Ana Claudia Michels was born July 31, 1981, in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The green-eyed statuesque beauty didn't begin modeling by winning any competitions or being crowned Miss Brazil, although she could very well have, had she competed. Ana Claudia was introduced to the owners of the Mega Agency through a friend, and as her beauty is quite evident, she was signed on immediately.
With Gisele Bundchen as her role model, Ana Claudia is making her way up the echelons of fashion quite rapidly. Ana Claudia has appeared in advertisements for Missoni, Saba, Tart, Valisere, Vizzano, Zoomp, Calvin Klein, Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Versace eyewear, Versus fragrance, among many others. While walking by any magazine store, Ana Claudia's beauty would stop you right in your tracks as she has graced the cover of numerous magazines, such as Desfile Brasil in 1998 and 1999; Vogue France, Stockholm New Sweden, and Vogue UK in 2000; and Vogue and Nova in 2001. This doesn't even include the editorials she has appeared in. She strutted her sultry stuff down many catwalks for designers such as Donna Haag, Genny, Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton, and Marc Jacobs in 1999; Chloe, Exte, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, and Victoria's Secret in 2000; and Byblos, Holland & Holland, John Bartlett, Michael Kors, Missoni, Versace, Anne Sui, and Imitation of Christ in 2001.
Signed with Women Model Management in New York, Fashion in Milan, City Model Management in Paris, Mega in Brazil (she is still signed with them), and Louisa Top Models in Germany, Ana Claudia had a huge year in 2001, and she'll only be getting more popular. The Brazilian goddess collects bracelets from every destination she travels to, and she will surely have many by the time she's through with modeling. In June 2001, Ana Claudia was part of the ensemble cast in the Sao Paulo Fashion Week in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where she modeled for big-time designers such as Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. She also posed for Valisere's catalog. And if all her work wasn't enough, Ana Claudia was named "Queen of the Catwalk" by a poll conducted by Vogue UK, with Naomi Campbell as runner-up. Watch out Gisele! Besides adoring fans worldwide, Ana has a miniature Schnauzer named "Rocco."
[ biography courtesy of AskMen.com ]
