Miller Was First Discovered At Age Sixteen Walking Through A San Francisco
After a stint shooting with photographer Mario Testino for fashion magazines like Vogue, Miller began working for both companies in 2002. Her accomplishments have led to her being dubbed the “return of the great American supermodel.” She is known for contracts with companies like Harley-Davidson, for whom she is the first spokesperson in the history of the company, and the NFL, for whom she became a spokesperson in 2010. Out of shyness, she often wore large t-shirts to hide her body and would get fully dressed just to go to the trash-can while at the beach. Miller was first “discovered” at age sixteen walking through a San Francisco café by two Italian modeling agents. After talking to her mother, she was on a plane to Italy with her mother a few months later, despite her “shy and conservative” personality. Miller moved from a start as an amateur magazine model to high profile mainstream work after an acquaintance showed a picture of her to famed fashion photographer Mario Testino in 2001. in response to claims that Miller had parted with Victoria’s Secret in January 2010, the Chief Marketing Officer for Limited Brands responded, saying the claims were “unfounded and untrue” while adding “we adore Marisa and we will continue to work with her in the future.” in late 2010, Miller confirmed she had moved on from Angel status. in a July 2010 interview with Forbes, Miller stated that because the fashion industry had changed, with celebrities supplanting models on magazine covers and in campaigns, supermodels have to become brands to be successful.