A superstar model, talented actress and respected charity worker. Irina Shayk is really quite something. She’s been setting the fashion world alight as of late but she comes from a humble background, having grown up in the small town of Salavat in central Russia. Her mother was a piano teacher and her father a coal miner and, having to cope with little means, she led a life far removed from the glamorous jet-set lifestyle she lives today.
Irina didn’t intend on becoming a model, at first at least. Having studied marketing at school for a number of years, she dreamt of becoming a teacher of literature but, in a way that was entirely inevitable, her beauty opened doors that would eventually lead to a modelling career in the highly lucrative fashion industry. Indeed, her older sister persuaded her to join her at a beauty school but it became quite apparent quite quickly, that the young miss Shayk should be the subject rather than the beautician. She was discovered by a local talent agent, won a beauty contest (naturally) and her career snowballed from there.
Her big break came in 2007 when she became the face of Italian clothing label, Intimissimi. This allowed the planet to see her otherworldly physique, which of course spawned a number of future underwear campaigns for the young Russian. Now, her modelling CV reads like a who’s who in the fashion world, as she’s worked with brands such as Armani, Givenchy and La Perla; magazines Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue; and photographers Mario Testino, Bruce Weber, Mariano Vivanco and many more.
It seems though, that the Russian beauty is only just beginning her ascent to superstardom. Moving away from the catwalks and editorial campaigns, she is lending her beauty to the silver screen, having starred alongside Dwayne Johnson in the recent re-imagining of Hercules. Famed for her sultry gaze, bright blue eyes and assured demeanour, Shayk made a confident debut appearance which, if her seemingly never-ending talent is anything to go by, will be the first of many more to come.
Taken from the autumn issue of The Gentleman’s Journal print magazine. To subscribe, click here.
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