Kathleen Ireland, or Kathy Ireland as she is known to most people, is an American businesswoman who used to be a model. Many people are inspired by how she went from being a model to sitting on the board of one of the top design and marketing brands. She has been hardworking since she was a child. Instead of keeping her creations, like the hand-painted rocks, she tried to sell them in her neighborhood. She started modeling when she was in her late teens, and because she had auburn hair and green eyes, she was always busy. She was on the covers of well-known fashion magazines like Vogue and Cosmopolitan, but the highlight of her modeling career was when she was on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s 25th-anniversary Swimsuit Issue. During one of her modeling jobs, she had the idea to make high-quality clothes that were also affordable for all kinds of people. So, “Kathy Ireland Worldwide,” a brand licensing and design company was born. According to License Global Magazine, her company is the 28th most powerful brand in the world. With $2 billion in retail sales every year, she is one of the wealthiest models. Read on to learn more about her life and works.
Early years and childhood
Kathleen Marie Ireland was born on March 20, 1963, in Glendale, which is in the Los Angeles County city of Los Angeles. Her parents were John and Barbara Ireland. Mary Ireland and Cynthia Ireland are her sisters and brother.
Kathleen has always been a hard worker. When she was young, she would sell hand-painted rocks and even work as a paperboy.
Kathy Ireland’s Career
When the “Elite Modeling Agency” chose her in 1980, she started her career as a model. This green-eyed beauty got her first endorsement before she even graduated from high school. Since then, she hasn’t looked back and is now a well-known name.
In 1984, she was on the cover of the Swimsuit Issue of the magazine Sports Illustrated for the first time. This was a big step in her career. She was written up in the magazine as many as thirteen times over the years.
In 1985, she first showed up on TV in the show “Charles in Charge.” Even though her part in the show was small, it made her curious about the medium.
After that, in 1988, she was in the full-length movie “Alien from L.A.” Critics didn’t like the movie, and it didn’t make much money at the box office.
Kathy was chosen to be on the cover of the magazine for the first time in 1989 for the Silver Jubilee issue of the Swimsuit Issue. During her career as a model, she was on the cover of two more magazines.
In 1989, she was chosen to be in the movies “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and “Worth Winning.” He got two new parts in the movies “Side Out” and “Mr. Destiny” the following year.
In the sports comedy movie “Necessary Roughness,” which came out in 1991, the actress played the role of Lucy Draper.
This diva was on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit for the second time in 1992. She even appeared in several movies and TV shows in the same year, like the comedy “Mom and Dad Save the World” and the TV movie “Danger Island.”
In the 1993 comedies “Loaded Weapon 1” and “Amore,” she played Destiny Demeanor and Taylor Christopher, respectively. In the same year, she also appeared on the TV show “The Larry Sanders Show.”
In 1993, Kathy also went into business for herself and started a company to market brands. “Kathy Ireland Worldwide” used to sell clothes and accessories and had an exclusive deal with the store Kmart.
She slowly grew her business to include home furnishings, gowns and dresses for weddings and other social events, shoes, management services for artists, fine jewelry, publishing, pet care, and gift and craft items. Under her careful direction, the company grew and now has $2 billion in sales every year.
In 1994, she was on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the third time, and she also began making fitness videos. The “Entertainment Merchants Association” gave her several awards for her videos, and the success of her videos led her to expand her business into licensing fitness equipment.
In 1995, she gave Crystal’s voice in the superhero comic book series “The Fantastic Four.” During the same year, she also appeared in the movie “Backfire!” and the TV show “The Watcher.”
The next year, she kept making TV appearances and even gave her voice to the character of Ogress in “The Incredible Hulk,” a Marvel Comics story. The same year, she appeared in Sports Illustrated for the last time.
Starting in 1999, Kathy fought for equality in sports and was asked by the “Ladies Professional Golf Association” to be the host of several golf tournaments.
In the year 2000, she was in the movie “Once Upon a Christmas” and was the host of the LPGA’s “Office Depot Championship.” In “Twice Upon a Christmas,” which came out the next year, she played Kristen Claus again.
This pop star turned to write in 2002 and wrote a book called “Powerful Inspirations: Eight Lessons that Will Change Your Life.” In the book, she writes about her life from when she was a young boy delivering newspapers to when she was the CEO of one of the most powerful brand licensing companies.
In 2003, her company, “Kathy Ireland Worldwide,” cut all ties with “Kmart,” which had been their only business partner. By the next year, her company was making around $10 million a year and licensing products from as many as sixteen different manufacturers.
Kathy started writing books for kids in 2009. In the same year, she published “Mona’s Favorite Words,” “What Do Mommies Do?,” and “An Angel Called Hope.”
Between 2005 and 2012, the company changed a lot, and sales went up to $2 billion per year. In their May 2012 issue, British Vogue called the merchandise mogul the richest model in the world.
Kathy is a very good public speaker. At the fourth “Youth Assembly” at the United Nations Headquarters in 2007, she talked about how young people can help end poverty.
In 2009, two of her books, “Real Solutions for Busy Moms: Your Guide to Success” and “Sanity and Real Solutions: 52 God-inspired Messages from My Heart,” were published.
She is a strong supporter of Israel, and since 2009, she has also been speaking for the “Friends of Sheba Medical Center.” The next year, she went to Israel and helped make a documentary called “Holy Land Heroes” about an organization that helps wounded soldiers and other victims of war.
The business owner has given keynote speeches at a number of high-profile corporate events, including one at the “Googleplex” and another at the “Licensing International Expo 2012,” which began in Las Vegas.
Works of note
Kathy became a supermodel during the 1980s and 1990s. She was in the magazine “Sports Illustrated” for thirteen years in a row. She posed for the 25th-anniversary issue of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue.
Kathy is the head designer and CEO of the marketing company Kathy Ireland Worldwide. She has built it into one of the top brands in the world of design and marketing.
Awards & Achievements
The first time Cathy was on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, it was one of the best-selling issues of the magazine. At the 50th anniversary of the Swimsuit Issue, the cover was named “The Greatest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover of All Time.”
In June 2011, a Jewish group in the United States called the Anti-Defamation League gave her the “American Heritage Award.”
In 2012, the “Messenger of Peace Award” was given to this well-known businessman and philanthropist. At the “Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Gala,” the people of Israel thanked her for her support of their cause.
Kathy has been given an honorary master’s degree in fine arts by the American Intercontinental University School of Design.
Personal History and Legacies
In 1988, Ireland got married to a doctor named Greg Olsen. Erik, Lily, and Chloe are their three kids, and the whole family lives in Southern California.
Kathy and the actress Elizabeth Taylor stayed friends until Elizabeth died in 2011. Kathy says that Elizabeth was a big part of her success, and she looks up to Taylor as her mentor.
Kathy Ireland’s Earnings
Forbes magazine says that Kathy’s net worth is $350 million and that she is one of the richest models who turned into a business owner. Kathy Ireland Worldwide, her marketing, and design company sell goods worth $2 billion each year.
Estimated Net worth
Kathy Ireland is an American who has been a model, an actress, a business owner, and a designer. She is worth $500 million. Kathy Ireland got her net worth from a successful modeling career, which she built on by starting a company called Kathy Ireland Worldwide to market brands.