Irina Lazareanu

Infobox Model
name = Irina Lazareanu

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imagesize = 220px
caption = Irina Lazareanu in Byrant Park during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week show, September 9, 2007, New York City. Photo by Christopher Peterson.
birthname =
birthdate = Birth date and age|1982|6|8
location = Romania
deathdate =
deathplace =
height = height|ft=5|in=9.5cite web|url=http://www.stormmodels.com/womendetails.html?id=2650|title=Irina - Storm Models|accessdate=2007-10-14|publisher=Storm Model Management]
haircolor = Dark brown
eyecolor = Brown
measurements = 32-24.5-34.5 (US)
weight =
dress size =
shoesize = 7 (UK)
homepage =
spouse =
agency = Select Model Management (London) Why Not (Milan) Marilyn Agency (Paris, New York) Giovanni Models (Toronto, Montreal)

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

Early life

At age 5 Lazareanu emigrated to Canada from Romania, settling into 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 and became something of a muse for the musician, 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. Lazareanu has since become an increasingly popular fashion model, breaking the record for most runway work in one season. [cite web |url=http://www.ellecanada.com/ellecanada/client/en/Fashion/DetailNews.asp?idNews=237353&pg=1& |title=ELLE Interview: Irina Lazareanu has it all! |accessdate=2007-03-18 |author=Gagnon, Myriam |work=Ellecanada.com]

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. [cite web| url=http://www.vogue.co.uk/vogue_daily/story/story.asp?stid=43801 |title=Kate Moss chooses the model for her TopSHop range |accessdate=2007-03-30 |last=Roe |first=Louise |date=2007-03-28 |publisher=vogue.co.uk]

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."cite web |url=http://models.com/oftheminute/?p=905 |title=Top 10 Newfaces FW 06: Irina |accessdate=2007-10-06 |date=2006-02-03 |publisher=Models.com]

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." [cite news |title=The Catwalkers |work=The Daily Mini |page=80 |date=November 2006] 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, [cite web|url=http://www.observer.com/2007/irina-lazareanu-way-more-karl-lagerfelds-muse|title=Irina Lazareanu: Way More Than Karl Lagerfeld's Muse| The New York Observer] with whom she shot the Chanel Cruise campaign.

Music career

Lazareanu met musician Pete Doherty (whom she calls Peter) then a member of the Libertines, at a party in Shepherd's Bush while she was a ballet student. Doherty and Lazareanu bonded over their shared interest in artists such as Oscar Wilde and Nina Simone. Lazareanu became closely involved with Doherty's band Babyshambles and toured with them in 2004, although she has denied the widespread rumor that she served as their drummer.cite web |url=http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20070625_106282_106282 |title=With a little help from her friends |accessdate=2007-06-26 |last=Kingston |first=Anne |date=2007-06-25 |work=Maclean's]

Lazareanu reportedly helped Pete Doherty write the song "La Belle et la Bête" which featured Kate Moss on the Babyshambles' "Down in Albion" album.cite news |first=David |last=Livingstone |title=Something about Irina |work=The Look |pages=62-64 |date=Summer 2006]

She is currently recording a folk album, entitled "Some Place Along the Way", which musician Sean Lennon is producer and collaborator on. They have recorded a duet called "Strange Places", which has not yet been released, however was previewed on a Fashion TV profile, which aired earlier in 2006. Her album was to be released in late 2006cite news |first=Skye |last=Sherwin |title=Swan Song |work=Nylon |pages=46-47 |date=June/July 2006] however it has been delayed as a result of her demanding modelling career and is now due to be released in fall 2007. Lazareanu has said that "My music isn't commercial...I just want to learn from people and do the best I can do" and cites Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Joan Baez as her musical influences.

In February 2007 Lazareanu announced that she will collaborate with Sean Lennon and Pete Doherty on a cover of Bob Dylan's "Girl from the North Country". [cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/main.jhtml?xml=/fashion/2007/02/07/efrow07.xml |title=In the front row |accessdate=2007-03-18 |author=Alexander, Hilary |date=2007-02-07 |work=Telegraph.co.uk]

In an interview during New York Spring 2008 Fashion Week, Lazareanu announced that she was working on a duet album with Sean Lennon.

In December 2007, during a special presentation for Chanel in London, Lazareanu debuted four songs off her album, which acted as the soundtrack to the show. Sean Lennon accompanied her on guitar. [cite news |first=David |last=Livingstone |title=Canadian is catwalk's soundtrack |url=http://www.thestar.com/living/article/285365 |work=Toronto Star |date=2007-12-14 |accessdate=2007-12-29]

Personal life

Lazareanu has twice been briefly engaged to musician Pete Doherty, first for a period in 2004 following the break-up of his band The Libertines [cite web |url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article207271.ece|title=Report: Addict Pete quits Libertines|accessdate=2004-05-28 ] [cite news |title= My Drugs Hell By Tragic Libertines Star|url=http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=14392028&method=full&siteid=106694&headline=my-drugs-hell-by-tragic-libertines-star-name_page.html |work=Mirror |date=2004-07-04] and then for the second time in October 2007. [cite web |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20128263,00.html |title=Report: Pete Doherty Engaged to Model – Not Kate Moss |accessdate=2007-10-09 |last=Silverman |first=Stephen M. |date=2007-10-03 |work=People] [cite news |title=Pete dumps his new lover |url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article379370.ece |work=The Sun |date=2007-10-24 |accessdate=2007-11-02]

References

External links

*fashionmodel|Irina_Lazareanu|Irina Lazareanu
* [http://www.style.com/peopleparties/modelsearch/thumb/person3607/ Irina Lazareanu on style.com]

* [http://www.harpersbazaar.com.au/harpers/site/articleIDs/C916F31BF7AE517ACA25740A000E74C8?open&template=domHarpers Irina Lazareanu interview in Harper's BAZAAR magazine]
* [http://nymag.com/fashion/models/ilazareanu/irinalazareanu/ Profile New York Magazine]

Persondata
NAME=Lazareanu, Irina
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Canadian model
DATE OF BIRTH=June 8, 1982
PLACE OF BIRTH=Romania
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=