Selita Ebanks
Selita entered the fashion world after entering Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, where she was scouted by an agent from Elite Model Management when she was 17, literally walking through the turnstiles.
Naomi Campbell
Scout Beth Boldt spotted 15-year-old Campbell window-shopping in London's Covent Garden, but before that she appeared in Bob Marley's video for "Is This Love" at the tender age of 7.
Marisa Miller
Curvy California girl Miller was discovered walking through a San Francisco café by two Italian scouts and soon after graced the cover of Perfect 10 magazine before conquering the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues.
Kate Moss
Waifish Kate was spotted at age 14 traipsing through JFK airport by Storm Agency founder Sarah Doukas, and went on to become the anti-supermodel of the 1990s, thanks to that slim figure.
Jessica White
At 16, Jessica was scouted in her hometown of Buffalo, New York. After moving to Paris, she soon had campaigns for Gap, CoverGirl and Chloe under her stylish belt. Tyra Banks called her "the model for her generation."
Helena Christensen
Before she was discovered by photographer Friedemann Hauss, Helena was Miss Denmark 1986. She promptly moved to Paris and into the modeling world.
Gisele Bundchen
Gisele was discovered by a scout at only 14 while chowing down at McDonalds. Before that, she'd planned to become a professional volleyball player. Gisele moved to New York in 1996 to further her modeling career. It worked out.
Erin Wasson
Erin entered the business after winning the Kim Dawson model search, but she's more than just another leggy beauty. "I have too much going on in my brain to be just a face, an image without a voice behind it," she says.
Elle MacPherson
Discovered while on vacation in Aspen, Colorado, Elle (aka "The Body") first gained attention in the modeling world with a Tab commercial.
Coco Rocha
Charles Stuart discovered college student Coco at an Irish dance competition in Vancouver in 2002. Though she knew little about fashion, Rocha gave herself a crash course between final exams.
Agyness Deyn
Agyness was working at the Village Chippy (a U.K. fish and chips shop), where she met fashion designer Henry Holland. Her talents also include singing; she was a member of the UK group Lucky Knitwear.
Claudia Schiffer
Claudia was discovered by Metropolitan Model Agency head Michel Levaton in a Dussledorf nightclub. After a Paris photo shoot, she landed the cover of Elle, and quickly achieved supermodel status after being selected as the new face of Chanel.
Cindy Crawford
Cindy was working a summer job in an Illinois cornfield when a local newspaper photographer spotted her and encouraged the beauty to try modeling. Before that, she was on a path to chemical engineering at Northwestern University.
Christy Turlington
Legendary model Christy was discovered by a photographer while horseback riding and signed to a small San Francisco agency. In addition to her vast modeling bona fides, Turlington also has a degree in comparative religion and eastern philosophy.