Monika Jagaciak
Encyclopedia
Monika "Jac" Jagaciak is a Polish
model
. Since signing with IMG Models
in 2007 Jagaciak has been given the nickname "Jac" by the agency.
As of July 2011 Jagaciak currently ranks 8th on the Top 50 Models Women List by Models.com
. She was then picked up by IMG
who signed her and in July 2007 she appeared on the cover of French Jalouse. Her big break came at age 13, when Jagaciak went on to land a Hermes
campaign for the Fall/Winter 2007 season alongside Daria Werbowy
, beating out 600 other candidates while still in primary school. Jagaciak stated in a later interview that before doing the campaign she had never heard of Hermes, nor had she heard of the photographer of the shoot Peter Lindbergh
, "I think not knowing helped me stay relaxed" she said. Though Jagaciak's photos incensed some critics, who were upset at the idea of sexualizing girls at such a young age. Soon after, Jagaciak began traveling overseas for her career and in 2008 she traveled to Japan
where she landed the cover of Elle
. In May 2008 she appeared for the second time on the cover of French Jalouse, and in October 2008 Jagaciak also landed covers for Japanese Harper's Bazaar
, and Japanese Spur. Jagaciak was set to appear on the cover of Australian Vogue
when the editor decided she was wasn't old enough, and she had to sit out fashion shows due to age regulations.
Despite her success Jagaciak's young age and presence in the fashion industry caused huge controversy when, in 2008 at the age of 14, she was deemed inappropriate for Australian Fashion Week
. After getting some criticisms about sexualization
of young models in the fashion industry, organizers of Australian Fashion Week ruled that all children under 16-years-old be banned from walking at the shows in Sydney
. Jagaciak, who felt she was old enough, thought the decision was "stupid". The question was never asked of Gemma Ward
, who was 15 when she made her Australian Fashion Week debut in May 2003 or of another Australian model, Tallulah Morton
, who was 13 when she made her debut at the event two years later. Her mother Marlena said she accompanied her daughter on assignments and would never put her in danger. Monika's mother believes her daughter has enough support to handle the tough industry but does not resent Australia's ban.
, walking in a slew of shows, from Donna Karan
to Calvin Klein
Collection (which she opened and closed), becoming one of the most talked-about newcomers of the fall 2009 season. She became known for her powerful runway walk — even though she fell on the Hervé Léger
runway, she went on to close both Marc Jacobs and Marni
. She has gone on to walk in Milan
too, walking for Prada
, Dolce & Gabbana
, Fendi
, Versace
, and many more, but she didn't meet the age requirement to walk in Paris
so she skipped those. As of May 2009 she's been on thirteen magazine covers. And became one of the "Top Ten Models to Watch" by New York Magazine. Designer Francisco Costa said of her when she became the face of Calvin Klein
, "She possesses a timeless beauty that gives her the ability to be highly versatile, making her one of the most promising new models today."
For FW10 her advertising campaigns included Valentino
, Alberta Ferretti
, Chanel
Beauty, Marc Jacobs
, and Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti. However, her contract with Calvin Klein
ended for the Fall/Winter 2010 season, and Jagaciak was subsequently replaced by Dutch model Lara Stone
. She made the spring 2011 "New York Fashion Week’s Top Ten Models" list at No. 7 opening for Tommy Hilfiger
and closing shows for Derek Lam
, Richard Chai LOVE
.
, Wielkopolska, Poland
and comes from an athletic family. Her dad coaches athletes from Wielkopolska, and her sister, Anna Jagaciak
(who was recently announced to be Poland's best long jumper), competes in long jump
and triple jump
. If she weren’t modeling, she would probably be training like her sister. Monika and her family live in Puszczykowo
, a township of just 9000 surrounded by national park
about 300km west of Warsaw
. In her spare time Jagaciak enjoys playing sports and drawing. Despite Jagaciak's busy career she considers education very important and her mother, Marlena, claims Monika is a good student and does very well at school.
Her model friends include Frida Gustavsson
, Karlie Kloss
, Lindsey Wixson
, Imogen Morris Clarke, Nimue Smit, Sophie Srej, Anna Gushina, Auguste Abeliunaite, Lyndsey Scott, Yulia Leontieva, Samantha Gradoville and Katie Fogarty. Her worst experience and scariest moment of her life was at 14 when she had to run away from an Australian journalist who was waiting outside her house and tried to chase her down for a story.
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
. Since signing with IMG Models
IMG Models
IMG Models is one of the major international modeling agencies, currently representing only female models. Its mother office is in New York City, with branches in Paris, London, Milan and Hong Kong. It is a division of New York, NY-based IMG...
in 2007 Jagaciak has been given the nickname "Jac" by the agency.
