Valeria Mazza

Valeria Mazza
Mazza at the Teatro Colón reopening gala, 2010
Born	Valeria Raquel Mazza (1972-02-17) February 17, 1972 (age 45) Rosario, Argentina
Occupation	Model, businesswoman, philanthropist
Years active	1986–present
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Spouse(s)	Alejandro Gravier (1998–present)
Children	4
Website	valeriamazza.com.ar

Valeria Raquel Mazza (Spanish pronunciation: [baˈlerja ˈmasa]; born February 17, 1972) is an Argentine model and businesswoman. Considered as the first Latin American supermodel, Mazza rose to prominence in the 1990s and became a household name after appearing in the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue of 1996 alongside Tyra Banks.

Mazza was born in Rosario, Santa Fe Province and was raised in Paraná, Entre Ríos Province. A model since age 14, Mazza has also worked as an actress, presenter and brand ambassador. As a businesswoman, she has released three perfumes, her own magazine, and created an eyewear company and production company. Once a student of occupational therapy, she also promotes humanitarian causes, and is noted for her work with the Special Olympics, UNICEF, and the Pediatrics Unit of the Austral Hospital in Pilar, Buenos Aires Province.

Mazza remains a leading figure in Latin American fashion, and is considered the most important fashion model in Argentine history.

On May 9, 1998 Mazza married businessman Alejandro Gravier in the Basilica of the Blessed Sacrament in Retiro, Buenos Aires; the wedding reception was held at the Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo with 1,500 guests. The couple has four children: Balthazar (b. 1999), Tiziano (b. 2002), Benicio (b. 2005), and Taína (b. 2008). They reside in Buenos Aires. The couple owns "Finca Valeria", a countryside vacation property in La Barra, near Punta del Este, Uruguay, where they hold an important party with renowned guests every summer. In 2008, she and her husband were under investigation by Argentina's Revenue Service, AFIP, for alleged tax evasion to the tune of two millon US dollars.