You’ve probably seen the videos by now. A woman in sky-high platform heels stomping down a runway with a look of pure, unadulterated intensity on her face. Then comes the shimmy. The internet, as it usually does, exploded. Some people were laughing; others were genuinely confused. It’s a valid question: is Bethenny Frankel a supermodel, or is she just having the world’s most public mid-life pivot?
Honestly, the answer depends on who you ask and how much of a "B" fan you are. If you ask Bethenny herself, she’s leaned into the title with her signature sarcasm and a "don't care what you think" attitude. But if you’re looking for a career history that rivals Naomi Campbell or Gisele Bündchen, you’re going to be looking for a very long time.
The Viral Runway Moment That Started the Debate
In late 2024, Bethenny Frankel hit the runway for L’Oréal Paris during Paris Fashion Week. This wasn't just a casual walk; it was a moment. She walked with a gait that many critics compared to a horse doing dressage or a very determined giraffe. She didn't glide. She marched.
Then, just a few months later in May 2025, she showed up at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway show in Miami. At 54, she was rocking bikinis and leopard-print one-pieces alongside traditional models like Remi Bader. This sparked the "supermodel" conversation all over again. People started digging into her past. Did she have a secret modeling career in the 90s? Was this a return to her roots?
The truth is much more "Bethenny" than that. She wasn't discovered at a bus stop in New York or a mall in Florida. She’s a reality TV pioneer who has reached a level of fame where she can basically "will" herself into any industry she wants.
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Is Bethenny Frankel a Supermodel? Let's Look at the Resume
If we’re being technical—and in the fashion world, people are very technical—no, Bethenny Frankel is not a supermodel. Traditionally, a supermodel is someone who has achieved worldwide fame specifically through high-fashion modeling, often appearing on the covers of Vogue globally and walking for major houses like Chanel or Dior as their primary career.
Bethenny's "supermodel" era is actually a brilliant branding move. She’s referred to herself as a supermodel on TikTok while breaking down her $115 "supermodel makeup routine" using Laura Geller products. It's tongue-in-cheek. It’s part of her "accidental" beauty influencer persona that has taken over her social media feeds lately.
What she actually did before the fame
Before she was the queen of the Skinnygirl empire, Bethenny was a hustler in the truest sense. Her career path looked more like a maze than a runway:
- Production Assistant: She worked on the set of Saved by the Bell in the early 90s.
- Celebrity Nanny: She looked after Paris and Nicky Hilton.
- Struggling Actress: She had a lead role in a 1994 low-budget horror flick called Hollywood Hills 90028.
- Natural Foods Chef: This was her "official" title when she joined The Real Housewives of New York City in 2008.
She spent years trying to get people to taste egg-free cookies at grocery stores. She wasn't walking the runways of Milan; she was trying to survive in a tiny New York apartment with only $8,000 to her name.
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The "Model" Persona vs. Reality
So why is everyone asking is Bethenny Frankel a supermodel? Because she’s a master of the "pivot." After selling Skinnygirl Cocktails for a reported $120 million in 2011, she didn't just sit on a beach. She reinvented herself as a lifestyle mogul.
When she walks for L'Oréal or Sports Illustrated, she isn't being hired as a "model" in the 18-year-old, 5'11" sense. She's being hired as a brand. She represents a specific demographic: the wealthy, outspoken, "tell-it-like-it-is" woman who is aging on her own terms.
Her walk at the L'Oréal show was widely mocked for being stiff and "bizarre." In true Bethenny fashion, she clapped back. She claimed she intentionally walked like a giraffe because she wanted to have fun and do what she wanted. That’s the core of her brand. She isn't trying to be Gisele; she's being Bethenny in Gisele’s world.
The Business of Being a "Model"
Bethenny has turned these modeling appearances into content gold.
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- TikTok Engagement: Every time she walks a runway, she gets millions of views on TikTok.
- Product Sales: She uses the "supermodel" tag to sell everything from foundation to lip balm.
- Relevancy: In an industry where reality stars can fade fast, these high-profile fashion moments keep her in the news cycle.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that Bethenny is trying to earn the title of supermodel. She knows she's not a professional walker. She even joked about it after the Miami Swim Week show, saying she looks like a "train wreck" most of the time in real life and that her runway look was the result of hours of glam and professional lighting.
She’s basically a celebrity guest in the fashion world. It’s similar to when an athlete like Serena Williams walks a runway—it’s about the person, not the "modeling" as a craft.
Actionable Takeaways from the Bethenny "Supermodel" Saga
Whether you love her or find her exhausting, there are a few things we can learn from Bethenny Frankel's foray into the fashion world:
- Own Your Narrative: If you want to call yourself a supermodel while doing your makeup in your bathroom, do it. Bethenny proves that confidence and a bit of sarcasm can redefine how people see you.
- Don't Fear the Pivot: You're never too old or too "established" to try something new, even if you look a bit ridiculous doing it. The embarrassment of a "bad" runway walk is small compared to the reward of staying relevant.
- Context is Everything: Bethenny is a supermodel in the world of personal branding. In the world of haute couture, she’s a guest star. Knowing which room you're in helps you manage the criticism.
If you’re wondering is Bethenny Frankel a supermodel, the literal answer is no. But in the world of 2026, where "influence" is the only currency that really matters, she’s closer to that status than many people would like to admit. She’s built a career on being exactly who she is, whether that’s a chef, a mogul, or a woman stomping down a runway like a giraffe in heels.
To really understand the Bethenny effect, you have to look at her track record. She was the one who insisted on the "Bethenny Clause" in her Bravo contract, ensuring she kept the rights to her brand. That same savvy is what allows her to walk onto a Paris runway today. She isn't following the rules of modeling; she's using the fashion industry to expand her own empire.
Check out her recent TikToks for the "supermodel" makeup routines she mentions. You'll see pretty quickly that it's less about the fashion and more about the "B" brand. If you want to see what a real career pivot looks like, her journey from Saved by the Bell assistant to $100 million mogul is the actual blueprint. What she does on a runway is just the latest chapter in a very long, very loud book.