There's a common misconception that you can't be gorgeous and super smart. But these 7 supermodels prove everyone wrong with their academic background. If you're stuck in classes and afraid you won't ever get to lead a glamorous lifestyle because you picked organic chemistry as your major, let these women serve as your inspiration.
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Christy Turlington: Maybelline girl Christy Turlington is considered one of the original "supers" along with Cindy Crawford, Linda Evanglista and Naomi Campbell. But Christy Turlington, who is also the wife of Ed Burns and a serious yogi, has enjoyed a wildly successful career after she became one of the famous "$10,000-a-day" models. And although Turlington began modeling when she was just 14, she returned to school and earned a B.A. in Comparative Religion and Eastern Philosophy from NYU. At 40 years old, Turlington is again pursuing a degree, studying to earn her Master of Public Health from Columbia. -
Lily Cole: English model and actress Lily Cole has appeared in Italian Vogue, Numero, French Playboy and other top fashion magazines, and has appeared in campaigns and walked the runway for designers like Chanel, John Galliano, Christian Lacroix, Rimmel and more. In 2004, she was named Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards, and the kewpie-faced redhead also has roles in upcoming films Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Cole was also accepted to King's College Cambridge, though she deferred twice to concentrate on modeling before settling down. -
Sasha Pivovarova: Russian model Sasha Pivovarova, at 24, is already a veteran top model. Pivovarova is known for her steely eyes and razor sharp cheekbones, and for six years she was the face of Prada. Pivovarova has also walked for and starred in campaigns for Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, and virtually every other designer. Pivovarova, a favorite of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar photographers and editors, is also an artist who has hosted her own exhibit in New York City. Prior to becoming a model, Pivovarova studied art at the St. Petersburg art institute. -
Cindy Crawford: Cindy Crawford is an American icon and arguably one of the most famous models in the world. In the 1990s, Crawford modeled for Versace, Revlon, Clairol, Maybelline, Pepsi and appeared on countless magazine covers from Sports Illustrated to Vogue. Crawford is also credited as changing the image of the all-American girl from a saccharine blonde to a sexier, curvier, more powerful brunette. Crawford studied chemical engineering at Northwestern University before dropping out to pursue modeling. -
Iman: Somali model Iman is also a globally recognized celebrity, the wife of David Bowie, and a fashion icon. Born in 1955, Iman helped open the door to black and minority women who wanted to enter the modeling industry. In addition to her experience in fashion, Iman studied political science at the University of Nairobi and speaks five languages. -
Brooke Shields: Brooke Shields is known today for her acting work in films and on TV, but Shields has been in the industry since she was just 11 months old, when she began working as a model. Shields was signed with Eileen Ford, who claims she started a child modeling branch of her agency just so that she could work with Shields. Over the next several years, Shields began appearing on magazine covers including Vogue and starred in a then-controversial Calvin Klein ad campaign when she was just a teenager. Shields graduated from modeling to film and TV work, but she took a break during the 1980s to attend Princeton University, from which she earned a degree in French literature. -
Rebecca Romijn: Rebecca Romijn enjoyed a successful career as a blonde bombshell and supermodel, appearing in Sports Illustrated and Maxim, and working as a top Victoria's Secret model. During the 1990s, Romijn was also a host of MTV's House of Style program, after Cindy Crawford. Romijn then began to focus her career on acting, appearing in movies like X-Men and on the popular ABC comedy Ugly Betty. But before her big break, Romijn studied music and voice at the University of California, Santa Cruz.