Russian Super Model Irina Shayk : Full Biography

Irina Shayk (sometimes credited as Irina Sheik) was born Irina Shaykhlislamova on January 6, 1986 in Yemanzhelinsk, Russia.

Irina’s mother was a teacher of music in a kindergarten and she wanted her daughter to study music as well. At the age of 9 she entered a music school and studied there for 7 years. She was singing in a choir and playing piano. Irina’s father was a coal miner and he died when Irina was a schoolgirl.

Irina Shayk has an elder sister, Tatiana. Irina’s mother had to work at 2 jobs to provide for the family. It was a very difficult time for the family but mother and daughters were always helping each other. After Irina finished school they moved to a bigger town.

The Russian beauty started studying marketing, but it was pretty boring for her  and by chance (her mother saw an ad on a bus stop) Irina entered the local beauty school with her elder sister. There she got noticed by a person from a local model agency (situated next door to the beauty school) noticed Irina and was struck by her unusual beauty.

Right away Irina was proposed to participate in a beauty contest “Miss Chelyabinsk 2004″. It was a total surprise for her when she won the contest and became miss Chelyabinsk. A scout Guia Jikidze (he also spotted Natalia Vodianova, Eugenia Volodina, Polina Kouklina, Elena Melnik, Olga Sherer and many others) noticed her and told Irina that she should become a model.

Name                  Irina Shaykhlislamova
Nationality           Russian
Hair color            Brown
Eye color            Green
Date of birth       January 6 1986
Place of birth      Yemanzhelinsk, Russia
Height                 5'10" ; 178cm
Measurements   (US) 34-23-35 ; (EU) 86.5-58-88
Dress size          (US) 4 ; (EU) 34
Shoe size           (US) 7 ; (EU) 37 ; (UK) 4.5

Modeling Career

Shayk started her career relatively late for a model, at the age of 19, when she began modeling in Paris. In 2007 she replaced Ana Beatriz Barros as the face of Intimissimi and in the same year debuted in the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Since that time, she has appeared in every annual edition, attending photoshoots in such places as St. Petersburg, Naples, Grenada and Chile.

After being the image of Intimissimi for three years (six seasons), Shayk was made the official ambassador for the brand in 2010. Her other modeling contracts include Beach Bunny (2009), and Guess spring/summer 2009. Other work include the Victoria's Secret catalog, Lacoste and Cesare Paciotti. Her magazine covers include Annabelle, Bolero, Woman, Jalouse, and Paris Capital.

She signed with modeling agency IMG on May 2009.

Shayk modeled the Armani Exchange spring/summer 2010 campaign. She also starred in Kanye West's “Power”, directed by artist Marco Brambilla. She was on the cover of Ocean Drive and GQ South Africa for the August issue. She ranked first in the "50 Hottest Russian Women" list by Complex magazine.

She made a change from swimwear to high fashion with a spread in Spain's Harper’s Bazaar and landed the cover of Elle Spain for their November 2010 issue. Glamour Spain awarded her "Best International Model of 2010".(Spanish: Mejor Modelo Internacional). At the end of the year she was pictured nude in the GQ Spain December issue; however, she claimed that she had not stripped for the photoshoot, and that the magazine had digitally altered the images to remove her lingerie.

On the February 14, 2011 episode of The Late Show with David Letterman, it was revealed via billboard that Shayk was the covermodel for the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. This is the fifth time she has been featured in the magazine, but the first time she has been on the cover. She is the first Russian to appear on the cover. Shayk became the face of swim label Luli Fama’s 2011 advertising campaign and look book. Appears in the John John Denim ad campaign.

She currently ranks 10th in the "Top 20 Sexiest Models" list on Models.com.

In 2011 she was voted "Sexiest Woman In The World" in the Hungarian magazine Periodika. On February 2011 she covered Tatler magazine Russia. She also covered Harper's Baazar Mexico, wearing a Victoria Beckham dress. She also featured in campaign for Rampage, replacing Bar Rafaeli, and for Replay. On november 2011 she covered Amica Italia and later, on december she covered Elle Spain the special edition for christmas. On February 2012 she covered Esquire UK.

Fashion Shows
Ready to wear - Autumn/Winter 2005 {Kristina Ti} 
Ready to wear - Spring/Summer 2006 {Chloé, Luciano Soprani, Pin-Up Stars} 
Ready to wear - Autumn/Winter 2008 {Mango} 
Ready to wear - Autumn/Winter 2011 {Damat Tween} 
Ready to wear - Spring/Summer 2011 {Pronovias}



Magazine Covers
France: 'Paris Capital' - 2009 
Germany: 'Annabelle' - May 2005 
Greece: 'Jalouse' - February 2006 
Italy: 'Jack' - March 2011; 'Amica' - November 2011 
Mexico: 'GQ' - May 2011; 'Harper's Bazaar' - July 2011 
Russia: 'Tatler' - February 2011 
South Africa: 'GQ' - August 2010. 
Spain: 'Woman' - July 2005; 'Woman' - June 2009; 'Elle' - November 2010; 'GQ' - December 2010; 'Glamour' - January 2011; 'DT' - February 2011; 'Ragazza' - May 2011; 'Cosmopolitan' - June 2011; 'Yo Dona' - July 2011; 'Elle' - December 2011 
Switzerland: 'Bolero' - June 2005 
US: 'Ocean Drive' - July/August 2010; 'Sports Illustrated Swimsuit' - 2011

Other Link
Official Site
Fashionmodeldirectory 
Wikipedia
IMDB
Modelinia 
Millionlooks 


Gallery