Stella Maxwell

Stella Maynes Maxwell was born in Brussels on 15 May 1990, the daughter of Northern Irish parents from Belfast. Her mother is Stella (née Maynes) and her father is retired diplomat Maurice Maxwell, who served as the former head of the European Commission in Belfast. Maxwell was named after her mother. She has two older brothers and an older sister. She was raised in Brussels until she was 13 years old, attending the European School, Woluwe. She then moved with her family to Australia, where they lived in Canberra for a year. They then moved to New Zealand when she was 14, settling in Wellington. She attended Queen Margaret College and the University of Otago. While working at a newsstand as a college student, she was scouted by a modeling agency based in Dunedin. She began modeling after graduating from university. She walked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2014 where she was credited. She has been a Victoria's Secret Angel since 2015.

During her career, she has posed for Alexander McQueen, Asos, H&M, Karl Lagerfeld, Roberto Cavalli, Urban Outfitters and Topshop, and has been featured on the covers of the German, Turkish, Spanish, Thai and Japanese editions of the fashion magazine Vogue. As a catwalk model, she has walked for Jeremy Scott, Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger, Moschino, Brandon Maxwell, Dolce & Gabbana, Jacquemus, Tory Burch, Giles, Dsquared2, Mugler, Fendi, Chanel, Miu Miu, 032c and Versace. She notably opened the Concept Korea Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show, during which she was dressed as a Lolita-esque modern day Snow White in hoody, miniskirt and towering shoes. However, she fell on the catwalk and dropped the apple she was carrying. She also fell twice in a row during the finale of the Miu Miu Resort 2016 fashion show.

Maxwell collaborated with the French brand The Kooples to create a handbag, named after her. In 2016, she was voted No. 1 in 2016 Maxim's "Hot 100 List". She had an uncredited role in the 2018 film JT LeRoy.

In 2020, Maxwell became an ambassador for Pride Live's Stonewall Day events.

Maxwell appears in the 2021 music video "Chemical" by Beck.