Story highlights Cindy Crawford has been a model since high school

At 50, she's ready to leave that life behind

(CNN) Cindy Crawford retire from modeling?

It may be hard to fathom, but the famed beauty -- who will be turning 50 on February 20 -- says it's time to "move on."

"I'm sure I'll have my picture taken for 10 more years, but not as a model anymore. And that's OK. I've done it," she told United Airlines' Hemispheres magazine . "I've worked with all these incredible photographers. What else do I need to do? I can't keep reinventing myself. I shouldn't have to keep proving myself. I don't want to."

Crawford has been one of the most-photographed women in the world since she was in high school. Indeed, the valedictorian of DeKalb High School in Illinois gave up a scholarship to Northwestern University to pursue a modeling career -- and became the top-paid model in the world . She made $6.5 million in 1994 alone, when she topped a Forbes list at age 28.

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Crawford hasn't been a full-time model since 2000 and has largely devoted her time to her family -- she has two children with husband Rande Gerber -- and such businesses as the Cindy Crawford Home Collection of furniture.

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