Introduction

Naomi Campbell is an English professional model, actress, and businesswoman with an estimated net worth of $80 Million.

Recruited at 15, she established herself amongst the most recognizable and in-demand models of the late 1980s and the 1990s. She is considered to be one of the greatest models of all time. 

Career Overview

Naomi Campbell first appeared in Bob Marley’s “Is This Love” music video before appearing in the video for “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya” by Culture Club. Having studied dance from age three, Naomi initially wanted to be a dancer, and she worked hard to train. 

However, while attending the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Campbell was scouted by the head of the Synchro Model Agency. Just before her 16th birthday, she appeared on the cover of Elle in Britain and officially started her modeling career. 

While she didn’t become one of the wealthiest models in the world overnight, her beauty earned her no shortage of work. 

Early Modeling Career

Following her appearance on Elle, Naomi Campbell appeared on the runway for many luxury designers, including Versace and Isaac Mizrahi. 

By the late 80s, Campbell, along with Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista, had become “the Trinity,” the most in-demand models of the time. However, despite her status, Campbell still had to contend with racial discrimination, though Turlington and Evangelista often supported her. 

In 1987, she became the first black model since 1966 to appear on the cover of British Vogue. The following year, she appeared on the cover of French Vogue, after Yves St. Laurent threatened to withdraw his support if they didn’t use her. 

Naomi then joined Turlington, Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, and Tatjana Patitz on the cover of British Vogue in 1990. 

A Supermodel

Naomi Campbell appeared on the Versace catwalk in 1991 and, the following year, on the cover of American Vogue. However, despite all of her success, Elite Model Management dropped her contract in 1993 after representing her since 1987. Fortunately, that didn’t slow her down, and in 1995, she walked in the second-ever Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. 

In 1997, she became the first black woman to open a Prada show and released the novel Swan, which she had ghostwritten. The same year, she released the album Baby Woman, which was commercially successful in Japan. At the same time, Naomi landed minor roles in Miami Rhapsody, New York Undercover, and Spike Lee’s Girl 6. 

After Time declared the end of the supermodel era in 1998, Campbell continued modeling on the runway and in print.

Forging Her Path

Naomi Campbell appeared with Sean Combs on the cover of British Vogue in October 2001 and, in 2005, founded We Love Brazil. The same year, she launched another charity called Fashion For Relief in response to Hurricane Katrina. 

In 2007, she walked for Dior’s 60th anniversary show and then appeared in the first all-black issue of Italian Vogue. She then appeared with Iman on the 40th anniversary cover of Essence and performed at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games. Campbell was busy in 2014, appearing on the covers of Vogue Australia, Vogue Japan, Vogue Turkey, and Harper’s Bazaar. 

In 2015, she became a recurring character on the Fox drama Empire and joined Lady Gaga in American Horror Story: Hotel. Three years later, she received the Fashion Icon Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. 

Fashion For Relief Charity Ban

In 2005, Campbell founded Fashion For Relief, a charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for humanitarian causes. The charity hosted high-profile events in the fashion industry, with all proceeds donated to its chosen charities.

However, in 2024, Campbell was banned from serving as a charity trustee after an investigation by the UK Charity Commission found her guilty of financial mismanagement and misconduct. Their report discovered that only a small portion of the millions of pounds raised by Fashion For Relief went to humanitarian causes. They suggested that significant money was spent inappropriately on items such as hotel rooms, spa treatments, flights, personal security, and unauthorized consultancy to other trustees.

The charity reportedly raised £4.5 million ($5.9 million) between 2016 and 2022, but only £389,000 ($517,000) in grants were distributed to the respective charities. Ultimately, the investigation disqualified Campbell and two other trustees.

However, in response to the decision, Campbell filed an appeal, claiming that she was unaware of all the financial misconduct and that she was the victim of fraud and impersonation by Bianka Hellmich, another charity trustee. Campbell claimed that Hellmich forged her signature and used a fake email account to communicate with her lawyers, falsely signing documents on her behalf. Campbell’s appeal resulted in the UK Charity Commission agreeing to investigate her case further, with the case remaining ongoing.

