Interview with Model: Elliot Reeder

Model on the rise ELLIOTT REEDER catches up in Los Angeles with me  for an exclusive interview.. Elliott talks about getting discovered, what he learned so far from the modelling industry and castings. 

Reeder is represented by Supa Model Management in London, Soul Artist Management in New York and LA Models in Los Angeles. 

How were you discovered?
I was discovered from a picture I posted on holiday with my friends in Barcelona. My friend referred me to the Agency and they invited me in. I was 19 at the time. They took a few images and represented me from then until now.

Which cities do you spend the most time in?
I spend the majority of my time in London, but I’m going to start to spending more time in the states, New York and Los Angeles. I have spent time in Barcelona in the past and loved it. It’s one of favourite cities. I also work quite regularly in Germany.

What have you learnt from the modelling industry?
It’s not all about what you look like, you still need to have a good attitude and work ethic. Be polite on jobs etc. Especially if you want to keep working with them. It makes a huge difference. Secondly, always be prepared, you never know what’s round the corner so keep yourself shoot ready at all times. Look after your body and skin.

What was the most challenging part of working as a model you faced so far?
For starters i would say it’s the highs and lows. The lows do get you down, as the uncertainty of not working is difficult. Secondly the travelling, flights trains etc. The long journeys are always tough. A lot of alone time and can get boring I find. Hence the reason I get through a lot of Netflix !

Is there any advice you could give to young models going into castings?
Be polite and nice to the casting directors. Try and show as much personality as you can, whether that be when speaking or in your pictures. And try not to be nervous, every casting is a learning curve and a step closer to a job!

What’s your tip for pushing yourself in a workout?
Definitely imagining yourself on set or in a picture. Have that thought in your head and make that push you to work hard.

Having to stay in shape, what’s the ideal diet for you?
Everyone’s different, but for me personally I try to keep my daily calorie intake as low as possible as I put on weight quite easily. Try not to eat as many calorie dense foods like carbs etc as it’s harder to stay full. I try and fill up on salad and vegetables as they are low Calorie foods so I can have big portions and stay full. I also have a massive sweet tooth so I just train extra hard to counter balance that.

What are you up to these days besides modelling?
I like to travel and go on holidays. So a lot of the time planning them. I used to play rugby quite seriously which I gave up as the two careers don’t really go hand in hand. So if get the chance to play, I do.

What is your downtime like?
I enjoy wining and dining out with my girlfriend and friends. I love sport so watch lots of rugby and football. It may sound funny, but I don’t often gym/train in my downtown.

Which three beauty products could you not live without?
Kiehls serum night recovery, I put it on morning and night. Kiehls line reducing concentration – vitamin c. Elemis pro-collagen marine cream.

What’s on your current playlist?
Die Young by Roddy Ricch,  Advice – cadet – deno, All I need by Ehrling

Interview with Colt Walker: Favorite Part of Your Body?

Name: Colt Walker
Age: 22
Height: 6’2″
Hometown: Kentucky
Agency: Mother Agency: Taylor Kelsaw MGMT & New York BMG MODELS
Instagram: @colttwalker

1. How did you get into modeling?

I developed a passion for modeling from doing photography but I have always been interested. My parents put me in sports when I was around 4 years old, starting with pee-wee baseball(the step before t-ball), then progressing into football, soccer, and motocross. Growing up in a small town of Kentucky, only 3-5% of people move away from the town…maybe less than 1% for modeling!

2. What are you doing if you are not modeling?

I would either be at the gym, skateboarding, at the movie theatre, taking pictures or at some kind of event.

3. Whats your most embarrassing moment?

Getting laughed at by a police officer who pulled me over for going the wrong way down a one way.

4. What do you love on Social Media? – What do you hate on Social Media?

I love that I can connect with people across the world and build networks everywhere. I have made tons of life long friends and if it wasn’t for meeting my mother agent through social media, I wouldn’t be where I am in my modeling career.

What I hate about social media is the amount of negativity people project into the world.

