Australian Pakistani model Shanina Shaik has had no problems jobs. The young model began her career on a reality television show and soon found herself walking runways for some of the world’s best designers. The Victoria’s Secret model may have found a second career in acting. She appears alongside Tom Cruise in “The Mummy”.
Here are 5 things you didn’t know about Shanina Shaik.
She was raised Muslim
Shanina Shaik was born in Melbourne, Australia on February 11, 1991. The 5’9″ model can thank her parents for her exotic beauty. Her mother is Australian and Lithuanian while her father is Pakistani and Saudi Arabian. Shanina has one sibling and was raised Muslim. Despite her strict religious upbringing, her parents allowed her to model in advertisements when she was just 8 years old. She was in a Hyundai television commercial and did some catalog modeling. Shanina decided not to pursue a modeling career during high school and, instead, focused on school. Taking accelerated courses, Shanina was able to graduate early.
She was runner up on Make Me a Model
After high school, Shanina Shaik was pursued by Australian modeling agencies. Because she was not old enough to move to Sydney alone, she did not sign on with any agencies at that time. Instead, she entered the “Girlfriend Model Competition” and than the Australian reality television competition “Make Me a Supermodel” and was chosen as a contestant. She was voted runner up in the finale, and her modeling career took off again.
Work as a model
After placing on “Make Me a Supermodel” Shanina Shaik was signed by an Australian modeling agency. She quickly got jobs modeling in catalogues for companies including Macy’s, Alloy, Avon, Bloomingdales, Urban Outfitters and Ann Taylor. She appeared in print advertisements for companies including Aeropostale, Imari by Avon, Bauhaus and Olay New York. It was not long before the beautiful young model was signed to walk the runway at New York fashion shows. Now a little older and more experienced, Shanina was able to take that leap in her career.
Runway shows
For the 2009 Autumn/Winter season, Shanina Shaik walked in 8 runway shows during Fashion Week in New York City. She opened for Yeohlee and walked for designers including Shiplly and Halmos, Mara Hoffman, Lorick, Project Runway, Trovata, Richie Rich and Abalte. By the 2010 Spring/Summer season, Shanina was walking for Betsey Johnson, Catherine Melandrino, Gerlon Jeans, Nary Monivang, Rachel Antonoff and Susan Woo. The following Autumn/Winter season, she walked fro Bebe by Kardashian, Emu Australia, Lodice and Project Runway. Shanina has signed with New York Model Management, NEXT Model Management, Chadwick Management and Chic Model Management. She was chosen to walk the runway for Victoria’s Secret in 2011 and remains one of six Australian Victoria’s Secret models. Along with walking in international fashion shows, Shanina has appeared in magazines including Seventeen, Men’s Health, Level and Zink. She appeared on the covers of Cosmopolitan Magazine, Cleo, Vogue India, and Harper’s Bazaar Singapore, Arabia, Vietnam and Australia.
Her life now
While Shanina Shaik has been offered film roles in the past she turned them down. However, she did agree to appear in 2017’s blockbuster “The Mummy” alongside Tom Cruise and Sofia Boutella. She filmed her scenes and Namibia and found the experience exciting. Shanina currently lives in New York City and continues steady work as a model. Last year she became engaged to Gregory Andres, also known as DJ Ruckus, who is Lenny Kravitz’s cousin. As she excitedly plans her wedding, Shanina is also excited to have been bitten by the acting bug which may be an avenue she’ll pursue.
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