As of July 2011 Jagaciak currently ranks 8th on the Top 50 Models Women List by Models.com
Early work & controversy, 2007-08
Jagaciak's modeling career began in 2007 after she was encouraged by her sister to attend an open casting call at a shopping center in PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. She was then picked up by IMG
IMG
The abbreviation IMG has several different meanings:* IMG, abbreviation for image* IMG , global sports and media business headquartered in New York City but with its main offices in Cleveland, originally known as the "International Management Group", with divisions including:** IMG Academies, an...
who signed her and in July 2007 she appeared on the cover of French Jalouse. Her big break came at age 13, when Jagaciak went on to land a Hermes
Hermes
Hermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...
campaign for the Fall/Winter 2007 season alongside Daria Werbowy
Daria Werbowy
Daria Werbowy is a Ukrainian Canadian model. She is perhaps best known as a spokesperson for the French beauty brand Lancôme.-Personal life:...
, beating out 600 other candidates while still in primary school. Jagaciak stated in a later interview that before doing the campaign she had never heard of Hermes, nor had she heard of the photographer of the shoot Peter Lindbergh
Peter Lindbergh
Peter Lindbergh, born Peter Brodbeck, is a German photographer and filmmaker, born on November 23, 1944 in Leszno, Poland. He currently lives in Paris, New York and Arles....
, "I think not knowing helped me stay relaxed" she said. Though Jagaciak's photos incensed some critics, who were upset at the idea of sexualizing girls at such a young age. Soon after, Jagaciak began traveling overseas for her career and in 2008 she traveled to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
where she landed the cover of Elle
Elle (magazine)
Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in...
. In May 2008 she appeared for the second time on the cover of French Jalouse, and in October 2008 Jagaciak also landed covers for Japanese Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
, and Japanese Spur. Jagaciak was set to appear on the cover of Australian Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
when the editor decided she was wasn't old enough, and she had to sit out fashion shows due to age regulations.
Despite her success Jagaciak's young age and presence in the fashion industry caused huge controversy when, in 2008 at the age of 14, she was deemed inappropriate for Australian Fashion Week
Australian Fashion Week
Australian Fashion Week is an annual fashion industry event showcasing the latest seasonal collections from Australian and Asia Pacific Designers...
. After getting some criticisms about sexualization
Sexualization
The definition of the term, Sexualization has been the subject of debate and dispute. It has been described as the act or process of sexualizing. It refers to the making of a person, group or thing to be seen as sexual in nature or a person to become aware of sexuality...
of young models in the fashion industry, organizers of Australian Fashion Week ruled that all children under 16-years-old be banned from walking at the shows in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. Jagaciak, who felt she was old enough, thought the decision was "stupid". The question was never asked of Gemma Ward
Gemma Ward
Gemma Louise Ward is an Australian fashion model turned actress.-Early life:Gemma Ward was born on 3 November 1987 in Perth, Western Australia, the second of four children of Gary Ward, a doctor, and Claire, a nurse. She has an older sister, Sophie , and younger twin brothers, Oscar and Henry...
, who was 15 when she made her Australian Fashion Week debut in May 2003 or of another Australian model, Tallulah Morton
Tallulah Morton
Tallulah Detran-Morton is an Australian fashion model born in 1991 in North Sydney, New South Wales.She was discovered at age 11 whilst on holiday on the Gold Coast. She started modeling when she was 13 and was studying at Wollumbin High School in Murwillumbah, New South Wales...
, who was 13 when she made her debut at the event two years later. Her mother Marlena said she accompanied her daughter on assignments and would never put her in danger. Monika's mother believes her daughter has enough support to handle the tough industry but does not resent Australia's ban.
Breakthrough, 2009-present
After waiting 2 years, at 15-years-old, she made a splash in the Fall 2009 shows, debuting at New York Fashion WeekNew York Fashion Week
The semi-annual New York Fashion Week, branded Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in 2009, is held in February and September of each year in New York City. It is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world .-History:The first New York Fashion Week, then called Press Week, was the world's first...
, walking in a slew of shows, from Donna Karan
Donna Karan
Donna Karan is an American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels.-Early life:...
to Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
Collection (which she opened and closed), becoming one of the most talked-about newcomers of the fall 2009 season. She became known for her powerful runway walk — even though she fell on the Hervé Léger
Herve Leger
Herve Leger, sometimes written as Hervé Léger , is a French fashion house founded by the designer currently known as Hervé L. Leroux.-History:Herve Leger was founded in 1985 by the designer currently known as Hervé L. Leroux...
runway, she went on to close both Marc Jacobs and Marni
Marni
The name Marni originates from several languages, including Hebrew, meaning "rejoice", and Latin as a variant of "Marina", meaning "of the sea". It also has derivations from Gaelic and Swahili. "Marni" and "Marnie" are the two most common spellings of the female first name, ranking 2446 and 1498,...
. She has gone on to walk in Milan
Milan Fashion Week
Milan Fashion Week is a famous fashion week held semi-annually in Milan, Italy Spring/Summer event held in February - March of each year and Autumn/Winter event held in September - October of each year....
too, walking for Prada
Prada
Prada S.p.A. is an Italian fashion label specializing in luxury goods for men and women , founded by Mario Prada.-Foundations:...
, Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana is an Italian luxury industry fashion house. The company was started by the Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana in Milan, Italy. By 2005 their turnover was €597 million....
