Jon Kortajarena

Jon Kortajarena Redruello (born 19 May 1985) is a Spanish model and actor. He has done advertising campaigns for Just Cavalli, Versace, Giorgio Armani, Guerlain, Bally, Etro, Trussardi, Diesel, Mangano, Lagerfeld, Pepe Jeans but notably H&M, Zara, Guess, and Tom Ford for his consecutive seasons with the brands. On 26 June 2009, Forbes ranked Kortajarena eighth in The World's 10 Most Successful Male Models.

Career

Early life and career

Kortajarena was born in Bilbao, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain. He was discovered in September 2003 while vacationing in Barcelona and accompanying a friend who was invited to attend a fashion show. While there, a booker noticed him and persuaded him to give the fashion world a go. His first professional experience was in a Madrid Fashion Week show for Roberto Verino. He left Bilbao, his hometown, and ventured into the fashion industry in Paris. In 2004, at the age of 18, Kortajarena became the face of Just Cavalli for Roberto Cavalli's spring campaign which quickly jet started his career. He made his international fashion show debut at the fall Milan and Paris fashion weeks for Emporio Armani and John Galliano. Two months later, in New York, Steven Meisel photographed him for Versace. Kortajarena's other runway credentials include walking for Chanel, Versace, Balmain, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Etro, Salvatore Ferragamo, Carolina Herrera, Giorgio Armani, John Galliano, Jean Paul Gautier, and Valentino in Milan and Paris. Kortajarena appeared in a commercial for the sugar-free Fanta Z "Mediterraneo", a TV ad in 2005 which poked fun at the departed Fanta Lite. Its content, though, quickly drew complaints in Britain and it eventually became restricted to the post-9 PM broadcasts.