From the Archives: Grace Mahary

THE MODEL TURNED PHILANTHROPIST SHOOTS AND SCORES, NO MATTER WHAT SHE DIVES INTO.

When we call Grace Mahary a “baller,” we’re not just referring to her status as one of the most requested models in the industry– think campaigns for Michael Kors, Diesel, and Carolina Herrera under her belt; but, we’re also hinting at her past: the Alberta-raised fashion model grew up was once a seriously devoted high school basketball champion, too. After she was discovered by a talent scout at her local shopping mall (which led to her winning ELLE Canada‘s model search, BTW), the ball was left in her court: would she shape her future towards her childhood dream of physiotherapy or her new career, modeling? Mahary chose the latter of course and, as you know, the result was a total slam-dunk. The leggy beauty booked a Paris Fashion Week exclusive, walking for Tisci’s Givenchy, and soon most major fashion houses followed– do Chanel, Christian Dior, Victoria’s Secret, Balenciaga or Valentino ring any bells? Today, the Canadian star continues to shoot for the sky, with her new nonprofit, Project Tsehigh: a charity she founded to bring solar energy to impoverished communities around the globe. While we can only imagine the inimitable impact she’ll have on those families and villages, her smouldering, almond eyes and sunny spirit have certainly left a mark on the fashion world. From Allure and Lurve, to Brother Vellies and ELLE Canada, see some of our favorite Mahary shots below.