Even the glamorous world of modeling can lead to burnout, disillusionment and a feeling of unfulfillment. Luckily, there are plenty of models setting a great example by simply taking some time out to reevaluate and set their own definitions of happiness and success.
And it seems their risks paid off, both in their personal lives and their careers. Below, see the women redefining what it takes to be a supermodel.
Daria Werbowy
You really couldn't open up a magazine and not see the Canadian model's face back in 2003 and the nearly 10 years that followed. But the model recently told Harper's Bazaar that the constant influx of work nearly burned her out. "I took a risk a couple of years ago where I decided to do the minimal amount that I could get away with, because I physically and mentally couldn't handle it anymore," she said. "And it's like, you have everything you want, what you dreamt of is coming true, you can't buy anything else to make you happy, so then you think, 'Well, what else is there?' And you have to leave."
Stella Tennant
The Karl Lagerfeld muse got her start in the mid '90s, gracing the top catwalks season after season. She now lives an idyllic existence in Scotland, opting to take a step back from modeling in lieu of spending more time with her family and focusing on her hobbies. "I said I wasn't going to model after having my son," she told the Wall Street Journal in 2012. "Now I just think, 'Fine, I enjoy the people a lot.' And I haven't found a better part-time job." Lucky for Tennant, she really can do this part time.
Gemma Ward
Just as fast as Ward ascended to the top of the modeling stratosphere in 2002, she disappeared in 2009, shortly after the death of then-boyfriend Heath Ledger. "I was kind of taking a break from many things in my life," she told the Daily Telegraph in 2011. "I made a commitment to myself to address some things that were coming up to do with Heath's passing and also things that were troubling me before we met. I didn't know how long it would take -– I didn't know if it would solve anything -– but I set out to really focus inside myself."
Helena Christensen
As one of the '90s supes, 45-year-old Christensen has managed to defy the industry's age standard, even after unofficially retiring from modeling to pursue her photography career in 2009. (Her photos document climate change in Peru, in case you assumed she was lensing fashion magazine editorials.) These days, she still poses from time to time, but she also continues to focus on global warming through her photography work.
Agyness Deyn
When the Brit became a modeling scene sensation in 2006, her cropped blond hair and punky look made her one of the most bankable faces in the biz. But in 2012, Deyn told The Independent that her interests had shifted and modeling wasn't fulfilling for her anymore. "I think it was about four years ago when my feelings were changing towards the industry," she said. "I didn't hate it, but I was yearning to do something different. I was on a gradient. It was a gradual thing." She became noticeably absent from runways and magazines, launching an acting career and picking up the occasional modeling gig.
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More models who go against stereotypes:
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Cindy Crawford
Cindy is the epitome of a Supermodel as the face of the 90s model craze, bringing the role of professional model to new heights. But Cindy has <a href="http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2009/01/07/cindy-crawford-was-bullied" target="_hplink">confessed</a> that she was teased by other girls in high school for her modeling career...hmm, jealousy much? (Getty photo)
Lindsey Wixson
The 17-year old model has quickly risen to supermodel stardom due to her <a href="http://www.stylelist.com/2011/09/23/lindsay-wixson-lara-stone-georgia-_n_977959.html" target="_hplink">gap-toothed smile</a>, full lips and babydoll face. But <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/20/lindsey-wixson-runway-fall-bullied_n_864656.html" target="_hplink">Lindsey has said</a>, "I was actually always really self-conscious about my gap. In middle school, this group of girls were always trying to beat me up - they called my gap a parking lot... I felt skinny and tall. It was the worst time of my life. But I don't feel like that anymore. Modelling has really helped build my confidence."
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Believe it or not, the British model-turned-actress, named the Hottest Woman on Earth by <em>Maxim</em> earlier this year, was actually told to lose weight when she first started modeling. What's more, it turns out that Rosie's most famous asset was the very thing that got her teased when she was younger. <a href="http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/girls/articles/2011-06/01/gq-girls-rosie-huntington-whiteley-july-cover-victorias-secret" target="_hplink">Rosie told <em>GQ</em></a>, "I got teased because of my lips...I used to get called 'T*t Lips' -- because I had big lips but no breasts. And then I was called 'Kipper Lips'." In addition to being bullied for her full pout by her classmates, the Victoria's Secret Angel added, "And boys didn't really go out with me." Oh, how much has changed.
