Russian beauty Irina Shayk has been a familiar figure in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition since 2007, but as the 2011 Cover Girl, she’s taken her game -- and fame -- to a whole new level. Also a model for Guess?, Victoria’s Secret and Intimissimi, Shayk is just as likely to show up in photos wearing jeans and lingerie as she is to be captured frolicking in barely there swimwear. As one-half of pop culture’s most exotic power couple -- her companion is soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo -- Shayk is confidently stamping her unique beauty traits and fiery personality into our collective consciousness and is poised to unseat the SI legends of old.
Sex Appeal
With a ripe combination of shapely legs, teasing eyes and olive skin, Irina Shayk’s exotic look makes her stand out in the crowded sea of beautiful Russian women. Holding the No. 1 position on Complex magazine’s list of The 50 Hottest Russian Women and the No. 10 spot on Models.com’s list of the Top 20 Sexiest Models, Shayk is one of the sexiest new beauties to come along in recent years, and the kind of woman that leaves men desperate to see more of her.
When it comes to relationships, Shayk is famously coupled up with soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, who fits her required dating bill of being intelligent, humorous and charismatic. Besides her natural-born gift for looking gorgeous, Shayk’s other talents make it clear she’s creative and intellectual. A lover of classical music, she has a weakness for Beethoven and has been known to play a wicked concerto. To go along with that, she’s an avid reader who lists Crime and Punishment as one of her favorite books. If you add it all up, Shayk has the makings of every man’s supermodel fantasy and every woman’s personal nightmare.
When it comes to relationships, Shayk is famously coupled up with soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, who fits her required dating bill of being intelligent, humorous and charismatic. Besides her natural-born gift for looking gorgeous, Shayk’s other talents make it clear she’s creative and intellectual. A lover of classical music, she has a weakness for Beethoven and has been known to play a wicked concerto. To go along with that, she’s an avid reader who lists Crime and Punishment as one of her favorite books. If you add it all up, Shayk has the makings of every man’s supermodel fantasy and every woman’s personal nightmare.
Success
In the North American modeling industry, the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition is the equivalent of winning an Academy Award. At 25 years old, Irina Shayk has officially struck gold. Having enjoyed a long-running professional relationship with the magazine that has resulted in five straight appearances in SI, she’s now an undisputed expert when it comes to perfect bikini shots. No stranger to magazine covers abroad, Shayk has also covered the Spanish editions of Elle and Glamour and gotten a taste of scandal due to a much-discussed shoot for GQ Spain. Having parlayed her perfect print shots into additional modeling assignments for Intimissimi, Victoria’s Secret and Guess?, she’s also appeared in the Kanye West music video “Power” -- a title that is an apt description of her current industry status.
In keeping with the tradition of the most successful models, Shayk is also keen to give something back -- specifically to children in her homeland. Besides lending her time to the maternity ward of a Yemanzhelinsk hospital, she has also been instrumental in donating funds toward the reconstruction of the hospital’s area for children, and has been the face of the Russian children’s charity Pomogi. A professional in her work and a kind person at heart, Shayk really is the complete supermodel package.
In keeping with the tradition of the most successful models, Shayk is also keen to give something back -- specifically to children in her homeland. Besides lending her time to the maternity ward of a Yemanzhelinsk hospital, she has also been instrumental in donating funds toward the reconstruction of the hospital’s area for children, and has been the face of the Russian children’s charity Pomogi. A professional in her work and a kind person at heart, Shayk really is the complete supermodel package.
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Irina Shayk Biography
Irina Sheik (born Irina Shaykhlislamova) grew up in the Russian village of Yemanzhelinsk. Close with her father, whose Tartar origins blessed her with olive-toned skin, Shayk experienced a sudden tragedy at 14 years old when her father passed away from pneumonia. As a result, her mother worked multiple jobs to support the entire family, and Shayk was fortunate not to have any major health problems throughout her upbringing.
Irina Shayk Models For Sports Illustrated And Intimissimi
Irina Shayk knows all about the benefits of traveling by train. After all, that’s where a fashion executive discovered her in 2004, during a lengthy three-day trip from Chelyabinsk to Moscow. That chance encounter convinced her to pursue a career in modeling, and Shayk was soon signed by Traffic, the same agency that represents supermodels such as Anne V, Daniella Sarahyba and Natasha Poly, among many others.