Vladislav Doronin Lawsuit

In February 2020, Campbell filed a lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend, Billionaire, Valdislav Doronin. The reason was that she claimed that he was still holding onto some of her personal belongings. However, Doronin countersued Campbell in the New York Supreme Court in September of the same year, claiming that Campbell owed him more than $3 million in personal property and that she had failed to repay loans he had given her.

Despite trying to resolve their differences outside of court, sources suggest that, after years of back-and-forth about who owed whom what, legal proceedings were the most effective course of action. There is no public record of the ex-lovers settling, so the dispute remains unresolved.

$10 Million Perfume Lawsuit

In 2010, Campbell’s former agent from 1993 to 2006, Carol White, filed a $10 million lawsuit against her. The suit alleged that Campbell backed out of a perfume deal that White had orchestrated, resulting in White losing her commission and royalties.

White stated that the deal’s success was mainly due to her contributions, and she should therefore be compensated from the profits generated by all the perfumes associated with Moodform Mission, the company she co-founded to promote the perfumes. However, Campbell denied knowing anything about the deal, and White claimed that Campbell and her legal team lied under oath to avoid paying the royalties owed.

In response, White presented the court with a recording of Campbell from a 2006 meeting, demonstrating Campbell’s knowledge of her involvement in the perfume deal. Two years after the lawsuit was initially filed in 2012, Campbell and White reportedly settled the legal dispute; however, the financial details surrounding the settlement remain undisclosed.

Business Ventures & Endorsements

Campbell has been involved in numerous business ventures and endorsements throughout her career. Most of her ventures have been in the media, fashion, beauty, and talent management industries.

In 1999, she launched her first fragrance, Naomi Campbell, followed by numerous other popular perfumes thereafter.

In 2002, she founded the lifestyle brand NC Connect and established the Fashion for Relief charity in 2005. After the success of her fragrances, Campbell launched the reality TV show The Face in 2013, serving as a mentor and judge, and went on to become the face of Burberry in 2014.

In 2020, Campbell launched the “No Filter with Naomi” YouTube series, featuring conversations with various celebrities. In 2023, she participated in The Super Models, a documentary series on Apple TV+.

Recent Partnerships

More recently, in 2024, she launched a new 40-piece collection with HUGO by Hugo Boss and partnered with Umar Kamani, the founder of PrettyLittleThing, to create KC Global Partnerships, a talent and brand collaboration agency in Dubai, UAE.

Alongside these ventures, Campbell has also secured lucrative endorsements with many of the world’s biggest brands, particularly in the fashion industry, including Alexander McQueen, Prada, Versace, Burberry, and Louis Vuitton. Her business ventures and endorsements highlight the longevity of her career and the continued relevance and importance of her brand, both in fashion and business.

Real Estate

Campbell has reportedly amassed an impressive global real estate portfolio, spanning multiple continents. During the early 2000s, she owned a three-bedroom luxury apartment at 500 Park Avenue in Manhattan, New York. It featured double-height ceilings, a teak-lined bathroom, a library, a sunken bathtub, and a large dressing room. She listed the apartment for sale in 2006 for $5.25 million.

Moscow Home

While in a relationship with Valdislav Doronin, he built Campbell a 35,250-square-foot James Bond-style Moscow home called Capital Hill. Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid designed the property, reportedly costing £109 million ($145 million) to build. The property was rumored to have a nightclub, private lift, and swimming pool. However, after the couple separated in 2012, Doronin attempted to sell the property in 2016 for £117 million ($155 million), later reducing the price to £78 million ($103 million) in 2019.

Turkish Island Home

In 2011, Doronin promised to build Campbell an ultra-modern home on Turkey’s Gulf of Gökova. Rumoured to be designed by Spanish architect Luis de Garrido, the 25-bedroom home was due to be completely self-sufficient, with its own water supply and the ability to produce solar-powered electricity. However, this remains a rumor, as it’s unclear whether the property was built or not. Reports suggest the island remains barren with no signs of construction.

Kenyan Home

Campbell also owns a luxury villa in the Kenyan town of Malindi, overlooking the Indian Ocean. The property features a saltwater swimming pool that extends from the living room, vaulted ceilings, and a traditional East African thatched roof. Although the value of the property is unknown, due to its prime location, size, and celebrity status, it’s likely to be in the millions of dollars.