Men’s Style Icons: Jon Kortajarena

Jon K: Model Style

This week I have decided to present the case for another male model as part of the Men’s Style Icon feature here at FashionBeans, following the article on David Gandy last month. His name is Jon Kortajarena, a 25 year old Spanish born model, known for his distinguishing chiselled cheekbones, effortless style and a dark, fly-away mop of hair. The Spaniard seems to be everywhere; from bus stops and billboards to high end magazines and award shows. You can’t go far at the moment without noticing Jon Kortajarena.

If you are unfamiliar with his name then I am sure you recognise him from H&’’s current winter campaign, as well as being the face of recent advertisements at Pepe Jeans, Next, Martinique, Tom Ford and Guess. He also featured In Tom Ford’s directorial début A Single Man in 2009, and in the same year GQ voted him their Model Of The Year.

Jon was discovered at Fashion Week whilst visiting a friend who was attending a show. His initial meetings went very well and he was soon required to move from Bilbao – his hometown – to Paris. He threw himself head first into the fashion world and has never looked back.

The reason I believe Jon Kortajarena is a style icon is because of his dishevelled brand of elegance and for imposing his own style and unique look on all his photo shoots and campaigns. He looks as sartorially savvy in both casual knits and denim as he does in a Tom Ford suit, and looks just as cultivated when walking the red carpet as he does in the street. He wears clothes that suit his tall and slim physique, and you don’t have to be an international model to understand the importance of dressing to your frame. At FashionBeans we have touched on dressing to your body shape before and I cannot stress this enough.

It is easy to argue that gauging a male model’s sense of style is a bit of a farce because their job is to be dressed by other people, and thus they may not have a style identity of their own. But I believe, as with David Gandy, Jon Kortajarena knows what suits him and stamps his authority and individuality on the outfits he wears. He trusts his own frame to give loose casuals and knits the shape and elegance required, once again championing the effortless presence that he has. When wearing more tailored and formal outfits Jon looks sharp and measured but when this is coupled with stubble and full head of semi-styled looking hair it presents a look that is traditional but with a modern edge, and this is something that we can all achieve with a little creativity in our wardrobe and grooming.

To get Jon’s day to day look it’s all about not trying too hard. Being a male model it would be easy to fall into the glamour trap – dressing in ornate designer labels and showy pieces – but Kortajarena prefers a more subtle and understated ensemble, teaming chunky knits with scooped tees and denim with flannel shirts. Sometimes the simplest of outfits can attract the most attention and it’s all about shape and layering.

If you are opting for a more tailored or formal wardrobe this season then why not take a leaf out of Jon’s book and choose slim fitting, tapered cloths that hug your body shape, and if you are a tall and slim fellow then tailored pieces are perfect for accentuating height and tone.

The Look Book

The Jon Kortajarena look book:

Get The Look:

How to achieve the Jon Kortajarena look:

• Use layering for a functional yet attractive ensemble.
• Grow out that hair and stubble for a modern, masculine look.
• Consider tailored, slim evening and formal wear that flatters the frame.
• Chunky knits can add sophistication.
• Dress to your body shape.
• Learn Spanish to complete the rugged, devil-may-care Mediterranean look. Well that bit is optional, but it might work.

For a good range of winter knits and layering take a look at H&M’s new campaign, which also happens to be fronted by our man of the moment, Jon K.