Photography by James Macari.

KARMEN PEDARU

Born in Kehra, Estonia, Karmen Pedaru was raised by her grandmother after her mother died when Karmen was 5 years old. Among a family of athletes, Karmen took naturally to sports, playing basketball, handball and even playing as the goalkeeper for Estonia’s national football team.

“I can not give up sports. I was for years a female football player of the national team: I was the goalkeeper, I was the number one! I also really like tennis and I play when I have time.”

Karmen also dreamed of becoming a dentist as a child: “I dreamt of becoming a dentist. I do not know why. But now I have a mad fear every time I have to go!”

Yet fate would have something different in mind for the promising athlete when she was discovered at the age of 15 and offered a modeling job when she went to see a play at a theater in Tallin.

She soon signed with her first modeling agency and appeared in Teen Vogue before making her debut on the runway with Christopher Kane in the 2007 season. A year later in the fall of 2008, she made big waves during New York Fashion Week.

Within a few years, Karmen had already walked more than 40 runways, worked with Marc Jacobs, Donna karen, and Givenchy. In 2011, she became the new face of Michael Kors, and appeared in the 2011 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

Karmen has appeared in numerous editorials and magazine covers in her tenure like Elle, Vogue, W Magazine, Lui, and Harper’s Bazaar. She is also listed as an industry icon, top 50 model, and money girl on Models.com.

Karmen is also an avid foodie and loves to indulge in pizza and pasta.

“My husband and I go out for dinner every night—we have three restaurants in the Piazza Navona that we switch between.”

When Karmen isn’t modeling she spends time with her Italian husband, Riccardo Ruini. Karmen loves to play cards with her husband and listens to cheesy 80s music.

“When we go to Estonia, we play cards all night. I love cards, and I love casinos, and I love gambling. I grew up with cards all my life”

I absolutely adore Karmen Pedaru. She’s accomplished so much as a model, but she seems so unknown and underrated. She’s so versatile as a model. To runway, Haute Couture, editorial, commercial, she can do it all effortlessly.

Her portfolio is pure art. Even if you know nothing about fashion like yours truly, Karmen will stop you dead in your tracks with her captivating gaze and poise. She just sells everything she wears. Karmen is just stunningly gorgeous, when I saw her for the first time years ago I immediately became a fan.

I don’t know if you can label her a supermodel, but she so deserves it with the beauty, talent, and class she exudes.

A promising footballer turned modeling phenomena, arguably Estonia’s finest with a slice of pizza in one hand and a black jack hand in the other, a Superlove for July from me to you, Karmen Pedaru ♡

Sources: Fashionencyclopedia, Wikipedia, Thefamouspeople, Intothegloss, Bellazon.