Tyra Banks
According to <a href="http://www.askmen.com/celebs/entertainment-news/tyra-banks/tyra-banks-bully-revenge.html" target="_hplink">AskMen.com</a>, Tyra Banks revealed that she struggled with bullying as a kid. The supermodel said, "I used to be the freak at school. I was five foot nine and really skinny. I used to get picked on a lot. But now I can get my own back." There was a boy who used to say, "'I do not want that tall, skinny, braces mouth, big forehead girl anywhere near me.' I just broke down." But Tyra got the last laugh after she approached him post-fame saying, "'Antonio? It's me, Tyra, from school!' He was like, 'No way!' So that was nice. I got a little revenge there!" (Getty photo)
Lara Stone
The October <em>GQ</em> cover girl <a href="http://www.gq.com/women/photos/201110/lara-stone-interview-gq-october-2011" target="_hplink">admitted to the mag</a> that she gets pretty shaken up when it comes to all the online haters. The Dutch beauty whose <a href="http://www.stylelist.com/2011/09/23/lindsay-wixson-lara-stone-georgia-_n_977959.html" target="_hplink">gapped-tooth smile</a> is partly responsible for her rise to fame said, "It hurts when you're having a tough day and someone says, 'She's so f**king ugly I wouldn't let my dog near her...And 500 people 'liked' it!" We would certainly let our dogs near Lara. (Getty photo)
Chanel Iman
Newcomer model Chanel Iman rose to fame in the blink of an eye. At only 16 years old, she's the youngest model to be featured on the cover of <em>Vogue</em>! However things haven't always been so easy for the Victoria's Secret Angel. Chanel's had her fair share of bullying for being super skinny and tall, as most models are. But she's learned ignore the haters, saying, "I've always been judged and bullied for being tall and skinny my whole life. Early on I listened to others and failed to appreciate what God gave me until I at last excepted what an amazing blessing it was to love me for me."
Lily Cole
Supermodel Lily Cole was unsurprisingly bullied for her most well known asset as well, and the very trait that helped boost her career: her red hair. The model-turned-actress has admitted to being teased on the playground, saying, "When I was younger I definitely did face anti-ginger prejudice. As a child all teasing hurts, whether it's because you're fat or a different race or have red hair. I had enough comments from a couple of people to make it a sore point." But, Lily says, "I sympathize with children who are going through it but when they get older and are away from stupid children making comments, most people grow to love their red hair." Okay, let us just say: we <em>love</em> Lily's red hair! (Getty photo)
Crystal Renn
In an interview special with Ford Models, the "plus-size" model has spoken out about her eating disorders and pressure to be thin. Crystal claims she was bullied by the fashion industry to maintain her stick-thin figure. The model has said, "I feel pressure from -- more than anyplace -- from the public, and the media." Crystal is nowhere near "plus-size" these days, as the former plus-size model has lost a considerable amount of weight that she claims was unintentional. If you ask us, Renn looks just right.
Lea T.
As the world's first transgendered supermodel, it's really no surprise that Lea T has taken her fair share of bullying. The model told Oprah, "I was hoping I was gay. I was like, ok, I'm gay, because for my family it's less painful....I wish I could accept my body as a man....I would be a straight guy, having a girlfriend and a family, daughters, married, a normal life, but it's something in your brain." But Lea has embraced her identity -- and so has the fashion world, putting Lea on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/07/givenchy-autumnwinter-201_n_832166.html#s249753&title=Lea_T" target="_hplink">runways</a>, magazine covers (see above) and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/01/lea-t-swimsuit-bikini-blue-man_n_869628.html" target="_hplink">ad campaigns</a>.
Kimora Lee Simmons
Long before her reality show career, the Baby Phat empire and her "Simmons" last name, Kimora Lee was a successful runway model. She, too, claims she was bullied by schoolmates for being tall, as she was a whopping five foot ten by the time she was 10 years old. She was also poked fun of for her half-Asian heritage and not fitting the African-American stereotype. She recalls, "All the black kids said, 'She thinks she's white!'" Now Kimora's got enough success to leave all the teasing behind. (Getty photo)
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