About a Boy.

February 2, 2012
Paris Bennett

Beautiful clothes must be worn by beautiful people, and rising star model, Caleb, is making waves in the industry in a very Westwood fashion. Nouse talks to Caleb about stereotypes, rejection and height

Was modelling always a dream job for you?

I always wanted to be a footballer growing up, I tried hard at it for a while but if I had a choice now it would be a model for sure. I don’t even keep up with football now, they way the game has gone made me lose interest. They’re just money hungry 90 per cent of the time and there’s no loyalty towards the clubs, they just jump if someone offers a bigger pay cheque.

Who do you feel are currently the top models in the world? Do you aspire to be like them?

There are a few I really like at the moment that people keep comparing me to, big names in the industry like Dudley O’Shaughnessy at Next Models and Sebastian Sauve at Premier. It is nice to be compared to them but I don’t think I’m anything like them, not yet anyway.
How did you get into modelling?

I sort of fell in to it as my girlfriend, Ursula, suggested I do it, but I loved playing football and just thought modelling was gay but it’s not. I have loads of gay friends now and I’ve modelled for Attitude magazine a couple of times. I started modelling properly by the age of 23 so I arrived in the industry really late. My aim is to try and become a model that is known as a really good one, I’m not bothered about earning loads of money and I would happily quit modelling being the most well known model from just doing editorials as some things are more important than money. I always wanted to be with D1 models as I’ve always rated their models as they have such a cool mix of male models but they rejected me in February last year. I was devastated but I kept in touch with one of their booker’s and ended up joining them in October. I was over the moon!

Who have you been most star struck about meeting in your modelling career?

To be honest with you I haven’t met anyone that famous since I have been modelling, I just look at people as equal. The only difference is that they’re in the public eye and we are not it makes them no better than us.

“I loved playing football and just thought modelling was gay but its not”

What has been your favourite modelling assignment?

It has to be shooting Vivienne Westwood’s collection last year celebrating her 40 years in the industry for Disorder Magazine. I’m meant to be going on the cover of June/July’s issue this year with the pictures from the shoot. I was unsigned when I got it and was making my own contacts in the industry. Models are sometimes unfairly labelled as being ‘dumb’. Have you come across this stereotype?
they can’t all be that stupid.

Where do you see yourself working in 10 years? Still having a career in modelling?

I would like to think I’d have achieved everything I wanted in the modelling industry by then. I would like to become a booker at D1 I think I would be good because I know what its like to come from the bottom to the top. I remember signing on at Peckham job centre thinking I hope one day modelling works out for me, I’ve been rejected, gone away come back. been rejected again, I’ve been dropped. Its a tough industry to do well in but if you look after yourself and listen to advice people give you you’re half way there. A lot of people ask me for advice now which is nice to think they rate me enough to ask for my help I just always say take a break, a step back look at who’s doing well then think what can I do to make me be different to everyone else, that’s what I did and I like to think my look is unique now.

If you could work with any designer or wear a certain designers clothes who would it be and why?

Well I’ve worn Vivienne Westwood’s clothes for Disorder Magazine but I would love to do a campaign for her or walk in fashion week. Everyone keeps saying I have the Vivienne Westwood look so hopefully that can happen, I just love her clothes the way they are tailored to fit your body so well.

Finally, tell us the least glamorous thing you do in your everyday life.

I work from 6am-3pm at Marko in Charlton taking deliveries off the lorries everyday, so no trace of glamour there! I have to get up at 4:30am everyday, it keeps me humble and grounded no matter what I achieve. If I’m going work the next day I’m just like every body else.across this stereotype?

Yeah, some models are dumb or just pretend to be like the Only way is Essex lot saying stupid things — I’ve seen it, but some are students at uni and just do modelling to make money on the side they can’t all be that stupid.

Where do you see yourself working in 10 years?

I would like to think I’d have achieved everything I wanted in the modelling industry by then. I would like to become a booker at D1. I think I would be good because I know what it’s like to come from the bottom to the top. I remember signing on at Peckham Job Centre, thinking I hope one day modelling works out for me, I’ve been rejected, gone away, come back, been rejected again, I’ve been dropped. Its a tough industry to do well in but if you look after yourself and listen to advice people give you, you’re halfway there. A lot of people ask me for advice now, which is nice to think they rate me enough to ask for my help. I just always say take a break, a step back and look at who’s doing well then, think what can I do to make me be different to everyone else, that’s what I did and I like to think my look is unique now.

If you could work with any designer or wear a certain designers clothes who would it be?

Well I’ve worn Vivienne Westwood’s clothes for Disorder Magazine. Everyone keeps saying I have the Vivienne Westwood look so hopefully that can happen, I just love her clothes the way they are tailored to fit your body so well.

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