Shalom Harlow was approached at a Toronto Cure Concert by a modeling scout. At Anne Sutherland’s request the sixteen year old Harlow was soon taking dance and modeling classes. A trip to Montreal to be photographed for Elle’s Quebec edition marked the beginning of her career.

Most known for her cheekbones and her walk, Shalom Harlow made numerous magazine covers including Marie Claire, W, Elle (USA, UK and Germany), Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Shalom Harlow pulls in millions as one of the world’s top models with such campaigns as Perry Ellis, Christian Dior, and L’Oreal in her portfolio. In 1994 she became the spokesperson for Chanel’s Coco perfume. She became the face of Isaac Mizrahi and Chanel and was the very first to win Model of the Year in 1995 by Vogue/VH1.

Shalom Harlow appeared on the covers of Cosmopolitan and British Vogue before being featured on the cover of Vogue in tandem with Amber Valetta. The duo of Harlow and Valetta co-hosted “House of Style” on MTV from 1996-1997 replacing Cindy Crawford. When the MTV co-host job ended, Harlow returned to her solid fashion career with ad campaigns for DKNY and Escada Sport as well as catwalks for big names such as Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, and Versace.

In fact it was an appearance in Unzipped, for Isaac Mizrahi followed by a small part as Sonya in the 1997 comedy In & Out transitioned her career into acting. She appeared as Lelia Sweet in Cherry and in 2001 had a role as an obnoxious model in Head Over Heels with Freddy Prinze Jr. and Monica Potter. Her success in these two timeless classics was quickly followed by a role as Collen in Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise and followed by her portrayal of Nancy in The Salton Sea starring Val Kilmer.

Harlow balanced her film and modeling careers together and while filming she signed a cosmetics contract with L’Oreal and became the face of BCBG Max Azria and Versace in 1997, Giorgio Armani in 1998 and Versace in 1999. She landed on the cover of fashion magazine Dazed & Confused in 1999 and was featured in an article of New York Magazine in August 2001. The following year she was featured in a TV campaign for Gap jeans and made the cover of New York Magazine in November 2005.

Six movies followed in subsequent years including a role as Judy the woman who throws down a bet to Matthew McConaughey’s character in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and a small part as the maid in Alvin and the Chipmunks in 2007. Her modeling career in full force, Shalom Harlow ranked thirteen on the Forbes list of World’s 15 Top-Earning Supermodels, earning approximately $2 million dollars that year. She modeled for Jones New York, Tiffany & Co, and Chloe and in the Spring/Summer 2008 campaign for Valentino the following year.

Featured April of 2009 in Harper’s Bazaar list of “Best Models of All Time” alongside such names as Twiggy, Cheryl Tiegs, Lauren Hutton, and Cindy Crawford, Harlow was favored by designers who felt her look transitioned well from couture to commercial. Harlow appeared as the only digital catwalk model for Viktor & Rolfs Spring/Summer 2009 show. Editorials in French, Italian, British and Japanese Vogue, Numero, Harper’s Bazaar and W followed in rapid succession during 2009 and 2010.

Her international popularity on the rise, Shalom Harlow is definitely still on her way up. With her success both in film and on the catwalks, she’s a definite contender in the industry worldwide. Regardless of what challenges she takes on next, she’ll go down in history as one of the greatest supermodels of all time.