She's known as much for her iconic shoots with Sports Illustrated's swimsuit specials and for walking the ramp at the Victoria's Secret fashion show as she is for her high-profile relationship with footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
In India recently for the just-concluded Signature International Fashion Weekend, Irina Shayk walked the ramp as the showstopper for Cute Circuit. She calls the experience of walking the ramp in Mumbai “memorable".
As one of the leading supermodels in the world today, Irina has walked the ramp for several renowned fashion houses. She counts her experience at Paris Fashion Week, for designer Riccardo Tossi among the most unforgettable.
“I was also so happy and honoured to be a part of the Givenchy, where I walked along with the world's most famous models. The hair and make-up (we had for the show) was nothing short of art -it took almost three hours to do our hair as the hairdressers were building roses out of meshes of hair and then spraying each a bright colour," Irina recounts.
With the choicest of ramp assignments and photo shoots coming her way, the 27-year old -who was once studying marketing -says she's enjoying every moment of her life as a model. Probe a little more and she admits that people do tend to have certain misconceptions about what a model's life is all about.
“They think that being a model is easy and all you need for it is good looks. I know many top models and all of them have strong personalities as well. I think that inner beauty and strength are much more important qualities to have than just a pretty face and nice body," she says.
The constant travel that her job demands also has pros and cons, Irina agrees. “I travel a lot and my life is very intense. On the one hand, I get to discover new countries, meet people, try new food and I definitely enjoy all of that, but sometimes, it can be difficult too. Especially when I have several simultaneous jobs on different continents in different time zones! The worst part is the jetlag," she rues.
Then there is the constant media scrutiny that comes with being a supermodel who also happens to be dating a pretty popular football star. “It's my job to be a fashion model and fame is a part of it," Irina says with a shrug. “I am a perfectionist and when I do something, I am trying to do it in the best possible way to maximise the result. From the very beginning of my career, I've worked really hard and it's helped me become who I am today."
Irina will make her Hollywood debut with the film 'Hercules: The Thracian Wars'.
She says when she was approached for the part of Hercules' wife (Megara), she instantly saw it as a challenge she wanted to take up. “The character didn't have a lot of lines, she practically didn't talk! It's very challenging," she says.
With her visit to India coming to an end, Irina says she's always thought of the country as a “unique place, full of treasures that (she'd love) to see and visit." She adds, “I've always dreamed of visiting the Taj Mahal and I hope that my dream will come true!"
