Written by : Joyce Chua

In February this year, after Dutch model Doutzen Kroes announced that she was leaving Victoria’s Secret, news broke of Karlie Kloss also leaving the lingerie label to pursue her studies in New York University (NYU). The leggy American supermodel — who shot to fame with her versatility and grace in editorial photo shoots — had been with Victoria’s Secret for four years, and one of the eight Angels for two years before she decided to call it quits.

Here are five other smartest models who have got both the beauty and the brains, the degree and the strut:

1. Brook Shields

The American model/actress is largely known for her work in films and on TV, but she has in fact been a model since she was only 11 months old! She was signed with Eileen Ford, who started a child modelling branch of her agency especially for Shields. Since then, Shields has appeared on magazine covers like Vogue and starred in a controversial Calvin Klein ad when she was in her teens. Later, she branched out from modelling into film and TV, but took a break during the 80s to attend Princeton University. There, she earned a degree in French literature.

2. Cindy Crawford

American icon Cindy Crawford is debatably one of the most famous models in the world. In the 90s, Crawford modelled for Revlon, Maybelline, Versace, Clairol, Pepsi and was featured on the covers of on countless magazine ranging from Sports Illustrated to Vogue. She is also credited for altering the image of the all-American girl from a sweet, saccharine blonde to a curvier, stronger brunette, especially after her series of bombshell beachwear photo shoots. Crawford graduated from DeKalb High School as valedictorian and later won an academic scholarship to study chemical engineering at Northwestern University before she decided to give up college to pursue modelling.

3. Christie Turlington Burns

Maybelline girl Christy Turlington Burns is known as one of the original supermodels along with Linda Evanglista, Cindy Crawford, and Naomi Campbell. Turlington enjoyed a massively successful career and charged US$10,000-a-day. Although Turlington began modelling when she was only 14, she later returned to school and earned a degree in Comparative Religion and Eastern Philosophy from NYU. And at 40 years old, Turlington is back in school pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health at Columbia University.

4. Cameron Russell

The Victoria’s Secret model has been keen on politics since age 10, and was so serious about her passion that she even met Bill Clinton to get some inspiration. She studied Economics and Mathematics at Columbia University, before ultimately falling in love with modelling.

5. Gemma Ward

Australian model Gemma Ward was first scouted when she was 14, and made her Australian Fashion Week debut when she was 15. She became the youngest model to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine, and later also appeared on the covers of Teen Vogue and Time.

However, the wide-eyed beauty put her modelling career on hold to take acting classes at Yale and was nominated for an Australian acting award for her role in the movie The Black Balloon.

Are you sad about Karlie and Doutzen leaving Victoria’s Secret? Because I sure am. What other models have the brains and the looks in your opinion?