and Versace in Milan, Diane Von Furstenberg, Versus, and Gabriella Cadena in New York. One thing is sure: at just under two decades into modelling, there’s no stopping Isabeli Fontana.
Keep an eye out for FIB’s upcoming book, TOP MODELS Volume 63 – Sexiest Girls.
