Jon Kortajarena

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Kortajarena and the second or maternal family name is Redruello.

Jon Kortajarena
Kortajarena at the 34th Goya Awards in January 2020
Born	Jon Kortajarena Redruello (1985-05-19) 19 May 1985 (age 39) Bilbao, Spain
Modelling information
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Hair colour	Brown[1]
Eye colour	Hazel[1]
Agency	The Lions (New York) Success Models (Paris) Why Not Model Management (Milan) Select Model Management (London) View Management (Barcelona) YC Models (Brussels) Scoop Models (Copenhagen) [2]
Website	www.jonkortajarena.com

Jon Kortajarena Redruello (born 19 May 1985)^[3] 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.^[4] On 26 June 2009, Forbes ranked Kortajarena eighth in The World's 10 Most Successful Male Models.^[5]

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.^[6] 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.^[6] He made his international fashion show debut at the fall Milan and Paris fashion weeks for Emporio Armani and John Galliano.^[4] Two months later, in New York, Steven Meisel photographed him for Versace.^[6] 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.^[4] 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.^[7] Its content, though, quickly drew complaints in Britain and it eventually became restricted to the post-9 PM broadcasts.^[8]

2007–2009

Kortajarena (right) with Matthew Goode, Tom Ford, Julianne Moore, Colin Firth and Nicholas Hoult at the 66th Venice Film Festival.

In 2007, Kortajarena signed with Guess and renewed his contract again in 2008. With new campaigns on the stands, Terry Richardson photographed Kortajarena for Tom Ford alongside Noah Mills and became the label's signature male model for the next consecutive seasons.^[4][9] He was featured on the cover of the spring/summer 2008 issue of L'Officiel Hommes magazine, devoting him 200 pages, with the cover title reading "200 Pages of Fashion with Jon Kortajarena".^[7]

It was the first time a male model had achieved this and consequently it became a reference in the industry; other models to follow such honor were Andres Velencoso and Arthur Sales.^[10][11][12] For the 2009 spring men's wear and eyewear advertising campaigns Jon was art directed and photographed, for the first time, by Tom Ford himself.^[9]

On 26 June 2009, Forbes published its list of The World's 10 Most Successful Male Models ranking Kortajarena in 8th place.^[5] In November Kortajarena was named by German GQ as Model of the Year.^[13] Spain's Marie Claire awards "Prix de la Moda" awarded him Best Spanish Model for 2009.^[14]

2010–present

Breaking into 2010 with ad campaigns for H&M, True Trussardi and Esprit;^[15] Kortajarena modeled alongside Alexa Chung for Pepe Jeans fall/winter Campaign.^[16] He was in the Next autumn/winter campaign and in its TV advert that launched on 10 September, alongside Emanuela de Paula.^[17]

In 2011 he was selected as one of the models to star in Lacoste's $66 million new advertising concept under the new tagline, "Unconventional Chic". The ads were shot by Mert and Marcus showing models wearing the iconic white Lacoste polo shirts worn over eveningwear.^[18] He fronted the cover of the March 2011 issue of Vogue Spain alongside Anja Rubik and compatriot Andres Velencoso.^[19] Described as "an icon of charm and masculinity", Kortajarena was chosen as the protagonist for the special video version of Roberto Cavalli Men's Spring/Summer 2012 runway and opened the show held at the Palazzo Serbelloni in Milan.^[20][21] For the fall campaigns he became the face of David Yurman for the third consecutive time and was photographed by legendary photographer Peter Lindbergh.^[22]

Kortajarena played Alex in one episode of the 2020 Amazon Prime Video series Tales from the Loop.

Personal life

Kortajarena speaks Basque, Spanish, and English. He went to an ikastola school until he was 10 years old, but due to traveling he went on to enroll in public, private, and Catholic schools thereafter.^[23] His mother is a hairdresser and she often styles his hair.^[24] If he was not modeling he would be a full-time actor; however, he notes that interior designing and photography are some fields he has always been curious about. His 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'. Some of his favorite novels include Perfume, The Wheel of Life by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, and Siddhartha.^[24][25] Between 2014 and 2016, Kortajarena dated Welsh actor Luke Evans.^[26]

Ad campaigns

Year	Campaigns
2016	F/W · Fergie Music Video"M.I.L.F.$"
2015	F/W · Madonna Music Video "Bitch I'm Madonna"
2013	F/W · HUDSON Jeans
2012	F/W · Kenneth Cole, ZARA, David Yurman, Madonna Music Video "Girl Gone Wild", Roberto Cavalli, 3 Vogue covers
2011	S/S · Lacoste · Pepe Jeans · Replay · David Yurman · F/W · David Yurman, Karl Lagerfeld, Lacoste.
2010	S/S · Belvedere Vodka · El Palacio de Hierro · Next · H&M · Matinique · Mangano · Esprit · Mauro Grifoni · Trussardi Jeans · Etienne Aigner · F/W · Trussardi Jeans · H&M^* · John Richmond · Matinique · Lagerfeld · Pepe Jeans · Esprit · David Yurman · 212 VIP fragrance^* · Next^*
2009	S/S · Brian Atwood · Diesel · Tom Ford · Etro · Guess · F/W · H&M · Matinique · Mangano · Tom Ford Eyewear · Jaeger · Mauro Grifoni
2008	S/S · Bally · Guess · Etro · Mango · Tom Ford Eyewear · Trussardi · F/W · Carlo Pignatelli · Guess · Tom Ford · JPG Jeans · John Richmond · Wormland
2007	S/S · Guess · F/W · Armani
2005	F/W · Fanta Z^* · Macy's · Springfield
2004	S/S · Just Cavalli · F/W · Versace
Sources: Models.com, The Fashionisto, Armani-07

