Who

A popular model and the inspiration behind a very expensive Marc Jacobs handbag, Stam is also known for her romantic escapades with skanky men.

Backstory

Canadian-born Stam grew up in a devout Christian family before being spotted at age 14 in a Tim Horton's (the Canadian equivalent of Dunkin' Donuts). Two years later she was a working model living on her own in the U.S., and caught the eye of Steven Meisel, who photographed her in his campaigns for Versace and Prada. She soon became one of the most popular models, and her "fragile" look, contrasted with her coal-rimmed eyes and ever-changing hair color, has earned her a cult-like following among fashionistas.

Represented by Ivan Bart at IMG, Stam has appeared in ad campaigns for L'Oreal Paris, DKNY, Lanvin, and BCBG and walked the runway for the likes of Marc Jacobs, Anna Sui, and Zac Posen. Like most models, though, she says she's now interested in more than just posing and looking pretty and is pursuing an pursue acting. Her only credit thus far is Agent Orange, a short film from 2004.

For the record

Designer Marc Jacobs likes her so much he named a purse after her. The $1,600 "Stam" bag sold out almost immediately.

Personal

For a while Stam was involved with Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis, who is more than two decades her senior. (While the two were on vacation in St. Barth's in 2006, paparazzi snapped topless photos of her.) She's also dated Malcolm Ford, the son of Harrison Ford, and Adam Goldstein (otherwise known as DJ AM). She lives in a 1.175 square-foot apartment in the Petersfield on Fourth Avenue, which she bought for $1.4 million in 2007.