Valeria Mazza | |
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Born | Valeria Raquel Mazza 17 February 1972 Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1986–present |
Spouse |
Alejandro Gravier (m. 1998) |
Children | 4 |
Modeling information | |
Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
Agency |
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Website | valeriamazza.com.ar |
Valeria Raquel Mazza (Spanish pronunciation: [baˈleɾja ˈmasa], Italian: [ˈmattsa]; born 17 February 1972) is an Argentine model and businesswoman. Mazza rose to prominence in the 1990s and became a household name after appearing on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue of 1996 alongside Tyra Banks. Mazza worked for fashion designers such as Gianni Versace and Roberto Cavalli.[citation needed]
Mazza was born in Rosario, Santa Fe Province to Raúl Mariano Mazza Ceriani and Monica Ferreira, and was raised in Paraná, Entre Ríos Province. A model since age 14,[2] Mazza has also worked as an actress, presenter and brand ambassador.[3][4] As a businesswoman, she has released three perfumes, her own magazine, and created an eyewear company and production company.[5][6] Once a student of occupational therapy,[7] she also promotes humanitarian causes, and is noted for her work with the Special Olympics, UNICEF, and the Pediatrics Unit of the Austral Hospital in Pilar, Buenos Aires Province.[8]
Mazza remains a leading figure in Latin American fashion,[3][9] and is considered the most important fashion model in Argentine history.[10]
On 9 May 1998, Mazza married businessman Alejandro Gravier in the Basilica of the Blessed Sacrament in Retiro, Buenos Aires; the wedding reception was held at the Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo with 1,500 guests.[11] The couple have four children born in 1999,[11] 2002,[12][13] 2005,[14] and 2008.[15] They reside in Buenos Aires.[16] The couple owns Finca Valeria, a countryside vacation property in La Barra, near Punta del Este, Uruguay, where they hold an important party with renowned guests every summer.[17] In 2008, she and her husband were under investigation by Argentina's Revenue Service, AFIP, for alleged tax evasion to the tune of two million US dollars.[18]
In addition to her native Spanish, Mazza also speaks Italian and English.