Adriana Karembeu Highest-Paid Model in the World

  • By Carol Kearney
  • Bratislava
  • Last updated on

Adriana Karembeu
Adriana Karembeu led People With Money’s annual list of the “100 highest paid models” released on Saturday.

It's been a rough year for the model, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 54-year-old Adriana Karembeu has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid models for 2026 with an estimated $46 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 19/07/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Adriana Karembeu tops annual list of highest-paid models

In 2024 it looked like the model’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Saturday (July 18) that Karembeu is the highest-paid model in the world, pulling in an astonishing $46 million between June 2025 and June 2026, a nearly $20 million lead over her closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Slovak model has an estimated net worth of $145 million. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Karembeu Burger” chain) in Bratislava, a Football Team (the “Brezno Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderkarembeu - Slovakia), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Adriana) and a fashion line called “Adriana Karembeu Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Adriana fans, who have been waiting for her triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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