Kirsty Hume

Born in Ayr, Scotland on September 4th, 1976, Kirsty Hume's love was painting, drawing inspiration from the countryside and influenced at a young age by the likes of Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, and folk artist. As the years passed and men noticed her wherever she went, Kirsty decided that her artistic endeavors might have to take a backseat to something more lucrative for a while. At the age of fourteen, tragedy struck when her mother passed away. Her life was scattered amongst many relatives, and soon she got a lucky break and was signed with a modeling agency in Glasgow, Scotland. Kirsty moved to the Florida, U.S. to further her career. Things continued on a slow pace until photographer Patrick DeMarchelier discovered her at age 16. Although she was gradually working on a modeling career, this boost opened many doors for her, providing chances for her to appear at the biggest shows, wearing the most famous designer names. 1995 was a breakout year for her, with many Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar and Allure cover appearances. Despite the stress of travel and fashion shows, she was able to make time for her personal life. In 1997, she married Donovan Leitch Jr., a Calvin Klein model and musician son of famous Scottish folk singer, Donovan. The nuptials took place on the banks of picturesque Loch Lomond and became an all-out fashion show in and of itself, with a media circus buzzing and snapping photos of the groom in traditional kilt alongside the ravishing bride. With residences in New York and Scotland, Hume expanded her field beyond the runway by signing on with Chanel as a spokeswoman. Her work in campaigns for Gap, Ralph Lauren (in association with the LPGA golf tour), Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint-Laurent cemented her as part of the new breed of supermodels. Kirsty Hume's long golden hair became her trademark in an industry where it is often difficult to set yourself apart. Her goals, however, are broader than those of her peers, and her love of art, painting and her homeland has never left her mind. She even became involved in politics, giving a public vote of confidence to her party of choice during a by-election back home in Ayr. At the age of 23, she surprised many by announcing her plans to leave the modeling world in order to continue her education at an art school in New York. Since then - and a famous haircut that left her with short locks - her activity on the catwalk has dwindled, as her focus was on starting her own art gallery and cosmetics store. Although her last series of fashion shows were a few seasons ago, she has continued to pop up in the fashion scene, proving that she is not ready to fully give up the career that has made her one of the UK's richest stars under 30. No matter what the future holds, Hume will always be remembered not only for her incredible beauty, but also her desire to expand her resume outside of the fashion world. She is incredibly happy with her new-age life on the West coast, and has recently given birth to a beautiful baby girl, Violet Lilac Jean. She plans on returning to the catwalk, and starting her own line of designer threads.