Jon Kortajarena

Biography

Welcome to Jon Kortajarena´s official website.

Jon Kortajarena became part of the fashion industry as something “temporary” in September 2003. In Spain, Roberto Verino gave him his first job opportunity in Cibeles, nevertheless, his international career leaped a few weeks later when Ellen Von Unwerth chose to use his image for Cavalli’s younger line. His Dream was NYC and that’s just where he went!

Steven Meisel saw him and together, with some of the tops of the moment (R.J. or Tyson Ballou) they put together some amazing photos for Versace.

This Basque was always well received on international runways, slowly making his way up until he became one of the main references in the shows he starred in. Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Giorgio Armani, John Galliano, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferré, and Cavalli, amongst many others in the fashion industry, used him in their main shows. In 2007, Jon was chosen to star for seven different campaigns for the most prestigious fashion brands.

He often appears in the most important fashion magazines - Vman, POP, V magazine, Vogue Homme, GQ and together with Milan V, they published a whole issue in L´Officiel Homme, with the cover title “200 Pages of Fashion with Jon Kortajarena”. It was the first time a male model had achieved this and consequently it became a reference in the industry.

Besides his shooting career, his grand moment came with Tom Ford. When this fashion genius begins his most personal project, he chooses Jon as his image for at least 7 seasons, some of them exclusively. Tom Ford also opens Jon Kortajarena’s door to the film industry with “A Single Man”, a movie starred by Colin Firth and Julianne Moore.

In 2009, Forbes ranks Kortajarena as the world's eighth top male model and 2010, models.com ranks him as the world´s seven top male models. He has also been given different awards such as Spanish and German GQ men of the year, Marie Claire or Glamour Mexico.

Recently, Jon has worked with Mario Testino for Vman, Stephen Klein for Italian Vogue and Peter Lindbergh for David Yurman with Kate Moss and a wonderful story for Spanish Vogue.

Jon Kortajarena’s HM campaign has travelled the world via TV and on huge printouts of him posing together with top model Daria Werbowy and Anja Rubik, photographed by David Johnson. He also appears in Pepe Jeans campaign with Alexa Chung and stars in 212 VIP Carolina Herrera New York fragrance.

But above all, one of the most satisfying jobs for him is the one he does with "The Climate Project"where the very same Al Gore, former vice president of the U.S.has chosen him to be the face of the foundation "The Climate Project" in Spain and Latin America.

Following the climate project, Jon vigorously engaged himself in the campaign "shows red card to abuser" against domestic violence, launched by the Spanish Misistry of Equality and donated his time for a spacial dinner to benefit the environmental organization OCEANA at the glamorous Christie´s green auction event.

Awards kept coming this year, such as Elle´s Best international Top model while leading the lists of best-dressed and most handsome men around the world.

After breaking into 2010 with ads for H&M, Esprit, two consecutive campaigns for Pepe Jeans and Next, Replay and starred in Lacoste´s new concept, 2011 will end up as his most bombastic year with nine major campaigns:

Tom Ford and David Yurman again, Armani Jeans, 212 VIP Carolina Herrera, H&M, DKNY, Hugo Boss Orange, Breuninger, plus a spectacular commercial for Jean Paul Gaultier´s new perfume, KOKORICO, where he exudes a confident coquetry with the camera, three covers including one for Vogue and two stunning editorials with Sebastian Faena for Vogue and Vman.

Exciting projects coming up...

Wednesday, December 22, 2010