Catrinel Menghia (born October 1, 1985) is a Romanian model. She was discovered at the age of 16 on the street by a local agent who took her to Bucharest to meet Liviu Ionescu of the MRA Agency. Six months later, her parents allowed Menghia to move to Bucharest and start her modeling career. She participated in the Ford Supermodel of the World Romania contest in November 2001, where she won the second runner-up prize. Menghia now lives in Milan. She has done campaigns for major fashion houses and is the face of Giorgio Armani worldwide. She was also one of the new faces in the 2006 South African Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and has appeared in FHM and Maxim. She has been the face of the French lingerie brand Lise Charmel since 2005. She is married to the Italian ex-footballer Massimo Brambati. Her sister, Lorena, is a high-jumper, currently competing in the US college system.
