Discovered aged 17 bopping to Abba in a nightclub in Düsseldorf, Claudia Schiffer became the blonde addition to the supermodel mafia. Her striking resemblance to a young Brigitte Bardot - with curves to match - blew away all competition. She has remained at the top of her profession, commercially-speaking, for two decades. As the face of Citroën Xsara Claudia helped make it the best-selling car in Europe virtually overnight. This season she returns to more familiar fashion territory as Chanel's pin-up, all adding to a personal fortune estimated to be £50m. Her personal life is well documented. Formerly engaged to magician David Copperfield (who asked her out as he sawed her in half during a live German TV show - how could she refuse?), she later married British film producer and aristo, Matthew Vaughn, bessie mate of Mr Madge, Guy Ritchie.

Left: Claudia Schiffer in 1992. Right: Attending a Yves Saint Laurent party in 2008.