You can't possibly look at Carmen Kass and forget her, since she is all about exotic features and European je ne sais quoi. The story of her life is the same stereotypical fairy tale we hear all the time about East European beauties: she was dirt poor, an agent accidentally spotted her and next thing you know she was moving to Paris, making big bucks. However, the person behind this story is down to earth and very much in love with chess.

But let's take it from the beginning and see what exactly differentiates her from other models. She was born in the Estonian city Paide on September 14, 1978. Judging from the details we have about her childhood, it would probably be best to say that it wasn't exactly a fairytale and she was not raised with a silver spoon on her mouth. Kass lived in a little village with her single mother who worked on a farm. Carmen lived in a crammed apartment and there was no hint that she would eventually become one of the best paid models in the world.

And guess what happened next? Kate Moss was spotted in an airport, Gisele Bunchen was noticed while eating a Big Mac in a McDonald's and as you've by now guessed, Carmen was discovered by an agent in a public place too – a supermarket to be more precise. The next step? Naturally, moving from a small country to the glamorous France, since Paris is one of the capitals of fashion. She was only 18-years-old but her mind was fueled with determination to succeed in a business where competition is fierce.

So interesting was this new face – with her bushy eyebrows and ice cold blue eyes, that soon enough she was gracing the covers of the most notorious magazines in the world: Vogue, ELLE, Image, Madame Figaro – they were all smitten by this exotic beauty. And the rest is history as they say.

Soon enough every major clothing line and cosmetics brand wanted to get Kass. She was featured in many Gap ads and for a while she was the face of Sephora cosmetics and the spokesperson for Christian Dior's perfume J'Adore. Needless to say, she has modeled for the hottest designers out there, ranging from legends such as Oscar de la Renta up to promising newcomers such as Anna Sui. Models like her and Gisele Bundchen were responsible for Kate Moss' decline – because they are curvy and full-figured sexy vixens. And the fact that she is a Victoria's Secret only makes Carmen be every man's fantasy.

Leaving aside all these details that may seem to add up in a story you've probably heard a million times before – because that's how most supermodels start - there are some things that will probably surprise you just a tad. Apart from being a drop dead gorgeous woman, Carmen Kass is also an intelligent person, who is deeply fond of chess and who, at some point, even ran for the European Parliament.