Nicole Trunfio

Nicole Trunfio is an Australian model and entrepreneur born on March 16, 1985, in Merredin, Western Australia. Raised by her parents, Giuseppe and Kim, she is the youngest of three children. Her upbringing included a strong Italian heritage from her father's background, and she grew up playing the piano. She attended St Mary's Primary School, Parkfield Primary, and Australind Senior High School. While working a shelf-packing job at a supermarket as a teenager, she was scouted in Perth by a modeling agent and eventually agreed to have her photograph taken.

Trunfio gained national attention in 2002 after winning the third season of the Australian television talent competition Search for a Supermodel, followed by a top placement in the international Supermodel of the World contest. She subsequently relocated to New York City to establish a professional modeling career, initially signing with Ford Models before later securing representation with agencies such as IMG Models, Vivien's Model Management, and Iconic Management. Over her career, she has walked the runway and worked for numerous luxury fashion houses, including Chanel, Versace, Christian Dior, Gucci, Fendi, Missoni, Valentino, and Dolce & Gabbana.

Throughout her fashion career, Trunfio was featured in promotional campaigns for brands including Karl Lagerfeld, Guess, Lacoste, D&G, and Ulta, and served as the face of department store David Jones for its 2011 winter launch. She collaborated with notable fashion photographers such as Richard Avedon, Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Klein, Peter Lindbergh, and Terry Richardson, appearing in publications including Italian Vogue, British Vogue, and Harper's Bazaar. In 2015, her cover feature for Elle Australia, which depicted her breastfeeding her infant son, generated widespread commentary and led her to publicly promote the normalization of breastfeeding in public.

Alongside modeling, Trunfio studied acting at the Stella Adler Studio in New York City and the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney. She appeared in feature films including Two Fists, One Heart in 2008, The Last International Playboy, Sofia Coppola's Somewhere, the short film My First Time, and the 2014 drama Paper Planes. On television, she served as a mentor for female contestants on the second season of the American series Make Me a Supermodel in 2009 and coached a team on the 2014 reality series The Face Australia.

Trunfio later launched several commercial ventures as founder and chief executive officer, including Erth Jewellery in 2016, a candle collaboration with Lumira in 2018, the maternity brand Bumpsuit in 2020, and the eco-focused brand Erth Swim. Her advocacy efforts include promoting the sustainability organization 1% For The Planet and taking part in civil rights demonstrations. Trunfio married musician Gary Clark Jr. in 2016, and the couple lives on a ranch near Austin, Texas, with their three children.