Biography

Early life
Lazareanu grew up in Saint-Hubert with her Romanian parents. Sent off to London in her teens to study ballet at the Royal Acadamy of Arts, she soon got introduced to its underground scene, famously becoming a muse for musician Pete Doherty, whom she dated briefly.

Modeling career
Moss personally handpicked Lazareanu to model for the December/January issue of Vogue: Paris, which she was a guest editor on. Lazareanu has since become an increasingly popular fashion model, breaking the record for most runway work in one season.

She has modeled for many top designers, including Chanel, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Anna Sui, Lanvin, Versace, and many more. She is affiliated with the modeling agencies Marilyn (New York and Paris), Why Not Models (Milan), Storm Models (London), and Giovanni (Montreal). In March 2007, Lazareanu was chosen by Kate Moss as the model for her new Topshop clothing range.

Personal style
Lazareanu is known for her quirky, vintage-inspired style - which has arguably contributed to the rise of her modelling career. When asked about her style, Lazareanu says: "I’m very influenced by the whole 1960s–1970s London era, not only in terms of my clothes but also in terms of the music I listen to, the movies I watch, the writers I read. Those influences probably translates into my personal style in an unconscious way."

Michelle McCool (of Cosmopolitan magazine) writes that "(Irina) has a great rock'n'roll vibe. It's all about the hair and her flatness. I love that she has no boobs." Lazareanu is often described as having a distinctive look, as Emmanuelle Alt of Vogue Paris adds; "On the runway, no matter what, she cannot be transformed. She always has her unique look and style." As a result of her striking features and rock'n'roll semblance, Lazareanu has developed the status of 'official muse' to designers Nicolas Ghesquière (of Balenciaga) and Karl Lagerfeld (of Chanel) - with whom she shot the Chanel Cruise campaign.


Music career
Lazareanu met musician Pete Doherty (whom she calls Peter) then a member of the Libertines, at a party in Shepherd's Bush while she was a ballet student at the Royal Academy of Arts. Doherty and Lazareanu bonded over their shared interest in artists such as Oscar Wilde and Nina Simone. Lazareanu became closely involved with Doherty's band Babyshambles and toured with them in 2004, although she has denied the widespread rumor that she served as their drummer.

Lazareanu reportedly helped Pete Doherty write the song "La Belle et la Bête" which featured Kate Moss on the Babyshambles' Down in Albion album.

She is currently recording a folk album, entitled Some Place Along the Way, which musician Sean Lennon is producer and collaborator on. They have recorded a duet called "Strange Places", which has not yet been released, however was previewed on a Fashion TV profile, which aired earlier in 2006. Her album was to be released in late 2006 however it has been delayed as a result of her demanding modelling career and is now due to be released in fall 2007. Lazareanu has said that "My music isn't commercial...I just want to learn from people and do the best I can do" and cites Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Joan Baez as her musical influences.

In February 2007 Lazareanu announced that she will collaborate with Sean Lennon and Pete Doherty on a cover of Bob Dylan's "Girl from the North Country".