Irina Shayk is one of the world's most successful supermodels. But what's more interesting is her story. She came from a very poor family, but she was very enterprising even at the age of 14. Her rags to riches story involves spending years living in a poverty-stricken Russian mining village until she got her big break at 14.

Born to an ethnic Tatar father and a Russian mother, they lived in the mining town of Yemanzhelinsk.

Shayk, whose real last name is Shaykhislamova, lived a bleak existence in the mining town.

She was close to her father, who died of lung cancer while only in his 40s. Her mother was forced to hold down two jobs just to make ends meet.

But thankfully, her father left something that Irina could capitalize on. Her good looks.

She was teased by boys at first, but oh boy, are they regretting it now. They called her "stick legs."

Her career in modeling came by chance when her mother took her sister Tatyana to a beauty school. Reps at a modeling agency next door spotted Shayk.

But before it could kick off, she ran away with a man whom she was having an affair, a Moscow entrepreneur whose name has not been released.

Svetlana Klimenko, the founder and owner of the Exclusive agency found her and told her to tidy up and gave her a choice:

We told her: you have a choice now. You can now get married successfully, stick to a ‘sugar daddy’ and don’t make career. But you have every chance to become a successful model and earn an excellent living yourself.”

Shayk decided to work.

In 2007, she appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and since then everything else was golden for her.

She was chosen as the face of Intimissimi, a lingerie brand sold in Victoria's Secret.

She made it to Complex magazine's No.1 on their "50 Hottest Russian Women" list.

She's modeled for so many including Guess, Armani Exchange, and more.

Her personal life now is also very high profile. Dating people from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo.

To Bradley Cooper.

From rags to riches. What a story.