Bar Refaeli was born on June 4, 1985, in a rural region of Israel. She was raised on a horse ranch, but her countryside origins never inhibited her ambitions. She started modeling before she could even walk and talk. At 8 months old, Bar Refaeli was already doing commercials. After such an early career start, Bar Refaeli had to undergo that traumatic experience that every child fears: getting braces. Of course, getting braces quickly derailed her modeling career. So, for over three years, Bar Refaeli resorted back to her normal life -- a life devoid of modeling. When the braces came off in 1997, however, Bar Refaeli wasted no time getting right back into the industry. At the tender age of 11, she burst back onto the modeling scene and has been there ever since. She then appeared in numerous advertisements and infomercials in Israel.
bar refaeli in gq
Bar Refaeli’s rise to prominence seemed to happen overnight. At the age of 15, Bar began to model for catalogs such as Castro and Pilpel. Her undeniable good looks made her an automatic interest for most international magazines and covers.
The turn of the century marked a sign of good things to come for the Israeli vixen. In 2000, she won the title of Model of the Year in a beauty contest, and in 2001, she won her title yet again, as her beauty and modeling talents couldn't be denied. In 2002 and 2003, she was chosen to be the home model of the Renuar fashion network. Additionally, Bar Refaeli was selected for an international fashion production and appeared in the French ELLE magazine.
It was during her rise to prominence that she attained gigs with GQ and Ralph Lauren. However, Bar Refaeli claimed that it was the editorial section in an issue of French ELLE that cemented her celebrity. The editorial section attached her name with the face that so many people were becoming accustomed to seeing, and once her name was attached a celebrity was born.
bar refaeli in sports illustrated
Bar Refaeli ended up doing photo shoots with Sports Illustrated magazine and Victoria’s Secret. Her career has essentially grown right in front of our eyes; she has developed a sense of how to work in front of a camera, and photographers like working with her.
In early 2007, Bar Refaeli landed more work with SI, and signed a deal with Chanel’s makeup brand.
Putting her at an even higher pinnacle of celebrity, her once-romantic link with award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio speaks mounds for her popularity, although the couple split in the summer of 2009.
bar refaeli is named no. 20 in 2008 top 99
In 2007, Bar Refaeli was also awarded "Sexiest Import" at the 2007 Spike TV Guys' Choice Awards. So it's no wonder AskMen.com readers put Bar so high up on out 2008 Top 99 list. She dropped to No. 34 in 2009, just missing being included in the top third of the 99 Most Desirable Women of the year.
bar refaeli in session
After becoming the spokesmodel for Diddy's scent "I Am King" as well as the clothing brand Hurley, Bar Refaeli was featured in Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Edition in February 2009, this time making the coveted cover. In July 2009, Refaeli posed entirely nude, save for a passage from Stephen King’s short story "Morality" painted on her body, for the cover of Esquire.
bar refaeli and askmen.com's top 99 most desirable women of 2010
In 2010, Bar Refaeli landed the No. 13 position on AskMen.com's list of the Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2010. She also appeared in the 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, but lost the cover to Brooklyn Decker, aka Mrs. Andy Roddick, who notably came in at No. 31 on AskMen.com's 2010 list of the Top 99. Although rumors are circulating that Bar was disappointed about not landing the cover of SI, we'd like to remind her that she's moved up in the ranks, at least according to AskMen.com.