5. Describe your personal style?!

My personal style is mostly edgy with a kick of classy and athletic at the same time. I can wear a button up with a peacoat, ripped black jeans, sneakers like Nike or ADIDAS, VANS and rock it!

6. Favorite part of your body?!

My back because of the muscle structure or my hands because of my vascularity .

7. Where are your roots?

Ironically both of my parents are Native American Cherokee and Polish

8. Name one celebrity you’d like to get naughty with!

JENNA FRUMES. Curly hair is my weakness!

9. Do you have any special Talents?

Photography, sports, creative writing, arts

10. What is the most interesting thing online at the moment?

Google, because just from typing in a question you can find resources to learn anything you can think of.

Rafael Beutl:10 Questions Always Wanted to Ask a Male Model

"I ate nothing but cucumbers for a while."

All I've ever heard about models is that they all live together in big model apartments, where they bitch about one other, judge one another's eating habits, and pull dirty tricks to fuck with one another's chances at castings—like putting hot pepper in a roommate's pillowcase. Models, in my mind, are beautiful, beautiful shells of human beings, who live in a world where they never have to think for themselves and take a line of coke instead of a bagel for breakfast.

To see if I was correct in my preconceptions, I got in touch with Rafael Beutl. The 31-year-old has been working as a model for the past six years, and he also took part in the Mister Switzerland competition in 2010. He suggests that we meet at the five-star hotel Kameha Grand in Zurich. We sit down at the shisha lounge—complete with Persian carpets and expensive vases—and he orders a green tea for me before we start.

 Can you do anything besides model?
Rafael Beutl: I am a carpenter, a qualified fitness instructor, and I have worked in sales. And I'm building some experience as a panel moderator. So, yes, I dare say I have some skills besides modeling. I would also like to get into personal coaching someday. Interpersonal skills are my strong suit—I can be quite empathetic.

Have you ever exploited your good looks opportunistically?Not consciously, no. But they do say that beautiful people have it easier in life, and it's possible that some things came easier to me because of my looks. But good looks are not everything—the way you behave and approach others counts, too. And life hasn't always been easy for me, either.

Do you think you're handsome?
I don't think I'm super handsome, no. But I have come to accept myself the way I am. Having said that, I'm not always happy with the way I look. There's always something to improve here or there, but that's not a bad thing. We have to keep working on ourselves, much like we work on our relationships.

You probably don't have much of a brain to speak of, right? People like to accuse models of that, yes. I'm often treated like a clothes hanger. Of course, as a model, you are quite literally a clothes hanger—you're a means to an end. You need to stand there, focus, and pull yourself together in order to present the clothes in the best possible way. A lot of people are involved in a fashion shoot, and each of them has an opinion—the marketing people, the stylists, the photographer. If a model starts to butt in, too, then no work will get done.

So, as a model, you just have to get over yourself in those situations and be OK with being just a clothes hanger. That's not always easy, because we all want validation. Getting praise in my line of work is rare—the only praise you might get at the end of the day is that they think you're easy to work with. So it's important to find your balance within yourself. What was the question again?

Whether you have a brain.Oh, right. I think it's really just the job that makes models look dumb.

When was the last time you did a line?A line of coke? There are models who take drugs, but I'm happy to say that I was never in that scene. I only started modeling when I was 25, when I wasn't very vulnerable to those kinds of temptations anymore. But most models, especially women, start when they're 16. They're so young and have never had any money for themselves before. Suddenly they're offered everything at parties—alcohol, pills, a few lines of coke.

I don't do that, but I have my own sins. I've always been fascinated with everything having to do with health, sports, and fitness, and I've experimented a lot with that, often excessively. I ate nothing but cucumbers for a while.

How are you in bed? Are you worried you'll mess up your hair at all?My performance in bed can only be judged by the people who've experienced it. I am a bit of a director in bed—I have a lot of fantasies I want to bring to life. That makes my sex life exciting to me, and so far I think my partners have also enjoyed it. That's all I'll say about it.

