Valeria Raquel Mazza (Spanish pronunciation:[baˈleɾjaˈmasa], Italian:[ˈmattsa]; born 17 February 1972) is an Argentine model and businesswoman. Mazza rose to prominence in the 1990s and became a household name after appearing on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue of 1996 alongside
Tyra Banks. Mazza worked for fashion designers such as Gianni Versace and Roberto Cavalli.[citation needed]
Mazza remains a leading figure in Latin American fashion,[3][9] and is considered the most important fashion model in Argentine history.[10]
Personal life
On 9 May 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.[11] The couple have four children born in 1999,[11] 2002,[12][13] 2005,[14] and 2008.[15] They reside in Buenos Aires.[16] 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.[17] In 2008, she and her husband were under investigation by Argentina's Revenue Service, AFIP, for alleged tax evasion to the tune of two million US dollars.[18]
In addition to her native Spanish, Mazza also speaks Italian and English.