Emanuela de Paula

Emanuela de Paula (born April 25, 1979 in Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Pernambuco) is a Brazilian model She is currently the face of the UK retailer Next and the newest Victoria's Secret angel. De Paula can be seen in the 2009 Pirelli Calendar^.



De Paula was born to a white mother and a black father in Northeastern Brazil. She is popularly known as the "black Gisele" (a reference to the Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen). De Paula first took an interest in modeling at the age of nine and asked her father to take her outside of the city so she could start modeling.



De Paula immediately booked a supermarket advertisement but did not officially walk a runway until Fall of 2005.



She knew at an early age she wanted to be a model. "I discovered myself", she proclaimed. At ten years old she started saving money to make a trip to the industrial epicenter of her country, São Paulo. By 15, she was visiting agencies and within a few days signed to the agency, Marilyn.




"I was almost 16 with my son and alone in Tokyo only a few months later. I was so scared", she remembers. "I had no friends and spoke no English or Japanese... All I could say was 'hi' and 'bye'".




"I was almost 16 with my son and alone in Tokyo only a few months later. I was so scared", she remembers. "I had no friends and spoke no English or Japanese... All I could say was 'hi' and 'bye'".



At 29, she has landed two makeup campaigns. She walked at the Victoria's Secret fashion show 2008.




De Paula has graced the runways for the following designers: Alexandre Herchcovitch, Colcci, Diane von Furstenberg, Jennifer Lopez, Kenneth Cole, Lacoste, Lucy In The Sky, Rebecca Taylor, Salinas, Sweetface, Tommy Hilfiger, Yigal Azrouël; magazine editorials for Allure Magazine, French Magazine, Marie Claire, Vogue, Women's Wear Daily and fashion campaign appearances for Alexandre Herchcovitch, Cavalera, DKNY, GAP Body, Hush Puppies, MAC, Mixed, Prescriptives, Sephora, Tommy Hilfiger, Top Shop and Victoria's Secret.



In the early career in New York, she was praised by Naomi Campbell and Anna Wintour of Vogue.