The World knows her as Niki Taylor, She is an American model. She has graced the covers of over 400 magazines. She launched her on Fragrance and co hosted Make Me A Supermodel with Tyson Beckford.Taylor was born March 5, 1975 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Ken and Barbara Taylor, a Broward Sheriff's Deputy and a photographer, respectively. She was raised in Pembroke Pines, Florida and attended Cooper City High School. She has an older sister, Joelle, and had a younger sister, Kristen ("Krissy"), a fellow model, who died of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia on July 2, 1995, at the age of 17.
When she was 13, Taylor signed with Irene Marie Models in South Florida. There she met photographer Jean Renard, who later became her manager. She subsequently won a Fresh Faces contest in New York City and a $500,000 modeling contract.Taylor's first magazine cover was an issue of Seventeen (August 1989) at the age 14. The following year, at 15, she graced the cover of Vogue. Her official website, nikitaylor.com and numerous articles and television shows claim that she was the youngest model ever to appear on the cover of Vogue. However, the record belongs to Brooke Shields,
who was 14 years and 9 months old when her February 1980 issue came out.In 1991, Taylor was named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People, wearing a bright orange one-piece bathing suit with long, lime-green gloves on the beach. The following year, Taylor became the first spokesmodel under 18 to sign a major contract with CoverGirl and she became a feature in their national advertising campaign. Some of her other ad campaigns have been for Liz Claiborne; Nokia; Ellen Tracy; L'Oréal; GAP, Lee Jeans; Rampage clothes, and Pantene. Taylor also simultaneously had six enormous billboards in NYC's Times Square, for Liz Claiborne.
In May 1996, she set a record by appearing on the cover of the six major American women's fashion and fitness magazines in the same month: Allure, Vogue, ELLE, Marie Claire, Self, and Shape. They have become known as the "Niki Six." Taylor appeared in the 1997, 1998 and 1999 editions of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, as well as on the 1998 cover of its swimsuit calendar. Taylor has been on the cover of over 400 magazines to date.Taylor is currently represented by New York Model Management.
Outside of modeling, Taylor was once an interviewer for segments of the syndicated program, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. She also covered events for NBC and guest-hosted MTV's Fashionably Loud.
In the late 1990s, it was announced that Niki would work on a line of clothing, bearing her name, for Target. After only a few pieces, the line was suddenly dropped.
Niki also appeared in Keith Urban's "Somebody Like You" music video in 2002. Niki and Keith dated quietly from 2002-2004. There appears to be no paparazzi photos of them together.
In July 2005, Niki Taylor opened a clothing store, Abbie and Jesse's, in Franklin, Tennessee with her manager and friend Lou Taylor (no relation).[1]. The store was named after Niki and Lou's dogs.
In the fall of 2005, Niki launched her first fragrance, "Begin by Niki Taylor."
She also founded the Begin Foundation for the Advancement of Women in Business. Niki introduced the finalists on friend and co-Cover Girl spokesmodel Tyra Banks
talkshow in 2007.
Niki and male supermodel Tyson Beckford
co-hosted the new Bravo series Make Me A Supermodel.It premiered on January 10, 2008.[2] Although the show was renewed for a second season, Taylor will not return as co-host, probably due to the fact that Niki expects a baby daughter sometime in March 2009.[3]. Instead, little-known Australian model Nicole Trunfio
will be taking Niki's place.
Niki had her first serious relationship while she was in high school. Her friend and fellow Cover Girl spokesmodel Tyra Banks,
recalled during a January 2007 interview with Niki, on her talk show, that she ran up thousand dollar phone bills calling her (un-named) Florida boyfriend from European modeling assignments they did together.
A few months after she graduated from high school, in the Fall of 1993, Niki met Matt Martinez during a coin-toss at an Arena football game in Miami. Matt was once a linebacker for the defunct Miami Hooters. Niki was 18, Matt was 23. Three months later, in January 1994, Niki and Matt eloped in Las Vegas. Niki's parents, Ken and Barbara, were unhappy that they weren't present at their middle daughter's wedding. On July 19, 1994, a 4-months pregnant Niki married Matt again. This time it was a more traditional wedding ceremony with a large reception at Matt's father's home in McCammon, Idaho.
In December 1994, the couple had twin sons, Jake and Hunter.[4]. Less than two years later, Taylor and Martinez divorced.During a 1997 television interview, Niki told reporter Nancy Collins, on ABC's Primetime Live, that she rushed into marriage at age 18. She said "I didn't know him, and he didn't know me." She further said,
"You have to give a relationship time and only time can tell whether it's going to work. Definitely spend four seasons with somebody that you love so you can see how their different moods are. Um, don't rush into it. You have all the time in the world really. That's what I would say."[5].
After her divorce, Niki dated NHL hockey player Rob Niedermayer,
Miami "night club king" and convicted mobster, Chris Paciello,
Chad Renegar (who dropped his cell phone and crashed his car that severely injured Niki), and country superstar Keith Urban.
On May 2, 2001, Taylor was critically injured in a car accident in Atlanta, Georgia. Chad Renegar, the driver, was attempting to answer his cell phone. He lost control of the car and smashed into a utility pole.[6] Taylor was wearing her shoulder belt, but not the lap belt at the time and was not thrown from the vehicle; however, she suffered severe internal injuries, including a collapsed lung and serious liver damage. The accident left her unconscious for six weeks and then bedridden for an additional month. Taylor was treated at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta and had approximately 56 operations, as well as substantial physical therapy. In 2001, she went to rehab to treat an addiction to Percocet, a prescription painkiller.[7]. Niki had been taking pain killers since her delivery of twins. She then took them again to cope with the sudden death of her "best friend" and younger sister, Krissy,
and the demise of her marriage.After her long recovery, Niki was asked to appear in Keith Urban's
country music video "Somebody Like You"