Biography
Who is J. Alexander?
Early life and background
Alexander Jenkins was born in the South Bronx, New York City. He grew up as one of nine children born to Mary and Julius Jenkins. His mother was the individual who first introduced him to the world of fashion. To pay for his clothing, he worked as a paper boy delivering the New York Times.
During his teenage years, he entered the modeling industry after meeting Monique Pillard. As the president of Elite Model Management, Pillard signed him to her agency. She sent him to Tokyo, where he spent three years working as a model. He later moved to Paris and worked for designer Jean Paul Gaultier in New York City.
Modeling and coaching career
J. Alexander has been working in casting and coaching since 1991. He initially gained recognition for assisting models backstage. He coached well known figures such as Naomi Campbell and Kimora Lee Simmons. He also worked with models including Claudia Mason and Tatjana Patitz. J. Alexander met Tyra Banks when she was 16 and provided her with walking lessons.
He has assisted many designers including Chanel, Valentino, and Alexander McQueen. In 1993, he appeared on the British show Eurotrash to discuss his life and teaching career in Milan. J. Alexander also taught design at the Savannah College of Art and Design for 15 years. He wrote a book titled Follow the Model in 2010.
Television and media work
He became a staple on the reality series America's Next Top Model. He served as a runway coach for the first four seasons before joining the judging panel in Cycle 5. He remained with the show until 2012. He also appeared on various international versions of the Top Model franchise in countries like Canada, Holland, and Korea.
In 2026, he was featured in the Netflix documentary Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model. This production examined the controversies regarding competition ethics. J. Alexander also participated in a weekly Instagram Live series with Jay Manuel starting in May 2020. He was featured on the 2022 Leikeli47 album track titled Jay Walk.
Personal life and health
J. Alexander is gay and has a son named Boris. He and an ex-partner donated sperm to a French lesbian, and his ex is the biological father. He maintains an active role in the life of his son. He has also shared his experiences through social media broadcasts on Facebook and YouTube.
On December 27, 2022, J. Alexander suffered a stroke that left him in a coma for five weeks. This medical event resulted in paralysis and a loss of speech. He spent eighteen months in a hospital to relearn how to talk. While he can now speak, he is still working on his ability to walk.
Birthday and age
J. Alexander was born on April 12, 1958, which makes J. 68 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. J. shares the date with 39 other famous people.
Explore more