Are you a narcissist?I think we're all a bit narcissistic in the sense that we all yearn for approval. We can't survive without it. So, yes, I am a bit of a narcissist. You have to love yourself and be close to yourself.

How do you feel about the superficiality you represent?The media feeds on superficiality, that's just the reality we have to face. It's sad, but that's why I put a lot of work into coming across as authentic as possible.

Would you agree that as a model, you're part of a culture that can make people feel so bad about themselves that some develop eating disorders? Certainly. But to be honest, I think the way people portray themselves on social media is much worse. YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs have pushed people's love for self portraits to new levels. It has always existed—kings would have themselves pictured in battle or slaying beasts. But these days everyone can show themselves in whatever way they want.

Because we constantly post stuff about ourselves online, life passes us by. I have been through that phase myself, but I've managed to disentangled myself a little now. I don't just post "perfect" shots of myself anymore—I also post pictures of nature or other things that matter to me in life.

Would you ever date someone who's not that pretty?Absolutely! I've had many experiences with people who might not be considered conventionally pretty at first sight. I don't care as long as someone has the right personality for me and we have a good time.

Interview Male Model: Stefan Froschl: What is Your Best Model Experience Ever?

The handsome Stefan Fröschl is becoming bigger and bigger in the fashion industry. Check out this super fun interview with him!

Nationality: German

Agencies: Talents Models (Munich), Marilyn Agency (Paris), Touche Models (Amsterdam), D1 Models (NYC / London), Joy Models (Milan)

Milestones: CK Presentation 2016, BMW i3 Campaign 2015, Hudson Campaign 2014, Intersection Magazin with Stefan Armbuster

Current location: Munich

Tell us about your career as a model. How did you get started?
Hello, I was announced in the Munich subway, because I was just 21 years old, not even the younger. This agent had previously been with Majoer Models and had become self-employed. At first, I was skeptical but after only a few weeks, I could not bother enough modeling

When did you first sign with an agency and what was that like?
It was, if I remember correctly in 2012, at the Munich-based agency Talents Models, which has remained my mother’s agency to this day. At the first moment, I could not really believe it .. I model?! .. But then I quickly fell in love with it: D For me the bookers are like good friends who have accompanied me throughout much of my life and that’s what I am for very grateful!

What is one of your favorite photographs from your career so far? Who shot it?
That’s not so easy to say, but I think it was with my name grease, Stefan Armbuster. He was once himself a very successful international male model who has been a top photographer for over 20 years. I had the honor to shoot with him for the Intersection magazine and a BWM z4 prototype, the car was really awesome and the team very professional!

What is your best model experience ever?

My most interesting model experience was definitely in China (Beijing), which was primarily a culture shock, far from home in a country about which little was known. At first, it was not easy, I give open and honest to .. The country and the people .. The air pollution is really worse than you think and that robs a lot of quality of life. But man adapts and, all in all, it was one of the most memorable experiences in my life so far :)!

What are the main challenges in modeling today?

Staying true to yourself is the time to enjoy yourself and not bow to any jobs or special markets. A model must have something charismatic for me that is different from others. Every human being is different, but in some, the genetic allows them to stand out. You have to accept this property, even if it is not always as easy as most people think, and you learn to use it correctly in decisive moments.

How would you describe a model life?
very varied, if you are a diverse person. If not, it can be a disaster. You have to be extremely disciplined because you have a lot of free time that you should use skillfully.

Do you think models are able to find long lasting friendships within the industry today?
Not really, the industry thrives on the constant change, but it is also here to lean on Charismatic brands that fit well with his type.

