Irina Shayk

Model

“It was like a meditation where you forget about everything, you stop thinking and you just take it in, and that’s when the most beautiful picture gets captured”

Irina Shayk, the Russian-born, New York-based supermodel, is known for her adventurous spirit, resilience and formidable work ethic that helped propel her from humble beginnings to the top of her profession. Little wonder, then, that she delighted in her hours-long Pirelli Calendar shoot, despite having to stand in front of a blasting wind machine shrouded in little more than floating fabric and swirls of smoke. For Shayk, the set was “a magical place” where she felt free to escape reality and focus only on portraying the element selected for her by Cal photographer Sølve Sundsbø – the wind – even though she was initially surprised by the choice.

“I’m a Capricorn, an earth sign, so I’m very grounded, stubborn, and wind is very free, energetic. At first, I thought it was so opposite to me, but the more I thought about it, the more connection I found. Being very grounded, like a mountain I would say, I still need a little bit of free wind to shape my edges, so I felt very connected to my element: it’s free, it never stays still, it’s energetic, it surprises people, it’s very like me!”

Shayk was born in the small town of Yemanzhelinsk near Russia’s border with Kazakhstan, the daughter of a piano-teacher mother and coalminer father who died when she was 14. She hadn’t thought of modelling, but was scouted outside the beauty school she attended with her sister. Aged 19, she flew to Paris for her first shoot, a tectonic shift after a childhood in which photographs were a rarity…

“Back then we had no cameras, obviously no phones, nothing. I probably have only 10 pictures from my whole childhood. We had a neighbour who had an old camera and he loved to take pictures of me and my sister. One of those pictures, it was a black and white picture of me leaving my apartment, it was wintertime, and I think this is the first picture that I ever saw of me”

Shayk got her big break when she appeared in the Sports Illustrated 2007 Swimsuit Issue. In 2011, she became its first Russian cover star, gaining international recognition. Shayk then successfully transitioned to high fashion, walking runway shows and posing for photographic greats including Steven Meisel, Peter Lindbergh and Mario Sorrenti. For her debut in the Pirelli Calendar — which she described as “a dream come true” — Shayk was reunited with photographer Sølve Sundsbø, with whom she first collaborated in 2016.

“What’s so special about Sølve is he always lets you move and do what you feel like doing. He’s all about, ‘try more’, ‘try to perfect the image’, but he gives you freedom. So today it was very special to work with him again after so many years and to shoot this special, special project alongside other beautiful, gorgeous women. The Pirelli Calendar is not just beautiful images, it’s art, [and] to be part of the Calendar was always my dream, so it’s an honour”

Shayk lives with her daughter, Lea, in New York City, where she escapes “the people, cars and craziness” with long walks along the Hudson River and through Central Park. She also loves to visit Montauk on Long Island, a place she likens to “another planet” with its beautiful beaches and untamed nature. Here, the model is quick to shed her shoes and walk barefoot, something that takes her back to her roots.

“I was born and grew up in a super-small village. We had a garden and I’ve been gardening for so many years, so I really love to be connected to the ground, to walk barefoot, go to the beach and just do some earthy stuff that really brings you back to reality and brings me back to my childhood”

So much has changed for the model since her early life, but one experience in particular stands out:

“I think the most transformative moment for me was becoming a mother. It just shifted all my priorities and made me feel more comfortable in my own skin. I feel more womanly, more fulfilled, I think that’s shaped my life in a better way”

And where does she find beauty in everyday life?

“I think we can find beauty in everything. I find beauty and energy in little things like the smile of my daughter in the morning or spending time with my family and friends, small details that make a big difference"