In the world of global fashion, there are two categories of fashion model popularity. The first is that a model gains popularity until a certain time, until a new girl with a similar style takes her place. The second category, to which top model Irina Shayk belongs, is an example of stability, relevance and progressiveness, over which time has no power. It is precisely such photo models in the world of global modeling that are called supermodels. Irina has a vibrant personal life and now her boyfriend is designer and rapper Kanye West.
Figure parameters, height, weight, age and zodiac sign of Irina Shayk
| Date of Birth | January 6, 1986 |
| Place of Birth | Yemanzhelinsk, RSFSR |
| Full name | Irina Valerievna Shaykhlislamova |
| Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
| Height | 178 cm |
| Weight | 55-58 kg |
| Bust | 86 cm |
| Waist circumference | 61 cm |
| Hip volume | 89 cm |
| Eye color | green |
| Hair color | chestnut |
| Category | straight fashion model |
| Model agency | Selectmodel, London; The Lions NY; Elite, Paris |
| @irinashayk |
Childhood and youth
Irina Shaykhlislamova - this is how the beauty’s name appears in the documents - was born in January 1986 in the town of Yemanzhelinsk, which is located not far from Chelyabinsk. The eastern surname raises the question of nationality, and Ira has repeatedly said in interviews that her paternal ancestors are Tatars, and her maternal ancestors are Russian. The mother of Irina and her older sister Tatyana taught music, and their father worked in a mine. When the girl was 14 years old, her parent died from a serious lung disease.
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Irina Shayk in childhood with her mother and sister
The model already in childhood was different from most of her peers: Ira grew up as a beautiful child and, wherever she appeared, she attracted special attention. True, Shayk told journalists that not everyone considered her a beauty; to many, the schoolgirl seemed too thin, long-legged and dark-skinned, and her peers called her Plywood or Chunga-Changa.
Model biography of Irina Shayk
Irina Shayk was born in the city of Yemanzhelinsk, Chelyabinsk region, RSFSR. Her father was a miner, and her mother was a music teacher. Irina’s first debut as a model took place in 2004 with participation in the Chelyabinsk beauty contest “Supermodel 2004”. While studying at the Chelyabinsk College of Economics, the future model was noticed by a modeling agency and offered her her first contract.
The beginning of Irina Shayk's model flight
The career of Russian woman Irina Shaykhlislamova began in 2006. At this time, the aspiring model starred for the cover of the Russian version of the creative magazine Jalouse.
Jalouse Russia October 2006 Cover | Model Irina Shayk
Already in 2007, the fashion model participated in a lookbook for the famous transnational brand “Lacoste” and gradually became recognizable. Irina also starred in a photo shoot for the Italian shoe brand “Cesare Paciotti”
Lacoste spring-summer 2007 | Model Irina Shayk
But the real popularity and demand of the Russian fashion model is based on one important fact. Irina Shayk is the first Russian fashion model to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine. This well-known women's swimwear magazine is a marker of the fashion world. Any model that gets into this publication gains popularity and all the doors of the modeling industry are opened to it.
This happened not only with Irina Shayk, but also with another Russian model Vita Sidorkina, who also became an ambassador in the SI style.
Irina Shayk, who made her debut in this magazine in 2007, four years later already graced the cover of this frank publication.
Erotic popularity of top model Inina Shayk
The top model was about ten times, which is an absolute record for participation in this project for any fashion model.
Photographer Pamela Hanson | Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2007 | model Irina Shayk
Photo sessions under the “cover” of photographer Nick Bustos for the lingerie magazine “Intimissimi” added fuel to the fire of the erotic popularity of the model. It was in 2010 that the Russian top model Irina Shayk received the recognized status of the most attractive and sexy fashion model in the world.
With this status as the most beautiful girl in the world, Shayk posed in a lookbook for the top brand Victoria's Secret in 2011, having signed a contract with it. Irina, along with other top models such as Barbara Palvin, Jessica Hart and Karlie Kloss, is photographed for the brand's swimwear show.
Victoria's Secret Swimsuit 2011 | model Irina Shayk
It is interesting that only for the period of 2012, the top model Irina Shayk gained wider popularity in Russia. Regional Russian versions of Marie Claire and Glamor magazines feature her on their covers.
