VENDELA Biography - Craftmen, artisans and people from other Occupations

 
 

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VENDELA

Name: Vendela Kirsebom                                                               
Born: 12 January 1967                                                               
                                                                                     
Vendela Maria Kirsebom Thomessen (born January 12, 1967) is a Swedish/Norwegian     
fashion model and actress.                                                           
Born in Stockholm, Sweden to a Norwegian mother and a Turkish father. She has no     
contact with her biological father and has never been to his homecountry, Turkey.   
At the age of thirteen, Kirsebom was discovered in Stockholm, by Eileen Ford         
herself, while eating in a restaurant with her parents. When 18, she graduated       
from the Rudolf Steiner School and moved to Italy to pursue a career in modeling     
under the guidance of the famous Ford Models. After a contract with Elizabeth       
Arden, Kirsebom moved to the US where she began working as Almay's spokesperson.     
                                                                                     
Kirsebom has since had a very successful career. The companies she has               
represented include Elizabeth Arden, Revlon Lasting fragrance, Lay's, Barbour,       
Diesel, Hanes, JH Collectibles, Lipton, Mikimoto, and Victoria's Secret.             
                                                                                     
She has also appeared on the magazine covers of Bride's (USA), Flare (Canada),       
Shape (USA), FHM (UK), and Zest (USA). She has also been featured multiple times     
in the pages of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She also acted in some       
television shows and films, such as Batman and Robin (1997). She also appeared       
as herself on an 1995 episode of Murphy Brown and the 2005 TV movie sequel Romy     
and Michele: In the Beginning.                                                       
                                                                                     
In 1996, she married the Norwegian politician Olaf Thommessen, a Roman Catholic     
of French and Norwegian descent, and later moved to Oslo, where the couple lives     
today with their two daughters, Julia and Hannah. They separated in 2007 after       
11 years of marriage. In 1999, she was the hostess of the Swedish music             
competition Melodifestivalen 1999.                                                   
                                                                                     
Kirsebom still is a very active figure in the international model community, and     
also acts as goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. She also has lent her voice to a       
character on Johnny Bravo. Kirsebom is currently the host of the reality show       
Sweden's Next Top Supermodel.                                                       
                                                                                     
Her model agency in Sweden are Mikas and in US Ford Models.