James Rousseau

James Rousseau (born James Rousseau Osborne December 19, 1980) is an English supermodel. He is descended from the family of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), the philosopher whose writings influenced the French revolutionary movement.

Biography

James was born in Ashford, Kent, UK though he grew up in the Herefordshire village of Much Marcle, in the English midlands countryside. The village is notorious for also being the family home of the serial killer Fred West. He was educated at one of the UK's top independent schools, Malvern College in Worcestershire and despite starting his modeling career during his last year at school, he still managed to obtain the qualifications necessary to attend a top British university. This, however, was put on hold while he developed his career as a model.

It was a painting and decorating holiday job in London that accidentally led to the start of his modeling career. Someone suggested he had good enough looks to become a model, so, for a joke, he dropped in at the nearest agency, Select Models, with no previous experience and no portfolio, and expecting to go nowhere. Just as he was being turned away for having no pictures, one of the agents decided to take a few shots there and then. Within days, Select found they had a new hot property on their hands as clients started picking out James for their campaigns. He just happened to have the boyish and androgynous look that was the fashion of the moment, although he hates being called a "pretty boy".

Within three weeks, James was booked to work with Steven Meisel in New York City for Italian Vogue. Two weeks after that, Miu Miu booked him as its new face, which became the turning point of his modeling career. Within two years he had become internationally known as one of the best male models on the circuit, regularly recognised in the streets by fans in Asia, Europe and the Americas. He has worked with all the top fashion photographers, including Mario Testino who has included a portrait of James in one of his books. He is currently fronting the Thomas Pink campaign and is AbOUT to front The New Jaeger (clothing) campaign in the UK.

Over the years, James Rousseau has appeared in Cerruti Jeans, Exte, Yves Saint-Laurent, Hugo Boss, and many others. His notable editorial appearances include Citizen K, GQ, Elle, Esquire, L'Uomo Vogue, Numero Homme, Wallpaper, and Arena Homme Plus.

James has been one of the very few British students that have qualified to train at the Stella Adler School of Acting in New York.

His ambitions include creating and recording his own music and he has already written the words amd music of a number of songs. James is teaching himself to play the guitar having already become a reasonable clarinet and saxophone player. Before his voice broke, James was also head chorister at Abberley Hall Preparatory School in Worcestershire.

Some other jobs held by James before his modeling career include being an assistant to a rare-stamp collector and postal historian, an assistant to the Bananarama manager, and sweeper of turkey feathers at slaughterhouse near his family home.

James Rousseau is said to be earning as much as $50,000 a day from modeling.[Citation needed]

"Even though he spends much of his life jet-setting and staying in the most glamorous hotels, James has been known to bring his washing home [to his mother] like any other young man." ("Supermodel son is mother's pride", page 1 story in the Ledbury Reporter 16 February 2007, by Candice Pearson) [1]

Agency

Next Models, New York D'Management, Milan Select Models, London
Interview with James Rousseau's agent - owner of Select Model Management, London

Personal life

James previously dated fellow supermodel, Ana Beatriz Barros. He has been dating actress Kate Bosworth since September 2006.