Brazil's Most Famous Women

To honour International Women’s Day, which took place on March 8th, we've compiled a list of some of Brazil's most famous women, past and present. The following influential females have represented their country in a variety of ways:

Dilma Rousseff: first female president

Dilma Rouseff first became involved in politics as a student in the late 1960s. Fighting the battle against the ruling military dictatorship resulted in almost three years in prison, where she was tortured with electric shocks. Not one to be easily defeated, she continued with her studies once she had been released and pursued local politics as a member of the Democratic Labor Party. Now she is Brazil’s first female president, and has been in power since January 2011, making her one of the world’s most powerful women.

Dilma Rousseff spent almost three years in prison/ photo source 

Carmen Miranda: iconic performer

Carmen Miranda, aka the "Brazilian Bombshell", was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, actress and film star who truly epitomised Latin culture. She was raised in the neighbourhood of Lapa in Rio de Janeiro, where she began absorbing the language and aesthetics of the different cultures and, after picking up various expressions from her favorite bands, she went on to create a character that represented the 20th century and has gone down in history. She is considered the precursor of the Tropicalismo movement in Brazil, and is noted for the signature fruit hat she wore in a number of her films.

Carmen Miranda, the “Brazilian Bombshell” / source

Gisele Bündchen: world’s highest-earning model

Legendary supermodel Gisele Bundchen has featured in numerous high-profile campaigns, which have made her the highest-earning model on the planet. She signed a record-breaking 25 million dollar contract with Victoria's Secret and is currently the face of H&M, Chanel and David Yurman. Aside from modelling, Gisele has demonstrated her acting skills in films Taxi and The Devil Wears Prada, and has partnerships with a lingerie line, multiple accessory collections and the popular Ipanema flip-flops.

Gisele: model, actress and businesswoman and one of Brazil's most famous women/ Source

Dirce Navarro de Camargo: Brazil’s richest woman

On the subject of flip flops, the owner of Brazil’s most famous brand, Havaianas, was also the country’s richest woman and world’s oldest billionaire. Dirce Navarro De Camargo sadly passed away in April of last year at the admirable age of one hundred.

Dircy Navarro de Camargo, owner of flip flops brand Havaianas

Heloísa Pinheiro: 'Girl from Ipanema'

Did you heard about the famous story about the Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro known for a certain girl ? Heloísa Pinheiro, better known as Helô, is the 'Girl From Ipanema', who caught the eye of composer Antonio Carlos Jobim and poet Vinicius de Moraesa, as she walked through the Ipanema neighbourhood daily as a teenager. The pair, who described her as ‘tall and tanned and young and lovely’ went on the write one of the world’s most recorded songs and as a result, Helô has become an iconic figure amongst Brazilian women.

Helô Pinheiro, the "Girl From Ipanema" / source

Marta Vieira da Silva: best female football player

Marta Vieira da Silva is an icon of the football in South America, she grew up in the poorest parts in Brazil, where she would play football with boys on the beach. As an unprivileged child, she had to resort to making a football out of plastic bags tied together, though this clearly worked in her favour as nowadays she is considered the best female football player in the world. Her phenomenal technique, speed and goalscoring abilities caused Marta to be labelled ‘the female equivalent of Pele’, and she is often compared to other distinguished men in the game.

Marta has been labelled the female equivalent of Pele / source

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By: Milly Day - English Content Manager