[Nicky91]

She has worked in Paris, Tokyo and New York City for Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein and walked in various ready-to-wear shows.

Since 2003, Padberg has been the face for the make-up brand Astor. In 2005, Padberg advertised in a TV commercial for the soft candy brand Gletschereis, became the new advertising face of the South Korean car manufacturer Kia Motors, the cover face of the mail-order company Otto and campaign model for Nintendo's "Nintendogs". In 2007, she became the face of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin. In addition, she also presents the global brand Mercedes-Benz as an ambassador at other international fashion and lifestyle events.

Since May 2019, she has been the advertising face of the TV channel Home & Garden TV

In addition to her modeling career, Padberg also appears as a presenter, juror and laudator. In 2002, she replaced Alexandra Kamp on the jury of the casting show Star Search. In the same year, she took over as host of the MTV show Designerama. In 2006, together with Harald Schmidt, she hosted the Hubert Burda Media Bambi Awards. In 2012, together with model Karolína Kurková, she was a member of the jury and mentor on the model casting show The Perfect Model.

Padberg is involved in numerous charitable projects such as the SOS Children's Village. As a UNICEF ambassador, she travelled to Rwanda in autumn 2006. In February 2011 she took over the patronage of a Ronald McDonald House in Berlin-Wedding

On July 29, 2006, Padberg married music producer Niklas Worgt after a ten-year partnership. She is the mother of a daughter and lives in Wilhelmshorst.