What is your big model dream?
I think that of every model. You have to be lucky twice in the life of a model. The first time that you become an international model and accepted there in the market. The second time you have to be extremely lucky and be discovered by one of the top designers. In short, to campaign for a brand like D & G (Light Blue). It goes through the whole world and its posters decorate all the major shopping malls in the world

What is your favorite thing to do when not working?
Philosophize about the world 🙂

Take us through a typical day in the life of Stefan?
Get up, study, sport, social media, study, maybe meet friends andSleep : D not as spectacular as yours

How do you keep your body in good shape?
Consistent training, a reasonably balanced diet, and mental fitness

What’s your favorite place in the world?
St. Tropez and Munich

Give us 5 fun facts people might not know about you yet.
I’ll take care hahaha

What do you think MODELLIST-ID can do for the model community?
I think it creates a certain overview of the individual models worldwide, possibly even a small ranking, because what would the world without competition 🙂

Do you have any model friend you would like to see presented on Modellist-ID?
Stefan Pollmann, Alexander Burgmayr, Niklas Becher, Michael Eder,

Interview with Male SuperModel: Andres Velencoso

Best knowns for his Chanel ad campaign and the Louis Vuitton campaign with J-Lo in 2003. Andrés Velencoso is our Model of the Week!

(age 41 years), Tossa de Mar, Spain

Height: 6′ 4″

Nationality: Spanish

After Andrés finished High School, his modeling career got started. He signed a contract with Group Model Management, a Spanish modeling agency. But the beginning of his career was filled with rejections, a buzzed haircut and a muscular body did not seem to be the ideal image that the European market demands. When Velencoso went to Milan, almost every agent thought that he was too big and goofy. His fortunes changed when Natalie Kates, an agent from New York City-based Q Model Management opened the door for him in 2001, despite his inability to speak English. Kates started him off fresh with four new polaroids in his book and sent him to meet people.

One of the people was photographer Matt Albiani, who loved Andres for an editorial that he was working on. The next day Andres found himself on the set of a shoot in East Hampton, New York. After just a few days in the city, he caught the eyes of some of the industry’s most famous photographers, including Michael Thompson and Francois Nars.

 In 2002 he booked the Banana Republic spring ad campaign and a year later stars in the Louis Vuitton ad campaign, alongside Jennifer Lopez. He signed a fragrance contract with Chanel Allure Homme Sport and became the face of Loewe in 2004. Landed his first magazine cover for Arena Homme + for the winter 2005 edition and appeared in the Jean Paul Gaultier ad campaign, with Gisele Bündchenand Diana Dondoe.

Interview with Austrian Model: Christoph Leitner

Christoph Leitner is an Austrian model that grows up in Carinthia Austria and was discovered as a model when he published a portrait on his Facebook account. Today I stumble upon Christoph Instagram profile, a couple of weeks ago, and his pictures amazed me. Christoph works for Wiener Models, a Viennese Model agency which was founded in 1983. Today we bring you guys his story.

Where were you born and what was your pre-model life like?

Born in Villach/Carinthia in Austria and raised in a small village 30 minutes from Villach, up in the mountains with probably more cows and chicken than people and my only playground the forests around our house. It is a nice place to grow up but very far away from fashion.

Before modeling I worked in many different jobs from electrician to security guard to truck driver or factory worker. I tried a lot.

How have you been discovered?

I was discovered on Facebook after I posted a portrait of me.

When did you decide to become a model?

I was working in my last job. I was driving a big truck through Austria and had a lot of time to think about my life and what I really wanted. I tried many different jobs but I never felt happy, I always felt like there is a different life for me! So I decided to chase the dream I always had and become Model. I lost 30kg and started to do it!

What has been one of your favorite career experiences so far?

People are contacting me and telling me that they love my work and what I‘m doing and some even see me as rolemodel and asking me for advice. I never thought that this will happen to me so these things are always great experiences.

Did you have an interest in modeling or fashion before starting as a model?

Yes, always! Even no one in my family has a relation to fashion or something but I always loved to look at the big campaigns and commercials, dreaming to become one of this guys looking out the TV and down the billboards.

What advice would you pass along to those starting out in the business?

Never listen to them who say you can‘t do it! Never be too shy to be 100% yourself! Stay positive all the time and be patient!

You have become successful for many reasons what do you think the top few are?

