THE MODEL WHO ISN'T AFRAID TO LAUGH AT HIMSELF.
Models are like snowflakes, they all come in various shapes and sizes. And like snowflakes, we tend to put them all in one category. Not always the best thing, because when this is done, we miss out on their very essence and individualism.
When I first came across our latest subject in the Snapped & Caught series, I will admit, I quietly said to myself, " what an attractive guy." An although attractive, I was more curious about his heritage. Was he black, was he, mixed, was he of Latin decent? With each photo the facial hair came and went,leaving me confused, or shall I say more curious. Well, it turns out that Terrel has something in common as a previous man added to this series, Nelly Marshall. Coming from a part German (mother), part African American(father) background, our latest it guy slightly differs from Nelly because his mother is also part Italian, he explains. Deriving from such a diverse group of cultures, and being born in the melting pot of New York, I wonder if he spoke any other languages.
And without hesitation, the first signs of his humor began to shine.
"I don't speak German, but I can if you like," he said laughing as he quoted Lady Gaga.
"No, but sadly, I don't speak the language. I can't break out and start speaking it in the middle of an interview like Boris Kodjoe. Just good ol English... Sorry," he continues laughing even more.
Although somewhat evasive,our latest Fashion Forward-It Guy finally admitted to turning 26, when I asked how old he was (he just had a birthday last week). Exposing his closeness to his family, Terrel confesses that due to his birthday occurring on a weekday this year, he spent the majority of the day with his family. Now the day before is a completely different story. Apparently he went to a bar and grabbed a few drinks with some of his dearest friends. Lets just hope he didn't show up in front of his family hung over.
Standing only 5'8, Terrel was first introduced to modeling a couple of years ago by a model who turned model coach by the name of Lisa Masters. Seeing potential, Lisa introduced him to a photographer named Yolanda Perez. Perez shot his very first comp card.
"The comp card was very green. It had commercial looks and head shots. Not an underwear or jockstrap shot in site. Unlike now," he says laughing once again.
I appreciated this answer because looking at Terrel's pics, one would never know how tall he is, and lets face it, most agencies won't give a guy under 5'10 a second glance. But then again, lets look at Mark Wahlberg. A man who stands only 5'7 who broke into Hollywood, and became a huge star. Only after being recognized as on of the top male underwear models that has ever lived. So people, it is possible. Even if you don't fully have the right direction, DEDICATION is what will help you achieve your goals.
Only having Terrel as an acquaintance for only a short amount of time, I can honestly say I truly appreciate his character. So far he has come off as being very open and honest with his answers. Something he, by no means had to do, being that he barely knows me. Although one of the younger It-Guys to make it into the Snapped and Caught series, Fraser seems to have a good grasp on who he is as a person and what he wants to do with his life. I say all of this for a reason. Many times I have come across individuals who have this idea that they are going to take the modeling, fashion, design world by storm. They have their heads so far in the clouds, they lose a sense of the reality of this cruel business. Is it ok to dream??? By all means HELL YES. My motto is DREAM BIG, but ALWAYS have a game plan.
Dreaming big still wont stop the sometimes harsh critiques these agencies will tell the ambitious, and dare I say, sometimes clueless. As I said before, it's a cruel business, and it's up to us how we handle these situations.
"I hear it over and over again. I mean it's not like 4 feet tall. 5'8 in real life isn't bad, only in runway. it's not like I ever had runway dreams anyway. yeah it would be nice to travel, but I'll settle for commercial and print. Besides, it pays better."
Having made his point, I began to think about Kate Moss. One of the most well known faces in the industry, and even she is what I call pint size.Although she has been seen on a catwalk from time to time, Moss has basically fattened her pockets through editorial/print work. So exactly what lines would Fraser like to see himself being the face for?
"I'd love,LOVE to work for whoever is cutting the check. I don't discriminate. You paying... I'm working. CALL ME!!!"
Enjoying the nature of the business, but clearly not all aspects of it, Our Fashion Forward-It Guy comes across as liking to barely wear clothes at all (you should visit his Facebook Fan page). When he does decide to put clothes on his nicely built body, he defines himself as a tee shirt and jeans type of guy. Not one for flashy pieces with logos and heavily designed garments. His explaining this to me puts Tony Ward in my head. Tony is often known as calling him the anti-model, although he has been in the business for several decades now.
And what better to go along with a plain tee shirt and a plain pair of jeans, is a person who is boring. At least this is the way he describes himself, not me. Now I tell you, take a look at this man and tell me if you agree with this. Just as I though, ME EITHER!!!
Wanna see more of this Fashion Forward-It Guy? Be sure to visit his fan page:
