Kathy Ireland Net Worth 2024: Does $500 Million Make Her the World’s Richest Supermodel?

Kathy Ireland is a millionaire entrepreneur, former model, and designer. She gained international fame through her highly successful modeling career and capitalized on her success by creating Kathy Ireland Worldwide, the brand that propelled her net worth to over half of a billion dollars.

In 2024, Kathy Ireland’s net worth is estimated at over $500 million, making her the richest supermodel on the planet.

For the most part, Ireland’s net worth comes from her licensing company, which is worth billions today. However, most people will recognize her for her fashion career. Ireland was a famous model in the 80s and the 90s, appearing in 13 consecutive Sports Illustrated swimsuit editions.

If you want to learn how the American former model amassed such fortune and keeps earning millions, keep on reading.

Kathy Ireland’s Net Worth Breakdown:

Despite her fame and success, Ireland has maintained a relatively modest public persona. Her extensive portfolio includes a variety of licensing deals, real estate investments, and numerous business contracts that have diversified her wealth far beyond her early career in modeling.

Our in-depth research has allowed us to create an estimated net worth for Ireland, pinpointing the majority of her fortune to KIWW, her major business. Here is a breakdown of her main earnings and assets.

4 Fun Facts About Kathy Ireland

1. Early Modeling Success: Kathy Ireland appeared in 13 consecutive Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues, and her 1989 cover was voted “The Greatest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover of All Time”.
2. Business Transformation: After launching her company in 1993, Ireland used her business acumen to grow her brand into one of the top global licensors.
3. Fitness Video Success: In addition to modeling and business, Ireland released fitness videos, one of which, Body Specifics, won Fitness Video of the Year.
4. Philanthropy: Kathy is heavily involved in charitable work, supporting causes like March of Dimes and the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. She even donated $10 million to Toys for Tots.

Latest News & Updates

Kathy Ireland continues to expand her business empire through Kathy Ireland Worldwide (KIWW), which has recently launched new product lines, including RV furniture through a partnership with Camping World in 2020. She remains active in philanthropy, recently focusing on supporting causes such as youth cancer through her partnership with the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

Her business achievements were recently highlighted as her company still ranks among the top global licensors, with total retail sales surpassing $3 billion annually. In addition to this, she remains involved in public speaking and brand collaborations, including with Bagatelle to expand her fashion collections.

Early Life and Education

Kathleen Marie Ireland was born in Glendale, California, on March 20, 1963. Her parents are John Ireland, a labor relationship executive, and Barbara Ireland, a nurse. When she was young, the family relocated to Santa Barbara, where she pursued her education.

Kathleen Marie Ireland is one of three daughters in her family, the middle child, to be precise. She studied at San Marcos High School and never pursued a college education. At one point, she shared, “When I was young, people would go to college and find a job, but the world is very different today. Today people graduate from college and many, if not most, will be inventing a job or a career and oftentimes not just one, but five or six throughout their lives.” Going on to say:

My formal education ended when I barely graduated from high school, and this is why I’m so passionate about education

Kathy Ireland didn’t plan on pursuing a modeling career as a child or a teenager, but she went for this opportunity to save money to then be able to start a business. She even attempted to do so at several points, but didn’t succeed until the rise of her sock brand. “Had one of those ventures taken off, I wouldn’t have modeled for as long as I did,” Ireland said.

As for her personal life, Ireland married the physician Greg Olsen in 1988, with whom she has three children: Erik, Lily, and Chloe.

Kathy Ireland Net Worth: How the Model Turned Mogul in Business

Kathy Ireland started her career as a model as early as her high school days. After gaining fame and fortune, she used her earnings to start her business, which propelled her to the multimillionaire status she holds today. Let’s dive into her story.

Ireland’s Modeling Career

Kathy Ireland joined the modeling world at 16, in 1979. Elite Model Management, a modeling company, scouted Ireland at her high school. When talking about her early modeling days, Ireland shared that one of the photographers had crossed the line, asking her to pose topless and pushed her, which is when she “decked him.” Ireland was only 17 years old at the time.

Fast forward to 1989 and Kathy Ireland was already one of the most famous models in the world. Her cover of Sports Illustrated was awarded The Greatest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover of All Time during the magazine’s 50th anniversary event.

Ireland appeared in the Swimsuit issue of the same magazine for 13 consecutive years, which included three covers. She also modeled for the covers of famed publications such as:

• Cosmopolitan
• Vogue
• Harper’s Bazaar
• Mademoiselle
• Seventeen
• Teen
• Forbes
• Shape Fitness

Television and Movie Roles

After finding fame as a model, Kathy Ireland was soon invited to appear on TV shows and star in films. Her first movie role was in 1988 in Alien from LA, marking the beginning of a successful career on the small screen.

Ireland’s other film appearances include:

• 1989: Journey to the Center of the Earth, as Wanda Saknussemm
• 1990: Side Out, as Marie
• 1990: Mr. Destiny, as Gina
• 1991: Necessary Roughness, as Lucy Draper
• 1992: Mom and Dad Save the World, as Raff’s daughter
• 1992: Danger Island, as Laura
• 1993: Loaded Weapon 1, as Destiny Demanor
• 1993: A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives, as Dee Morrison
• 1994: Beauty and the Bandit, as Crystal
• 1995: Backfire!, as Jessica Luvintryst
• 1996: Gridlock, as Michele Conner
• 1996: Miami Hustle, as Marsha Thomas
• 2000: Once Upon a Christmas, as Kristen Claus (followed by the 2001 sequel Twice Upon a Christmas)

The earnings from her film roles haven’t been disclosed to the public.

In 2009, the famous model made her foray into reality television, joining the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with Tony Dovolani. The two were the third couple eliminated during the second week of the show.

In 2016, she appeared in another reality show as a guest on an episode of The Profit.

As for her TV appearances, she has been invited on many shows over the years, the most notable appearances being:

• 1985: Charles in Charge: Snowed In
• 1990: Grand: Carnegie Hall, as Sheila
• 1992: Tales from the Crypt: Beauty Rest, as Joyce
• 1993: The Larry Sanders Show: The Breakdown: Part 1
• 1994: Boy Meets World: Model Family, as Alexis
• 1995: Deadly Games, as Amber
• 1995: Eek! the Cat (voiceover as Andrea Heap)
• 1995 and 1996: Fantastic Four, as Crystal
• 1997: Sabrina, the Teenage Witch: Trial by Fury
• 1996 and 1997: The Incredible Hulk, as Ogress (voiceover)
• 2002: Strong Medicine: Trauma, as Amber Hutton
• 2002: Totally Spies: A Spy is Born: Part 1, as Julia Hastings (voiceover)

In addition to this, Kathy Ireland has two TV series where she plays herself, Modern Living and Worldwide Business, airing on Bloomberg and Fox Business.

Founding Kathy Ireland Worldwide

In 1993, Kathy Ireland decided to try her luck in the business world, founding a brand marketing firm in partnership with Kmart. Kathy Ireland Worldwide or kiWW worked alongside Kmart until 2003. When it cut its ties with the store, the company became a global licensor and by 2019, it was selected number 26 in the Top 150 Global Licensors list by License Global. Kathy Ireland Worldwide had achieved $2.6 billion in retail sales at this point!

Interestingly enough, everything started with a simple line of socks. Ireland designed her first line of socks in 1993, lending her name to the collection. When the socks sold in 100 million pairs, Kmart approached the actress and model and offered Ireland her own clothing line.

This prompted Ireland to found Kathy Ireland Worldwide as a brand marketing firm. She is the majority owner and CEO of the business to this day, having raised it from a small venture to a successful licensing empire.

Led by advice from her friend and mentor Warren Buffett, Ireland decided to expand her company’s reach to the home furnishing business. These days, KIWW markets home goods products in different categories.

When the contract between Kathy Ireland Worldwide and KMart expired in 2003, KIWW decided not to renew it and launched its first, entirely owned product line. In 2005, the business pulled in $1.5 billion in sales. Today, her products are sold in 15 countries at over 60,000 locations worldwide!

Growth of KIWW Over the Years

By 2004, Ireland’s business was marketing products from Nourison, Pacific Coast Lighting, and 14 other manufacturers, selling these in over 34,000 retail locations.

When Ireland entered the home furnishings business, Forbes Magazine described her as a “prototype for model-turned-mogul” in their 2006 article about modelpreneurs. In 2012, British Vogue named her the world’s richest supermodel.

Starting modest, Kathy Ireland Worldwide has expanded its portfolio of products to include ceiling fans, flooring, windows, mattresses, and other home furnishing products. But, that’s not all. Over the years, the company has moved into lines of cleaning products, skincare products, cell phone accessories, and more.

Between 2005 and 2012, the products from KIWW generated $2 billion in annual retail sales. These days, the estimated revenues of Kathy Ireland Worldwide most likely top $3 billion in retail sales. The brand was ranked number 15 worldwide, helping Ireland land a spot in the Licensing Hall of Fame.

Designs and Creations Using Ireland’s Name

In 2011, American Legend launched the Kathy Ireland collection. She has also collaborated with Gorham to design glassware and dinnerware and is the chief designer for Royal Footwear & Accessories.

By 2012, Kathy Ireland has lent her name and marketing skills to 17,000 products. That same year, she launched her line of wedding gowns, presenting them in a runway fashion show held in Disneyland Resort at the Festival of Brides.

Ireland has also designed jewelry collections inspired by her close friend Elizabeth Taylor. In 2016, in partnership with Paul Raps New York, Taly Diamonds, Yaron Tugeman, and Roland Krainz, she launched a jewelry collection called Diamonds by Kathy Ireland.

In addition to jewelry, she has helped design products in the pet niche. This includes the pet product collection she called Loved Ones.

While most of her products are in the home design and fashion niches, these aren’t the only industries Ireland has created products in. In 2018, Fox Business reported that she ventured into the shipping container business following her partnership agreement with SG Blocks, a company constructing container-based structures in the US.

Kathy Ireland Worldwide (KIWW) has also branched out into talent management in recent years by creating the subsidiary Sterling/Winters company, the management company for Janet Jackson and Vanessa Williams. Williams signed a management and partnership agreement with KIWW in 2019.

In 2022, Kathy Ireland and her team at KIWW signed an agreement with Bagatelle to work on the kathy ireland® collection.

Philanthropic Endeavors

Ireland isn’t just famous for her modeling or business success but also for her many charitable actions over the years. She has done pro bono work for non-profit organizations like PTA, Feed the Children, March of Dimes, and City of Hope, among others.

Between 1999 and 2001, Kathy Ireland hosted LPGA Golf Tournaments such as the Kathy Ireland Championship (1999-2001) and the Kathy Ireland Greens.com LPGA Classic (2000).

In 2009, Ireland was invited to become the international ambassador for Sheba Medical Center’s Friends. As part of this partnership, she went to Israel and filmed a promotional documentary for the Sheba Center called Holy Land Heroes.

Together with her book business partner, the Brendon Publishing International company, she donated $10 million to supplement the gathering and distribution of Christmas gifts, organized by Toys for Tots, in 2013. On several occasions, the American former model has lent her estates to different charitable organizations including the US Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots to help them generate funds for charitable causes.

For several years now, Ireland has been an ambassador for a non-profit organization called 9-1-1 for Kids, which specializes in creating educational materials used by emergency dispatchers to teach children the proper use of emergency lines.

As a friend of Elizabeth Taylor, Ireland has also donated a lot to her foundation. On World AIDS Day in 2017, for instance, she donated $100,000 to the Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation (ETAF).

In 2019, Ireland was selected as the first woman to the board of the NFL Players Association and subsequently joined the Women’s National Basketball Players Association’s Board of Advocates.

The following year, she became International Youth Chair at the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation and, in 2022, she launched the foundation’s Music Funds the Cure.

Awards and Accolades

Kathy Ireland is a prominent figure in the business and fashion world and as such, she has won many awards over the years, including:

• 2011: American Heritage Award by the National Home Furnishings Industry
• 2012: Messenger of Peace Award at the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Gala
• 2012: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the California State University
• 2017: Presented with a key to the city of High Point in New Carolina
• 2021: Business IRF Champion Award at the IRF Summit in Washington DC

What Else Has Kathy Ireland Invested In?

Kathy Ireland’s career is as diverse as it is impressive. Modeling and her KIWW business are just a few of the many things she has started and achieved throughout the years. Let’s take a look at what else makes her incredible estimated net worth these days.

Fitness Videos

Starting in 1994, Ireland has been publishing fitness videos. She has shared several fitness videos, which eventually led to her first design of athletic apparel, launched through KIWW, as well as her brand licensing of fitness equipment.

Her fitness video Body Specifics won the award Fitness Video of the Year.

Public Speaking

Ireland also earns money from speaking at public events.

Over the years, she has spoken at many prestigious events. For instance, she spoke at the fourth Youth Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in 2007 and delivered the keynote at the Licensing International Expo in 2012. She was also the key speaker at the 2012 AIPAC policy conference that took place in Washington DC.

The cost of hiring Kathy Ireland for a speaking event isn’t disclosed to the public.

Authorship

Kathy Ireland is also an author, having published numerous books. The majority of her authored pieces are for children.

In 2020, Ireland published her first novel titled Fashion Jungle, co-authored with Rachel Van Dyken. The novel speaks of her career in the modeling industry.

Her most popular books for children include:

• Mona’s Favorite Words in 2005
• What Do Mommies Do? in 2005
• Angel Called Hope in 2005
• Choo-Choo Colors in 2013

In addition to these books, Ireland has published a few self-help books including:

• Powerful Inspirations: Eight Lessons that Will Change Your Life in 2002, co-authored with Laura Morton
• Real Solutions: 52 God Inspired Messages from My Heart in 2009
• Real Solutions to Budy Moms: Your Guide to Success and Sanity in 2009

Real Estate

The full value of all of Ireland’s real estate properties is undisclosed to the public.

We managed to find information about a property she acquired in 2006 for $4 million, which she put on the market in 2022 for $6.5 million. It is unknown if she sold this property or still owns it. The property is a beachfront resort in Honolulu, so it is definitely not her primary residence.

In addition to this, Ireland acquired a Montecito home for $1.25 million with her husband Greg Olsen in 1994. Since 2005, she has also owned a house in Las Palmas in Palm Springs, as well as her primary residence in Santa Barbara. The value of these properties is unknown.

Other Assets

Kathy Ireland reportedly has a formidable collection of jewelry which she chose with Elizabeth Taylor, worth $25 million. She considers it too expensive to keep at home, so she keeps it in a Los Angeles bank vault, according to Forbes.

What Can We Learn from Kathy Ireland’s Story?

Kathy Ireland’s story offers many valuable lessons about strategic diversification, entrepreneurship, and resilience. From her early years as a successful model, Ireland leveraged her fame and earnings to build a vast business empire. This exemplifies the importance of capitalizing on opportunities and planning for the future.

Her transition from modeling to founding KIWW illustrates how a strong personal brand can be expanded into various sectors, including home furnishing and jewelry.

Ireland’s journey also highlights the significance of adaptability and perseverance. Despite facing early setbacks in business and modeling, she persisted and eventually found success with her sock line, which laid the foundation for an expansive business portfolio.

Ireland’s ability to navigate different industries is truly impressive.

Her story is a testament to the power of vision, dedication, and hard work, inspiring young entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams.

Moreover, her philanthropic efforts and commitment to charitable causes demonstrate the importance of using one’s success to make a positive impact on society.