Biography
Who is Jon Kortajarena?
Early life and real name
Jon Kortajarena was born on May 19, 1985, in Bilbao, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain. His full given name at birth is Jon Kortajarena Redruello. During his childhood, he attended an ikastola school until he reached the age of 10. Because of his frequent traveling later on, he transitioned to enroll in various public, private, and Catholic schools. His mother works as a hairdresser and frequently styles his hair.
How Jon became famous
In 2004, at the age of 18, Jon Kortajarena became the face of Just Cavalli for Roberto Cavalli's spring campaign. This role quickly launched his career to new heights. He made his international fashion show debut during the fall Milan and Paris fashion weeks, walking for Emporio Armani and John Galliano. Just two months later in New York, Steven Meisel photographed him for Versace. His runway credentials rapidly expanded to include walking for major houses such as Chanel, Balmain, Bottega Veneta, Dolce and Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo, Carolina Herrera, Jean Paul Gautier, and Valentino.
Career highlights
Jon Kortajarena made history on the cover of the spring and summer 2008 issue of L'Officiel Hommes magazine. The publication devoted 200 pages entirely to him with the cover title reading 200 Pages of Fashion with Jon Kortajarena. This marked the first time a male model achieved such a feat, turning the issue into an industry reference. For the 2009 spring men's wear and eyewear advertising campaigns, Tom Ford personally art directed and photographed him.
Acting work and personal life
Jon Kortajarena speaks Basque, Spanish, and English fluently. Outside of his modeling career, he has pursued acting and played the character Alex in one episode of the 2020 Amazon Prime Video series Tales from the Loop. He has noted that if he were not modeling, he would work as a full-time actor, while also maintaining a curiosity for interior designing and photography. His personal hobbies include watching films, reading books by Hermann Hesse, sunbathing, going to the mountains with friends, and listening to music. He describes himself as an ultimate romantic and counts novels like Perfume and The Wheel of Life among his favorites. Between 2014 and 2016, he dated Welsh actor Luke Evans.
Birthday and age
Jon Kortajarena was born on May 19, 1985, which makes Jon 41 years old today. That birthday falls under the Taurus sign. Jon shares the date with 27 other famous people.
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