Supermodel Heidi Klum (wiki) says she gave her famous assets the stereotypically German names in homage to her homeland. She said: "They've been an ongoing joke for, like, 12 years. It started because I was from Germany, and people always make fun of ze Germans, yah? So when I began modelling I used to say, These are German breasts, one is called Hans and one is called Franz."

All of which makes Heidi Klum one of the few supermodels who actually did something next, and did it well. As a mother, model and entrepreneur, she provides a cheerful two-fingered salute to cynics who reckon that women can't have it all. "The great models always know what they're doing in front of camera," says the photographer Rankin, who shot the portraits on these pages. "With Heidi, what you also get is an incredible level of professionalism. You don't just feel you're collaborating on a photo, but also creating something valuable together. She also always goes the extra mile, wanting one more shot, or trying poses that other models would complain about. Then after you've finished, she's straight on to the BlackBerry trying to help sell the pictures, or arrange another shoot. Don't be fooled by her sense of humour, or children running around in the background. Heidi's a high-powered woman. She never misses a trick."