Bar Refaeli - GQ Italy June 2009

Bar Refaeli (Hebrew: בר רפאלי‎, born June 4, 1985) is an Israeli model, known for her modeling work and for her relationship with American actor Leonardo DiCaprio. She is the cover model of the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Refaeli began her modeling career before the age of 8 months for a baby commercial.[6] By age 15, she was featured in campaigns for the fashion brands Castro and Pilpel, also starring in a commercial for Milki. Refaeli won the title "Model of The Year" in a beauty contest in 2000 and 2001. She was also chosen to be the home model of Renuar fashion network and appeared in their summer 2002 and winter 2003 catalogues.

Refaeli appeared in ELLE (France), Maxim, and GQ (Italy). She debuted in the 2007 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, becoming the first Israeli model to appear in the magazine.[7] In the issue, she posed with rock band Aerosmith.[8]

She has been the spokesperson for fashion brand Luisa Cerano. She has modeled for Subaru, Accessorize, Brazilian clothing line, Besni, and Italian jewelry line Marco Bicego.[9] She is signed to Storm Model Management in London, and 1/One Management in New York City.

In 2008, Refaeli has become the face of clothing line Hurley, and the new Diddy cologne, "I Am King.[10]

On February 9, 2009, it was announced that Refaeli is the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover model.[11] A photo from the shoot, featuring a bikini-clad Refaeli, was also painted on the side of a Boeing 737 in a promotional deal with Southwest Airlines,[12][13] leading many passengers to criticize Southwest for using an image they regarded as inappropriately sexual and "offensive to families".[14]

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