I would never give up and I never stop to develop myself mentally and physically. I work on myself everyday and give all I can to become better and better and better!

What is the ultimate goal of your career?

Living my dream as long and good as I can, doing what I really like to do and then the rest will follow on itself.

Interview with Model: Hans Sandhu

INTERVIEW WITH MALE MODEL HANS SANDHU 

Modeling helped him with his self-esteem. Ever since agency Modelrepublic noticed his special look, he is enjoying the model life to the fullest! In today’s spotlight: Austrian male model Hans Sandhu…

Nationality: Austrian

Profession: Model and Student of Medicine, Psychology

Agencies: Stella Models & Talents, LST Models (Biggest so far), Modelrepublic

Milestones: Doing jobs for great companies in Austria

Current location: Vienna

 Tell us about your career as model. How did you get started?Well, actually friends talked me into this. As a teenager I had some issues with my self-esteem. So thinking about applying for an agency was a breakpoint for me, where I told myself to try things out instead of hiding.

When did you first sign with an agency and what was that like?This is not that long ago. In 2014 I signed my first agency contract for an agency focusing on commercial. I had applied to almost every agency in Vienna, but somehow no one, but “Modelrepublic”, was really interested in signing me. Reflecting on that, it could have been because of my special look or my low quality bathroom pictures. :D.
So I am really thankful for the opportunity Modelrepublic gave me. I did my first paid shooting for a big company.

What is one of your favorite photographs from your career so far? Who shot it?I love to shoot with friends of mine. In general it is more fun when the whole team is likeable.

Please tell us a bit more about your mother agency.Hmm. I signed the contract in May. So it’s a short time with Stella Models. What I can say is, that I am able to compete on a higher level now. Jobs are better paid. I like the bookers really much. They are very confident and patient. My highest paid job was through Stella Models.

What do you think is the best part about being a model in the industry today?I can tell you, money is not. In the last two years I met so many incredible people, have found new friends and have experienced so many things. Through this industry I can broaden my horizon in so many ways, people outside would not believe.

What’s the biggest misconception about the male modeling industry?
Probably that it is all superficial and harsh. Actually it is often more like a bunch of friends coming together at shootings and having a good day. Also it is not that competitive when I attend a casting. Everyone likes to talk and have fun. It is really cool.

What is your favorite thing to do when not working?
I like to watch Soaps. I am not that guy who spends hours a day in the gym. If possible I meet friends of mine or just take a break from everything. The problem is that free time is very limited at the moment as I am studying two things and doing something for my modeling career. But that’s ok, as long as I can handle it.

Take us through a typical day in the life of Hans.
Haha, Don’t be disappointed, but it is a student’s normal life. I try to get up early (about 8am) and fail miserably. So I get up at 11 am and miss all the lectures in the morning. My breakfast is a balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fat and it my food routine goes really well until the evening and a pack of chocolate.
Most of the day I spent with learning and attending classes at universities. When I get a casting call I skip as many classes as possible and learn it on my own. So I try to be flexible all the time.
In the evening it is time for the gym to get my head free.

What is your favorite healthy snack?My favorite healthy snack… puh. At moment I really like bananas and peanut butter. So if get hungry between my meals and allow myself something like that. I do also like raspberries and bilberries a lot. I mix them with my oats in the morning.

What music are you into at the moment?I listen to a lot of different music directions. Folk, rock and rap are my favs. I avoid metal, heavy metal and electro. 😀

What are your travel essentials?My laptop at first place. I can’t travel without it, because I don’t own a tablet pc.  Also I do take many hair products with me.

What do you think MODELLIST-ID can do for the model community?It can connect all kind of people in the model industry.  It can promote models and help them to get on the next stage in the business.

Do you have any model friend you would like to see presented on Modellist-ID?
Of course. Especially Schahnam, who has become a good friend of mine in the last year. We met in a model competition in November last year.

Where can we follow you?– My Facebook site: Hans Sandhu Model https://www.facebook.com/Hans.Sandhu.Model/
– My Instagram: hans.sandhu