Will Eustace Interview

Continuing to round out the London Bunch, we bring you Will Eustace. This kid, who we’ve literally watched grow up, has been on the scene since 2007 (don’t quote me) and has left a shoe mark on virtually every runway in existence. If that’s not a sign of a hard worker, then keep reading. He’s done campaigns for CK, McQueen and Lanvin, editorials for VMAN, GQ Russia, L’Officiel Hommes Italia, and if you’re still a hard headed Republican, he’s (at the time of this post) currently ranked #13 on MDC’s Top 50. All that and a cup of English tea. We sat down with the mate, and here’s what he told us… Photos / Jolijn Snijders

TT: Are you all done working the catwalk now?
WE: Yeah, done until next season.
TT: Who paid you to walk this time around?
WE: Um, got quite a few shows. Want a list?
TT: Well, just the important ones.
WE: Um, Jil Sander, Prada, D&G, Raf Simons, Marc by Marc, Burberry, DSquared2. Um, let me think. Michael Kors, Cerruti, Z Zegna, YSL.
TT: Okay, I better stop you there.
WE: Bottega Veneta.
TT: What do you think is the deal with you being so popular? Did you ever take those “in the mirror” pictures?
WE: No, I don’t know why I get a lot of work. Maybe I’m lucky.
TT: It’s probably luck. I bet your face has nothing to do with it, kidding!
WE: Haha.
TT: But when did you start modeling? Do you have one of those cool stories where a scout chased you with a weapon or anything?
WE: Well I got scouted about 3 years ago in London, when I was at school. I did a few jobs now and again for about a year and a half, then when I finished school started doing it full time. I was just scouted on the street in London, didn’t really take it seriously at first to be honest.
TT: What does full time mean for a model? 9 to 5?
WE: Well when I say full time, I mean it is my only paid job. I don’t come home and work at the pub or anything.
TT: But it pays the bills, I’m assuming?
WE: Yeah, I guess. Different jobs pay different amounts, so it depends what kind of work you get.

TT: What do you have on your iPod?
WE: A lot of different music. I love loads of different types of music. A lot of Dnb and Dubstep, which I like to go out to listen to in London but I also like hip hop and bands like The Hives, The Vines, The Strokes, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles. I could go on but I don’t want to bore you.
TT: All the old English dudes. Got it. Are you part of the whole English punk scene? Or better yet, have you seen that movie This Is England?
WE: Yeah, I love that film. But no, I’m not part of the ‘punk scene’ or whatever.
TT: Fair enough. So do you live in London now?
WE: Yeah, I do, in Peckham, which is in the south east of London. Everyone hypes it up to be a rough and shitty area but I love it.
TT: I heard the same about Brooklyn. Or maybe you’re just too hard. Can you think of a particular moment when you were really proud of something you’ve done?
WE: Well, the first time I went to New York, not exactly pride, but I’d wanted to go there my whole life and had got there my own way, so I felt a little proud! Lucky mainly though, I guess.
TT: Okay, not to dispute the mirror picture question but I found this.
WE: Okay well that was because that was the coolest make up I had ever seen, not because I was being vain. Yeah, well if you want me to name drop. I’ll give a shout out to the following: Oliver Welton, Stephan Haurholm, Thomas Hoefnagels, Eddie Wrey, James Hampson. Basically the people I end up living with in New York or see a lot in London.

TT: Is there anybody you haven’t had a chance to work with yet that you’d like to work with?
WE: Photographers you mean?
TT: Anybody. Rick James. Whoever.
WE: Well I couldn’t really say if I would want to work with anyone until I’ve met them, as I don’t know if they’ll be a cool person or not but, if you know anyone who could make it happen. Megan Fox or Jennifer Aniston would be great.
TT: Legit. I don’t know if I agree with Aniston though. You’re not into the whole female model thing?
WE: Nah, nothing against them, but personally I like girls with a bit more to them. Some girl models are beautiful though and what’s wrong with Aniston?!
TT: I was just never into the whole ‘Friends’ thing. And she just seems a bit desperate.
WE: Well I would still marry that woman, and if she’s desperate then maybe I have a chance!
TT: To each his own, I guess. What about Taylor Swift?
WE: Hell no.
TT: So if girls were a grocery store, you’d head to the meat section.
WE: No, I just wouldn’t head for the annoying bland music making section.
TT: Do you ever look at what people tell you to wear and think “WTF?” for shows and stuff?
WE: There have been a few pieces that I wouldn’t exactly wear myself but I can still appreciate what the designer is doing.
TT: Do you ever think designers and models are overpaid? Because, hold on story time before you answer, one time I was an extra in a movie and the “stars” only came on scene when everything else was ready for them and they’d get their feet rubbed in between takes. And their job didn’t look anything close to hard and here they get paid like $25 million per movie.
WE: Yeah, I do think sometimes it doesn’t make sense when people get paid a lot more than the people that do a lot of hard work but actors definitely do work hard.
TT: Do models? Is it tough?
WE: And I think a lot of them deserve what they get, because their work is so inspiring for others. Well, I think models are lucky, it isn’t exactly a tough job in the way of manual labor, but it can be a really tiring job.
TT: Have you ever done one of those “installation” things where you have to stand in one position all night while people walk around?
WE: You mean like a presentation? Yeah.
TT: Yeah, that looks hard.
WE: They can be boring.
TT: Do you ever get phased about being #13 on the models.com top 50?
WE: I didn’t know I was #13! Last time I looked it was twenty something. My mum loves checking what number I am, but I never bother. I don’t think it really means anything.
TT: I don’t know, I’ve seen models who reach the top 10 have quite a bit of staying power. Do you have any plans for after modeling?
WE: Well yeah, I mean some guys who are up there obviously have done some great work etc. I just mean I don’t personally base anything I do or what I think on what number I am. After modeling, who knows! I’d love to do something involved in the music industry. I love reading but I’m no author, I tried when I was younger though. I’ve wondered about acting sometimes, but I wouldn’t want to be one of those actors who just gets a job because of their looks and doesn’t really have any acting talent. Who knows.

TT: What is your favourite part about the industry? What are the perks?
WE: Most definitely the fact I get to travel around the world, a lot of the time to some beautiful or exciting places. Also meeting interesting people and getting to see a side of the industry most people can’t.
TT: Okay I think we’ve reached 7 Microsoft Word pages so in case I left anything out is there anything you forgot to say or were dying to mention while I bothered you for so long?
WE: Um, yeah. I wish I wasn’t allergic to cats, as they’re pretty cool, falafel in Camberwell is amazing and the U.S Office will always make me laugh till I fall off my chair. That’s about it I guess. g Tweet