The modeling business is very cutthroat with individuals finding and losing success in a blink of an eye. Among the long list of models who have walked the catwalk and posed for magazines, only a few have managed to reach the status of a supermodel. And one of the supermodels who gained worldwide attention is Tyra Banks.
Tyra’s success in her modeling career is well documented. Having started her journey as a teenager, she established herself in the business early on and became a household name. Moreover, following her triumph in the modeling industry, Banks has transitioned into other ventures including business, television, and more.
But besides her professional journey, people have also shown interest in Tyra’s personal life. So, in this biography, we will take a look at her family, life before fame, relationship history, and motherhood.
Where Is Tyra Banks From?
The supermodel was born Tyra Lynne Banks in Inglewood, California, U.S., on 4th December 1973. She was raised alongside her brother, Devin Banks who is five years older than her. The brother-sister duo’s relationship was strained and they stated that Devin tormented Tyra for a long while. But as adults, the pair share a close bond.
Tyra Banks’ parents, Carolyn London and Donald Banks separated when the model was just six. Her mother works as a medical photographer while her father is a computer consultant. It is unclear what Tyra’s relationship with her father is like, but her mother, Carolyn London-Johnson can be seen in a few interviews with the model.
Talking about her educational background, Tyra attended John Burroughs Middle School. She graduated from Immaculate Heart High School in 1991. And while she did not pursue higher education at the time, Banks enrolled at and completed a nine-week course at Harvard University’s owner/president management non-degree extension program in February 2012.
When Did Tyra Banks Start Her Modeling Journey?
Tyra Banks started her modeling journey when she was 15 years old and in high school. She signed with L.A. Models but switched to Elite Model Management at the age of 16. She then moved to Milan after getting an opportunity to model in Europe. Banks booked 25 shows in the Paris Fashion Week in 1991 which was her first runway season.
The beautiful model appeared in editorials for Vogue, Elle, Vanity Fair, W, Harper’s Bazaar, and more. Tyra also appeared on the covers of magazines including Seventeen, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Vogue, and more. Moreover, Banks walked in fashion shows for Oscar de la Renta, Chanel, Christian Dior, Anna Sui, Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Yves Saint Laurent, and more. She also appeared in advertising campaigns for many clothing and other brands.
Banks was one of the few black models to achieve supermodel status and the first to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. She was also the first African-American model for the cover of Victoria’s Secret catalog. Tyra was a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 1997 to 2005 and was counted among the world’s top-earning models.
Much of Tyra Banks’ net worth of $90 million seems to have been amassed during her modeling career. She retired from modeling but came back to pose for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers in 2019. She then continued her journey and announced that she would go by the modeling name BanX.
What Other Work Has Tyra Banks Done Over The Years?
In addition to her success as a model, Tyra has found fame and fortune through her other ventures. She is a well-known name in the television industry mostly due to America’s Next Top Model. The reality competition show was created by Tyra herself and ran from 2003 to 2018. Banks served as the executive producer and hosted the show all except one cycle.
Besides America’s Next Top Model, Tyra has also been involved in other shows such as FabLife, Life-Size 2, Dancing with the Stars, True Beauty, The Tyra Banks Show, and Generation Drag in various capacities. She has also tried her hand at acting starring in many movies and TV shows over the years.
Well, along with her onscreen journey, Tyra has also gained much success from her business ventures. Following the completion of her non-degree certificate program at Harvard Business School, she founded Tyra Beauty, a cosmetics brand. She also has a beauty and fashion website called typeF.com and an interactive cosmetic e-commerce site, tyra.com.
The multi-talented star co-authored a book titled Tyra’s Beauty, Inside and Out which was published in 1998. Her second book, a novel by Modelland was published in September 2011. Then in 2018, Tyra and her mother co-authored the book titled Perfect Is Boring. Well, it is evident that Banks has been successful in all of the ventures that she tried her hand in.
Is Tyra Banks Married?
While much about Tyra’s professional life can be found publicly, the same cannot be said about her personal life. She has not shared much regarding her relationships over the years. But in 2005, she opened up about abusive relationships without naming anyone.
One of the only romances Banks’ that have made the news is her long-term relationship with photographer Erik Asla. The pair dated throughout the 2010s but kept the details away from the spotlight. However, Tyra shared about her struggles with fertility in 2018. She welcomed her only child, York Banks Asla through surrogacy in January 2016.
Tyra Banks has shared her happiness about motherhood on numerous occasions but rarely shares pictures of her son. But we hope that in the coming days, she opens up more about her child and other personal details.