Latin American period of Irina Shayk's career
A curious moment in her career flight is her collaboration with the famous Italian couturier Roberto Cavalli. The designer, counting on promoting his collection in Latin American countries, conducted an advertising campaign through Russian woman Irina Shayk. In it, Irina played the role of a sultry Brazilian girl.
C&A Brazil Capsule Collection by Roberto Cavalli 2013 | model Irina Shayk
The Latin American motifs in Irina Shayk’s modeling do not end there, and in 2014 she was published on the cover of Brazilian Vogue in the stylistic role of an Indian girl.
Photo Giampaolo Sgura | Vogue Brasil 2014 Na Naturaleza Selvagem | model Irina Shayk
The transition to classic images in the stylistic role of a fashion model
2015 is a remarkable year for the charming Russian woman. Top model Irina Shayk stars in Samsung advertising. Irina is the very first model to advertise this global brand.
Photographer Tom Munro | Samsung Galaxy F/W 2015 | model Irina Shayk
Irina Shayk is also characterized by the usual classic and traditional stylistic image. In 2021, the model takes part in the show of the collection from the famous fashion house Versace. Together with Irina, such stars as Natasha Poly, Vanessa Moody, Adriana Lima and Gigi Hadid will walk the catwalk. Note that in the same year the model participated in a photo shoot for the last time for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.
Versace F/W 2016 Show | model Irina Shayk
Photo by Yu Tsai | Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2021 | model Irina Shayk
Stylistic experiments of a fashion model
The fashion model and her stylists experiment with many genres and concepts. So in 2021, Shayk appears in a photo shoot in the pop art style of the 80s of the 20th century. The project was implemented as part of the publication “Love Magazine”.
photo by Alasdair McLellan | Love Magazine 2021 | model Irina Shayk
In the same year, the model starred in a photo shoot for the Mexican version of Vogue Mexico. According to some critics, this photo shoot is one of the best in the model’s arsenal. Fashion creators such as makeup artist Yuki Hayashi and photographer Jason Kibbler worked on it.
photographer Jason Kibbler | Vogue Mexico 2021 Dunas De Oro | model Irina Shayk
Once again, top model Irina Shayk appears for V Magazine in her most recognizable image, a charming and dynamic girl in a black swimsuit. It is this photo of 2021 that is most familiar to fans of the model.
photo by Carin Backoff | V Magazine Glamorama 2021 | model Irina Shayk
Avant-garde style solutions by Irina Shayk
The stylistic role of the fashion model was significantly influenced by the top fashion photographer Steven Meisel. For spring-summer 2021, Maisel, along with stylist Pat McGrath, brought an extraordinary and unique look to the fashion model's style. The creators wrapped up the ideas of pop art, Shayk’s erotic appeal and conservative severity in one wrapper. All this was done within the Versace Fashion House.
photo by Steven Meisel | Versace Eyewear spring-summer 2021 | model Irina Shayk
In 2021, Irina Shayk confirms her extraordinary feminine attractiveness by again appearing in a photo shoot for the luxury women's lingerie brand "Intimissimi".
The fashion model has been in the world of global fashion for more than ten years and her chronicles of her modeling flight have no heights or limits of professionalism. Top model Irina Shayk is still in demand in the world of global modeling due to her extraordinary dynamics and the charming atmosphere of her photo images.
Model business
In her youth, while studying in her first year of economics college in Chelyabinsk, Irina, with her model figure parameters (height 178 cm and weight 55 kg), attracted the interest of the employees of the Chelyabinsk image club “Svetlana”. Here Shayk was taught the basics of the modeling business. The first height was achieved when Ira turned 18: she became the winner of the regional beauty contest “Supermodel”.
The victory brought her not only the first money, but also the main prize: the agency undertook to pay for Irina’s trip to Moscow, to the federal beauty contest, and to do her first professional photo shoot.
The model did not stay in the capital of Russia for long; since 2005 she has already lived abroad. Having started working in Europe, the girl decided to conquer the vastness of the USA. There, Ira changed the surname of Shaykhlislamov’s parents to the catchy pseudonym Sheik.