^* TV spot

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2009	A Single Man	Carlos
2016	Acantilado	Julián
2017	Skins	Guille
2018	The Aspern Papers	Jeffrey Aspern
2019	A Remarkable Tale	Guiri
2020	Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga	Corin Vladvitch
2023	Heart of Stone	the Blond

Television

Year	Title	Role	Network	Notes
2017	Quantico	Felix Cordova	ABC	Recurring role
2018	La verdad	Marcos Eguia	Telecinco	Main role
2019-2020	High Seas	Nicolás Vázquez	Netflix	Main role
2020	Tales from the Loop	Alex	Amazon Prime Video
2021	Drag Race España	Himself	Atresplayer Premium	Episode 1

| |- |2022 |”El Inmortal” |Himself |movistar plus |All episodes

Music video

Year	Title	Singer	Notes
2012	"Girl Gone Wild"	Madonna
2015	"Bitch I'm Madonna"	Madonna
2016	"M.I.L.F. $"	Fergie
	"Wolves"	Kanye West

References

1. The Internet Fashion Database – Jon Kortajarena Archived 5 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine
2. "StackPath".
3. Jon Kortajarena at IMDb
4. "Jon Kortajarena". NYMag.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
5. Forbes: The World's 10 Most Successful Male Models
6. "Jon Kortajarena y Cristina Tosio". Marie Claire. G+J España. 14 May 2009. Archived from the original on 21 December 2010. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
7. "Spanish Hottie Jon Kortajarena Nabs 200 Pages in 'L'Officiel Hommes'". New York Magazine. New York Media LLC. 13 February 2008.
8. Pearlman, Julia (6 July 2005). "er's Fanta Z TV ad gets restriction after kids copy spitting". Brand Republic. Haymarket Media. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
9. Scheidnes, Jean (3 February 2009). "Tom Ford, Lensman..." Women's Wear Daily. Fairchild Fashion Group. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
10. "It's Official!". models.com. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
11. Plattner, Seth (11 December 2008). "Models we love: Jon Kortajarena (and his foot fetish)". Truman Says. Out.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
12. Steph, Alek (10 March 2009). "WHERE THERE'S SHOES..." Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
13. "Jon Kortajarena is GQ Germany's Model of the Year!". Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
14. "Jon Kortajarena, Prix Marie Claire Mejor Modelo Español". Marie Claire.
15. Barker, Barbara (14 January 2010). "Rising Stars: Young Celebrities on Their Way Up". WWD. Fairchild Fashion Group. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
16. White, Belinda (6 August 2010). "Alexa Chung upstaged by M.O.M (model of the moment)". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
17. "Next goes continental for latest TV ad". Mad.co.uk. 10 September 2010. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
18. "Memo Pad: Lacoste's New Look... Hail, Mario Testino..." WWD. 28 December 2010. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
19. Odell, Amy (4 March 2011). "Anja Rubik Covers Spanish Vogue All Smoky-Eyed; Martin Margiela Launches Fragrance". New York Magazine. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
20. Cavalli, Roberto (27 June 2011). "Roberto Cavalli Man Spring Summer 2012 Fashion Show". Youtube. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
21. "Roberto Cavalli Tweet".
22. Carl (18 May 2011). "Q&A Exclusive: Jon Kortajarena for David Yurman Fall 2011 Campaign". The Fashionisto. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
23. Segura, Aurora (17 April 2011). "Jon Kortajarena". Magazine. Archived from the original on 19 April 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
24. MONTES-FERNÁNDEZ, JESÚS MARÍA (20 August 2009). "Jon Kortajarena: "El flequillo es mérito de mi madre, que es peluquera"". El Mundo. Unidad Editorial Internet, S.L. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
25. Hernandez, Clara (26 April 2010). "Jon Kortajarena: un hombre soltero... pero únicamente porque él quiere". 20 minutos. Multiprensa & Mas S.L. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
26. "Luke Evans splits from Jon Kortajarena From 2014 to 2016, Kortarajena was dating British actor Luke Evans and has been dating fellow actress Alejandra Onieva for several years". The Times of India. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2018.

External links

• Official website
• Jon Kortajarena - IMG Models
• Jon Kortajarena interview on Adversus
• Fanta Z "Mediterraneo" ad commercial