Irina Lazareanu

Irina Lazareanu (born 8 June 1982) is a Canadian model. Romanian-born Lazareanu got her ‘big break’ through her acquaintance with model Kate Moss.

At age 5 Lazareanu emigrated to Canada from Romania, settlingnto the Montreal suburb of Saint-Hubert, Quebec with her Romanian parents. At the age of 13 she moved to London to study ballet until she was derailed by a broken knee. She met Pete Doherty at the age of 15 whom she later dated briefly and was engaged to.

Modeling career

At age 17 Lazareanu attended an open call and signed with Giovanni modelling agency in Montreal with the hopes that it would help pay rent. From then on she did the usual rounds of London and Paris, occasionally appearing in Barcelona, Australia and Madrid fashion weeks. It wasn't until she was chosen by acquaintance Kate Moss to model for the December/January issue of Vogue: Paris, which she guest edited that Lazareanu received notice by fashionistas.^[3] Lazareanu has since become an increasingly popular fashion model, breaking the record for most runway work in one season.

She has modeled for many top designers, including Chanel, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Anna Sui, Lanvin, Versace, and many more. She is affiliated with the modeling agencies Marilyn (New York and Paris), Why Not Models (Milan), Select Model Management (London), and Giovanni (Montreal). In March 2007, Lazareanu was chosen by Kate Moss as the model for her new Topshop clothing range.

Personal style

Lazareanu is known for her quirky, vintage-inspired style - which has arguably contributed to the rise of her modelling career. When asked about her style, Lazareanu says: "I’m very influenced by the whole 1960s–1970s London era, not only in terms of my clothes but also in terms of the music I listen to, the movies I watch, the writers I read. Those influences probably translates into my personal style in an unconscious way."

Michelle McCool of Cosmopolitan magazine writes that "(Irina) has a great rock'n'roll vibe. It's all about the hair and her flatness. I love that she has no boobs." Lazareanu is often described as having a distinctive look, as Emmanuelle Alt of Vogue Paris adds; "On the runway, no matter what, she cannot be transformed. She always has her unique look and style." As a result of her striking features and rock'n'roll semblance, Lazareanu has developed the status of 'official muse' to designers Nicolas Ghesquière and Karl Lagerfeld, with whom she shot the Chanel Cruise campaign.

i heart her style