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Irina Shayk on the catwalk
In 2007, a key meeting in the girl’s life took place with the president of the international modeling agency Gracemodels, Gia Dzhikidze, who at one time opened the way to the fashion Olympus for Natalia Vodianova. The main event of that year was the offer from the Intimissimi brand, which represented luxury lingerie. The Russian woman became the face of the company, and 3 years later she represented the Intimissimi company as an ambassador.
Another significant victory was shooting for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, which publishes pictures of beauties in swimsuits. Irina became the first Russian model to receive such an honor. In 2016, the top model effectively drew a line at the end of the year. After two refusals, Shayk became an “angel” for the first time at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
In subsequent years, the beauty continued to actively star in advertising campaigns for global brands, such as the French brand The Kooples and the Italian company Moschino. At the end of 2021, Irina became the ambassador of the cosmetic brand Marc Jacobs Beauty. Her photographs appeared on the covers of international glossy publications Vogue and Bazaar. The Russian woman also appeared on catwalk shows, presenting clothes and accessories from leading fashion houses. In addition, the model often appears in videos where she talks about facial care and beautiful makeup.
Irina Shayk and her personal life
Despite the amazing popularity of the Russian fashion model, Irina Shayk is quite conservative in her choice of partners - apparently, this is due to the traditional upbringing of her grandmother, who served in intelligence on the 3rd Ukrainian Front during World War II.
Irina Shayk and Cristiano Ronaldo
In 2010, as part of an advertising shoot for the Armani brand, the Russian fashion model met the handsome football player Cristiano Ronaldo. Perhaps it was the most piquant and romantic acquaintance in the history of World Fashion - Irina starred in a swimsuit, and Cristiano sported men's underwear from this brand.
After meeting, the star couple began a stormy and discussed romance - after all, the fiery football player changed girls like gloves. During this period, Irina Shayk becomes a regular spectator of all football matches, and Ronald, to the great joy of the paparazzi, attends all the high-end parties with his beloved.
In 2012, the supermodel and the Portuguese bombardier announced their imminent wedding, and even named the date. Imagine the surprise of Ronaldo fans and Shayk fans when on this day the couple published a joint photo on Instagram, where the happy lovers were successfully fishing on the football player’s yacht.
Tensions in the relationship between Shayk and Ronaldo became known to the public after in 2015, the fashion model did not come to the Golden Ball ceremony, the winner of which was the Portuguese forward, and a few days later the Russian fashion model unfollowed Ronaldo on Instagram. The reasons for the couple’s separation are still unknown, but the most relevant version suggests the betrayal of the famous football player, which model Irina Shayk simply did not expose to public disclosure.
Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper
The romantic relationship between the model and American actor Bradley Cooper began in 2015 - just during the tense relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo. Many believe that the reason for the breakup between the football player and the fashion model is not the Portuguese football player’s frequent infidelities, but Irina Shayk’s affair with a famous Hollywood actor.
The first romantic appearance of Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper took place in 2021, on the red carpet of Paris Fashion Week. On March 21, 2021, the couple welcomed baby Lea de Sena. In an effort to provide good conditions for their newborn daughter, the parents moved to Manhattan, buying a townhouse for $13.5 million. However, after three months, the fashion model and her daughter left a luxurious mansion in the center of New York. The reason for the disagreement was Cooper's constant abandonment to his acting work and, of course, the absence of a wedding proposal, which was supposed to be made by the famous Hollywood macho.
Irina Shayk now: romance with Kanye West
In the summer of 2021, the world's tabloids covered the news of the romance between rapper Kanye West and supermodel Irina Shayk. The loving couple was spotted together more than once by the ubiquitous paparazzi, and the first time the stars appeared in public together was on June 8, West’s birthday, which they celebrated in France.
Kanye West and Irina Shayk
As it became known from a source whose name has not been disclosed, the American rapper is still trying to find his family happiness and has long been in love with Irina. Let us remind you that Kanye is not only a rapper, but also a couturier of his own clothing collections, who has represented Shayk more than once at numerous Fashion Weeks, and in 2010 even starred in his video “Power”. The black musician recently divorced the glamorous diva Kim Kardashian and has four children from their marriage.
West's famous "Power" video featuring model Irina Shayk
