Michelle Behennah is an English model born in Singapore. After her parents divorced, her mother remarried and, along with her with her family Michelle relocated to Sheffield, England, where she was raised.

Originally, she wished to attend to medical school in order to become a plastic surgeon, but her mother believed that her daughter had the potential for a modelling career. At the age of 14, Michelle set out for London, where her mother entered her in a contest sponsored by a shampoo company.

Michelle won the contest and next entered the 1993 Ford Agency "Supermodel of the World" competition. At this event she was a finalist, along with now fellow model Magdalena Wrobel.

After her win, Michelle moved to Paris, where she spent seven years establishing her name in the modeling industry. While there, she appeared in magazines such as ELLE US, Glamour Italy, Vogue Italy and Spain, Mademoiselle, and Cosmopolitan.

She has also modelled for designers such as Cynthia Rowley, Valentino, BCBG, Donna Karan, Emanuel Ungaro, Nina Ricci, Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, Chanel, and Thierry Mugler.

In 1999, Michelle made the move to yet another world fashion centre, New York, where her career flourished. Besides the fact that she has appeared in high-profile advertisements for Burberry, Esprit, Givenchy, Vanderbilt Jeans, Hewlett Packard, J. Crew, Kenzo, L'Oréal "Elnett" hairspray, Mango, Nina Ricci, Saks Fifth Avenue, Swatch watches, and Tommy Hilfiger, she has also posed for Victoria's Secret.

Michelle has also modeled swimsuits for Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Edition, in 1999, 2000 and 2001. It is perhaps these appearances that have acquired Michelle most fame. In addition to working with world class photographers on her Sports Illustrated shoots, she was the object/subject of Joanne Gair's inaugural body painting works as part of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.