Yahoo!'s Model of the Month: Daniela Pestova

If you were hoping to find Adia Coulibaly, last month's Model of the Month, click here.

Brought to you by GUESS? Interactive.  Born on October 14, 1970 in the Czech Republic, Daniela Pestova has already made her mark in the modeling world. Appearing in GUESS? ads in 1990 with Claudia Schiffer, Daniela was transformed into a super star practically over night - just one year after leaving her communist homeland. Shot by Ellen Von Unwerth in Morocco, Daniela and Claudia were pictured in some of the most memorable images of GUESS? advertising history. At 5’11” with blonde hair and blue eyes, she looks like the all-American girl. Her looks were admired by Paul Marciano, president and creative director of GUESS?, Inc. who has a reputation for picking out the yet undiscovered faces that will become the supermodels of today.     Born and raised behind the Iron Curtain during a time of political chaos, dreams were not expected to come true for Daniela. However, she was in the right place at the right time when she was discovered in Prague by Dominique Caffin of the Madison modeling agency at age 19. She had planned to attend college for a degree in Education when she was spotted going into a theater. He asked her to enter a modeling contest, which she won, and flew her to Paris to sign with his agency.    In 1992, without speaking a word of English (but fluent in Italian, Russian, French and Czech), she moved to New York. Her career skyrocketed as she appeared on the covers of major fashion magazines - including Cosmopolitan, Elle, Marie Claire and Glamour. In 1994, she landed a huge contract with L'Oreal to become a spokesperson and print model and also began a long-running relationship with Victoria's Secret. Personally, Daniela has had many great accomplishments, but her two greatest were marrying Tomasso Buti, the CEO of the Fashion Cafe, and giving birth to their son in 1996. Professionally, she is most proud of nabbing the cover of Sports Illustrated's 1995 swimsuit issue. She admits she needs to watch her weight by not eating sweets like cookies or chocolate and by staying away from bread - her weakness. When her modeling career is over, she says she would like to become a translator or perhaps just spend her days having more children and running on the beach with her dogs. For now, however, she’s happy with modeling, especially for her own swimsuit calendar. Past Models of the Month: Drew Barrymore, Laetitia Casta, Anna Nicole Smith, Eva Herzigova,  Victoria Silvstedt, Claudia Schiffer, GUESS? Men, Valeria Mazza, Korina Longin,  Diana Gartner, Julia Valet, Larissa Bonderenko, Bridget Hall, Karen Mulder, Shana Zadrick, Lonneke Engel, Ingrid Seynhaeve, Ling, Josie Maran, Wild Orchid and Adia Coulibaly.  Also check out Yahoo! LA Web Celeb and Yahoo! Chicago Blues Review. Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logo are trademarks of Yahoo! Inc. Copyright © 1994-97 Yahoo! All Rights Reserved.