Elsa Benítez is a Mexican supermodel. Benítez was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, and she got her modeling start after winning an international model search, held in Costa Rica in 1995. With Linda Evangelista as one of her childhood idols, Benítez decided to follow her dream of modeling. Modeling opportunities opened up for Benítez soon after, first in Mexico, where she started out her career, and then in the United States and Europe. She become a supermodel after being chosen by photographer Steven Meisel and being featured many times on the US and Italian Vogue for Meisel's layouts. In 1996, she appeared on the cover of Vogue Italy three times in April, August and September. After signing with Elite Model Management, she then appeared on the covers of many fashion magazines, including Vogue, ELLE, Glamour, Mademoiselle, Harper's Bazaar, and Marie Claire. Benítez has also done advertising campaign work for Dolce & Gabbana, Macy's, Episode, I-N-C, J.Crew, Óscar de la Renta, Rena Lange, Nine West, Valentino, and Jones New York, and has modelled for Victoria's Secret. Benítez appeared in the 1999 Pirelli Calendar that featured "Women Through the Decades." She was photographed as a representative of the "groovy '70s."