Gisele Bundchen: Life on the catwalk

Gisele Bundchen has retired from the catwalk after announcing that her body has "asked her to step away from the runway".

Earlier this week, the 34-year-old released a statement to the Brazilian newspaper, Folha de São Paulo, explaining her decision: "Automatically my body tells me if what I do is worth it, and it asked to stop. I respect my body, it's a privilege to be able to stop. I don't see how to continue [modeling on the catwalk]... and stopping will leave room for other projects I have for myself."

The model, who has been hailed as the last remaining true supermodel by Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell, is credited with inventing the "horse walk" (you know, that sexy supermodel crossed-leg stomp) and with moving the industry away from the Nineties' "heroin chic" look a la Kate Moss, to the lean, toned, model of today.

She made her runway debut at New York Fashion Week back in 1994. Since 2002, the mother of two has been the world's highest paid model in the industry, earning $61 million in the last year alone. But, yesterday, she chose to walk her final show for Colcci - a brand she's been collaborating since the early days. As she took her final bow, she hugged her co-models who were dressed in t-shirts with her face printed on them and fist pumped the air.

Her hubby, American football legend Tom Brady, was on hand for emotional support. After sitting front row, he posted this loving message on his Facebook page last night, "Congratulations Love of my Life. You inspire me every day to be a better person. I am so proud of you and everything you have accomplished on the runway. I have never met someone with more of a will to succeed and determination to overcome any obstacle in the way. You never cease to amaze me. Nobody loves life more then [sic] you and your beauty runs much deeper then [sic] what the eye can see. I can't wait to see what's next. I love you. #‎GOAT #‎thebestisyettocome."

Below, we've charted her catwalk career in pictures. Flick through and you'll soon understand how someone racks up a salary of $61 mil. We can't say we won't miss her doing her thing down those runways...

Follow Alice Howarth on Twitter: @alicejrhowarth