PROFILE DETAILS
NAME: Linda Evangelista
REAL NAME: Linda Evangelista
AGE: 60 years old
Gender: Female
weight: Information not publicly available
Height: 5′ 10″ (178 cm)
Birthdate: May 10, 1965
Birth Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
NET WORTH: $45 Million (Estimated)
Salary: Information not publicly available (Project-based)
MAIN INCOME SOURCE: Modeling, Brand Endorsements, Media Royalties, and Legal Settlements
Profession: Supermodel, Activist, Author
RELIGION: Roman Catholic
FAMILY: Augustin James Evangelista (Son)
PARENTS: Tomaso Evangelista (Father), Marisa Evangelista (Mother)
SPOUSE: Gérald Marie (m. 1987–1993)
CHILDREN: Augustin James Evangelista
CAREER: 1984–Present
Nationality: Canadian
SOCIAL PROFILES: Instagram (@lindaevangelista)
What is Linda Evangelista Net Worth and salary?
As of early 2026, Linda Evangelista’s net worth is estimated at $45 million. Her wealth is a combination of her earnings from the “Golden Era” of supermodels in the 1990s, where she was one of the highest-paid women in the industry, and more recent financial developments.
A significant portion of her current valuation stems from a multi-million dollar settlement reached in 2022 with Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc. (a subsidiary of Allergan) following a lawsuit regarding a CoolSculpting procedure that left her “permanently deformed.” Additionally, her 2024-2025 resurgence—including the Apple TV+ documentary The Super Models, her memoir Linda Evangelista Photographed by Steven Meisel, and high-fashion campaigns for brands like Fendi and Chanel—has significantly bolstered her annual income through appearance fees and royalties.
Early Life
Linda Evangelista was born in St. Catharines, Ontario, to Italian immigrant parents. Her father worked for General Motors, and her mother was a bookkeeper. Raised in a traditional Roman Catholic household, Linda showed an early interest in fashion, reportedly practicing her walk and poses in front of a mirror from a young age. She attended Denis Morris Catholic High School and remained deeply connected to her Italian-Canadian roots throughout her rise to fame.
Before fame
Evangelista’s journey began at age 12 when she entered the Miss Teen Niagara pageant in 1981. Although she did not win, she caught the eye of a scout from Elite Model Management. Her mother insisted she finish high school before pursuing modeling full-time. Upon graduation, she moved to New York City, where her career initially stalled until she moved to Paris in 1984. Her “big break” came when she met photographer Steven Meisel, who became her lifelong collaborator and helped craft her “Chameleon” persona.
Awards
- VH1 Fashion Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award (1996)
- Canada’s Walk of Fame: Inducted in 2003
- Fashion Group International: Superstar Award (2005)
- German Fashion Award: Style Icon (2024)
- CLIO Awards: Honorary recognition for impact on fashion advertising (2025)
Personal Life and Relationships
Linda’s personal life has been a subject of intense media scrutiny. She was married to Gérald Marie, the head of Elite Model Management in Paris, from 1987 to 1993. Following their divorce, she had high-profile relationships with actor Kyle MacLachlan and French football star Fabien Barthez. In 2023, she spoke candidly about her past relationships in her memoir, focusing on her journey toward self-acceptance and healing after years of physical and emotional health challenges.
Family life
Linda is a devoted mother to her son, Augustin James Evangelista, born in 2006. For years, the identity of his father was kept private until a 2011 court filing revealed him to be French billionaire François-Henri Pinault. Despite initial legal disputes over child support, the two reached an amicable agreement. Linda remains close to her extended family in Canada and has often credited her mother, Marisa, as her primary support system during her recent health battles.
Associated with
- The “Big Five”: Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, and Tatjana Patitz.
- Steven Meisel: Her most frequent creative collaborator.
- Karl Lagerfeld: Who famously called her the “most professional model in the world.”
- Salma Hayek: The stepmother of her son, with whom she maintains a supportive and friendly relationship.
Real Estate
Linda maintains a primary residence in a luxury penthouse in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. She also owns a private estate in Ontario, Canada, which serves as a retreat. In 2025, reports indicated she invested in a boutique wellness property in upstate New York, reflecting her shift toward health advocacy.
Net Worth History
- 1990s: $15M – $20M (Peak supermodel earnings)
- 2010s: $25M (Steady through legacy contracts and investments)
- 2022: $40M (Post-lawsuit settlement)
- 2026: $45M (Resurgence in media and fashion)
Trivia
- She famously uttered the quote: “We don’t wake up for less than $10,000 a day” in a 1990 Vogue interview.
- She has appeared on over 700 magazine covers throughout her career.
- In 1988, she cut her hair into a short “bowl cut” on the advice of Peter Lindbergh; she lost 16 runway shows immediately, but the look soon became a global sensation known as “The Linda.”
- She is a two-time breast cancer survivor, having undergone a double mastectomy.
BIOGRAPHY
Executive Summary
Linda Evangelista stands as one of the most influential and transformative figures in the history of fashion. As of February 2026, her legacy has evolved from that of a 1990s “Supermodel” to a symbol of resilience and authenticity. Known as “The Chameleon” for her uncanny ability to reinvent her look with different hair colors and styles, Evangelista was the muse for the industry’s greatest photographers and designers, including Steven Meisel, Gianni Versace, and Karl Lagerfeld.
Her career reached its zenith in the early 1990s as part of the “Trinity” alongside Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington. However, her narrative took a dramatic turn in the mid-2010s when she disappeared from the public eye. In 2021, she bravely revealed that she had been “brutally disfigured” by a rare side effect of a cosmetic procedure called Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia (PAH). Her decision to go public and sue the parent company sparked a global conversation about beauty standards and the risks of cosmetic interventions.
By 2024 and 2025, Evangelista staged a triumphant return to the industry. Her participation in the Apple TV+ docuseries The Super Models and her stunning return to the runway for Fendi’s 25th-anniversary Baguette show signaled a new chapter. Today, in 2026, she is celebrated not just for her iconic portfolio, but for her advocacy regarding health and body image. She continues to work selectively, focusing on projects that align with her values of transparency and empowerment. Her estimated net worth of $45 million reflects a career that has spanned four decades, surviving industry shifts and personal hardships to remain a permanent fixture in the pantheon of fashion legends.