Kelly Emberg Biography

Kelly Kay Emberg (born July 2, 1959 in Houston, Texas) is an American former model best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and in advertisements for companies like Cover Girl.

Career

Emberg was born in Houston, Texas, and attended Stratford High School, where she was a member of the school's female drill team, the Spartanaires. She was a cheerleader in her senior year with partner Kelly Bittner. modeled part-time during high school after being "discovered" by Alan Martin, a local photographer in Houston who introduced her to John Casablancas. Casablancas brought her to New York City to join his new agency Elite Model Management, where her print career took off. She appeared on the covers of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour and Cosmopolitan magazines. Her first cover was for British Vogue photographed by Alex Chatelain. She also appeared numerous times in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and in advertisements for Cover Girl cosmetics, Napier Jewelry, and Calvin Klein.

After her modeling career, Emberg attended UCLA for three years studying interior design. She worked for interior designer Michael S. Smith and owns The Cotton Box, with a shop on Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. Her biggest client is Rod Stewart. Emberg created the interior designs for the guest house on his Los Angeles estate in which Ruby, along with Kimberly and Sean, Stewart's children by Alana Hamilton, live.

Emberg's passion for gardening created her current career as Kelly Emberg: The Model Gardener, in which she provides advice, expertise, and enthusiasm, encouraging people to "grow their own" organic veggies. An advocate of wellness through diet, she can be heard on I Heart Radio, and seen on her social media profiles, and www.kellyemberg.com

Personal life

Emberg was at the top of her career when she began dating singer Rod Stewart in 1983. The couple had one child, a daughter, Ruby, born June 17, 1987. In the summer of 1990, the couple split. Stewart insisted it was Emberg's decision to break off the relationship: "She had another geezer". Emberg filed a palimony suit in early 1991, which was settled in 1993 for an undisclosed amount.

Emberg has two sons, Tyler Jenkel (with former husband Brad Jenkel) and Cole Brodin (with former husband, celebrity interior designer Gavin Brodin, best known for owning The Cotton Box on Melrose Avenue, and designing the Spelling Mansion for Petra Ecclestone and her husband, James Stunt).

She is currently married to Mike Padilla, and resides in the San Diego area.