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Gisele Bundchen tops Forbes list of highest-earning models

Despite the recession, top models are raking in millions of dollars, with Brazilian Gisele Bundchen, German Heidi Klum and Briton Kate Moss the biggest earners.

Bundchen, the 29-year-old beauty who is married to NFL superstar Tom Brady, is the world’s highest-paid model, making $25 million last year, according to Forbes.com.

Klum, the 36-year-old mother of four, wife of singer Seal, and host of the TV show “Project Runway,” came in second, with $16 million, followed by Moss, also 36, who made $9 million through modeling campaigns, along with the successful launch of her own fashion line and fragrance.

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GISELE BUNDCHEN

HEIDI KLUM

It is the second year the same three models topped the list, which is largely due to a risk-averse fashion industry that was not looking for new faces in the unstable economic climate, said Steve Bertoni, of Forbes.

“These contracts were written during the doldrums of the recession,” said Steve Bertoni, of Forbes. “So when companies decided on the faces of their campaigns, they wanted to play it safe.”

Another Brazilian, Adriana Lima, 28, came in fourth with a $7.5 million salary. Dutch model Doutzen Kroes, 25, who shot to fame in 2005 when selected “Model of the Year” by Vogue magazine, placed fifth with $6 million.