The United States will soon have a First Lady who once graced the covers of magazines and strutted down the catwalk. Melania Trump is a former model, a job that has often been referred to as superficial and not requiring too much skill or intellect.

That kind of thinking is too simplistic, though. Landing a modeling gig, of course, requires you to be born genetically gifted, but maintaining your figure with proper diet and exercise is no easy feat. Photography is an art that requires a symbiotic relationship between the one taking the photo and the subject. Impressing clients also requires a lot of running around from one location to the next, as well as social skills, all of which will only aid Melania Trump in the future.

And, let’s face it, a lot of former models have gone on to do great things, including the women (Melania Trump is not the first!) who have taken on the mantle of First Lady of their respective nations. They are more than just pretty faces.

And here are three of them:

Carla Bruni – France, 2008-2012

During the 1990s, Bruni was one of the 20 highest paid models in the world, earning upward of $7.5 million. She modeled for the likes of Christian Dior, Givenchy and Karl Lagerfeld.

Bruni is also an accomplished recording artist. A few of her songs may even be familiar to non-French speakers. “Quelqu’un m’a dit (Someone Told Me)” was featured in the soundtrack of the film 500 Days of Summer. Another song, “L’amoureuse,” played in an episode of NBC’s Chuck.

She met French President Nicolas Sarkozy in November of 2007 when he was already in office. Sarkozy is mulling a return to the Presidency, so there is a chance that she may become First Lady again. It might be interesting for her to meet Melania in this capacity.

Imelda Marcos – The Philippines, 1965-1986

Imelda Marcos is well known for her extravagance and thousands of shoes. Before her rise to power and international prominence, she was a Beauty Queen in her hometown of Tacloban and the Philippine capital of Manila. She graced the cover of several magazines.

Her poise and beauty proved to be an asset for her husband, Ferdinand Marcos, who become a dictator and ruled the archipelago for twenty years. The family was exiled after his fall from power and was accused of plunder.

But, since then, Imelda and her family have made a political comeback. She is the matriarch of a political dynasty and remains one of the wealthiest members of the Philippine congress. Her daughter Imee is currently a Provincial Governor. Her son Ferdinand Marcos Jr. served as a senator but lost his bid for the Vice-Presidency.

Modeling has also become a family tradition. Her grandson, the son of Imee, Borgy Manotoc, is a high profile model in the Philippines.

Eva Peron – Argentina, 1946-1952

The story of Eva Peron’s life and work as a model is familiar to audiences thanks to the Broadway musical and film based on her life.

When she moved to Buenos Aires, she was penniless, had no connections nor a formal education, and was working as a model as a way to make ends meet. She was discovered by a photographer and worked as an actress and a radio host. At the same time, she was moving from one powerful man to another until she met and fell in love with Juan Peron at a fundraiser organized by him (as Secretary of Labor) for victims of an earthquake.

She went on to lead her own foundation and a women’s party. She was even nominated as Vice-President and would have had run for office along with her husband, but, tragically, she was too ill and died of cancer.

She still remains a popular figure in Argentina and is a worldwide cultural icon.

There you go, three former models who became First Ladies and even politicians in their own right. Who do you think Melania Trump will emulate?