, Fendi
Fendi
Fendi is an Italian high fashion house best known for its "baguette" handbags. It was launched in 1925 as a fur and leather shop in Rome, but today is a multinational luxury goods brand owned by LVMH...
, Versace
Versace
Gianni Versace S.p.A. , usually referred to as Versace, is an Italian fashion label founded by Gianni Versace in 1978.The first Versace boutique was opened in Milan's Via della Spiga in 1978, and its popularity was immediate. Today, Versace is one of the world's leading international fashion houses...
, and many more, but she didn't meet the age requirement to walk in Paris
Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week is a famous fashion week held semi-annually in Paris, France with Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter events held each year. Dates are determined by the French Fashion Federation...
so she skipped those. As of May 2009 she's been on thirteen magazine covers. And became one of the "Top Ten Models to Watch" by New York Magazine. Designer Francisco Costa said of her when she became the face of Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
, "She possesses a timeless beauty that gives her the ability to be highly versatile, making her one of the most promising new models today."
For FW10 her advertising campaigns included Valentino
Valentino
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani , best known as Valentino, is an Italian fashion designer and founder of the Valentino SpA brand and company. His main lines were Valentino, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma, and R.E.D...
, Alberta Ferretti
Alberta Ferretti
Alberta Ferretti is an Italian fashion designer and dressmaker. She designs for Alberta Ferretti and Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti. Her showroom is in Milan, Italy but her studio is in the picturesque village of Cattolica, near Rimini, Italy....
, Chanel
Chanel
Chanel S.A. is a French fashion house founded by the couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, well established in haute couture, specializing in luxury goods . She gained the name "Coco" while maintaining a career as a singer at a café in France...
Beauty, Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs is an American fashion designer. He is the head designer for Marc Jacobs, as well as Marc by Marc Jacobs, a diffusion line, with more than 200 retail stores in 60 countries. He has been the creative director of the French design house Louis Vuitton since 1997...
, and Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti. However, her contract with Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
ended for the Fall/Winter 2010 season, and Jagaciak was subsequently replaced by Dutch model Lara Stone
Lara Stone
Lara Catherina Stone is a Dutch model.On February 19, 2010, she was tabulated as the world's number-one fashion model on the international modelling site models.com's Top 50 Models Women ranking, a position she maintains as of November 2011...
. She made the spring 2011 "New York Fashion Week’s Top Ten Models" list at No. 7 opening for Tommy Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger
Thomas Jacob "Tommy" Hilfiger is an American fashion designer and founder of the premium lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger.-Early life:...
and closing shows for Derek Lam
Derek Lam
Derek Lam is an American fashion designer. He was born in San Francisco, California and is of Chinese American parentage. Lam is the youngest of three children in his fourth-generation family. His parents had a business that imported clothes from Asia, and his grandparents ran a successful garment...
, Richard Chai LOVE
Richard Chai
Richard Chai is an American fashion designer. Chai creates clothes for an eponymous label. Before launching his own line, he designed for Marc by Marc Jacobs.In 2008, he released a capsule line under Target's Go International.-Collaborations:...
.
Personal life
Jagaciak was born in PoznanPoznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, Wielkopolska, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and comes from an athletic family. Her dad coaches athletes from Wielkopolska, and her sister, Anna Jagaciak
Anna Jagaciak
Anna Jagaciak is a Polish long jumper.Her younger sister, Monika is a model.- Achievements :- References :...
(who was recently announced to be Poland's best long jumper), competes in long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
and triple jump
Triple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
. If she weren’t modeling, she would probably be training like her sister. Monika and her family live in Puszczykowo
Puszczykowo
Puszczykowo is a town in Poznań County, Poland, with 9,177 inhabitants . It is located about south of Poznań, the area is surrounded by the Wielkopolski National Park ....
, a township of just 9000 surrounded by national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
about 300km west of Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. In her spare time Jagaciak enjoys playing sports and drawing. Despite Jagaciak's busy career she considers education very important and her mother, Marlena, claims Monika is a good student and does very well at school.
Her model friends include Frida Gustavsson
Frida Gustavsson
- Career :Gustavsson began modeling locally in 2008 and made her way to Japan. Her career took a positive turn when she was signed by IMG in 2009. Soon after, she opened the Fall Valentino haute couture show in Paris....
, Karlie Kloss
Karlie Kloss
Karlie Elizabeth Kloss is an American model and ballet dancer.Kloss is ranked 4th on the Top 50 Models Women List by . Vogue Paris declared her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s.- Early life and discovery :...
, Lindsey Wixson
Lindsey Wixson
Lindsey Wixson is an American fashion model. She is known for her unique looks, defined in part by her "bee-stung lips", "rosebud pout" and gapped front teeth...
, Imogen Morris Clarke, Nimue Smit, Sophie Srej, Anna Gushina, Auguste Abeliunaite, Lyndsey Scott, Yulia Leontieva, Samantha Gradoville and Katie Fogarty. Her worst experience and scariest moment of her life was at 14 when she had to run away from an Australian journalist who was waiting outside her house and tried to chase her down for a story.