StyleCaster collaborator, James Worthington DeMolet, brings StyleCaster the exclusive release of Andrej Pejic in Boy Wonder. His first ever beauty focused editorial is complete with an eye-opening interview, providing Andrej's insight on being compared to Lea T, how he feels about labels and what it felt like to kiss Karolina Kurkova. In just a week's time, this breathtaking shoot, lensed by Thomas Lohr, will be available in the print version of The Block Magazine.
James Worthington DeMolet: How do you feel about such an immediate media storm around your rise to fame? Considering it has only been about two seasons and you're one of models.com's top 20 men.
Andrej Pejic: Well I think the media storm is very surprising since models don’t really get so much attention these days. So I guess it has gone beyond just the fashion industry or any model ranking, which is nice because it’s offering me a wide array of opportunities. But sometimes I do just have to stop and hit myself in the head with my diamond-encrusted vase.
JWD: Does being styled so often in such high-end women’s clothing make everyday getting ready boring?
AP: Yes it does, which is why I seek to one day own all these high-end clothes.
JWD: As a kid did you ever dress up?
AP: Oh all the time mostly as a female gypsy dancer.
JWD: For guys, it's much easier to understand how to "model," usually clients just want a cool languid dude and the clothes are generally trousers and tops. Do you find that modeling women’s clothes brings on more complications?
AP: Well, I think men’s editorial modeling is quite advanced and not so easy. Yes I think modeling women’s wear is more complicated, but I think I like that.
JWD: What was the best part about kissing Karolina Kurkova? Photographing a kiss can be difficult due to limited angles and often the faces get hidden. How many hours did it take to get it right?
AP: Oh literally the photographers just told us to turn to each other and lock lips and it took maybe 10 minutes to shoot. It’s like our lips were always meant to meet and then the photographers had to separate us!
JWD: What was your take on closing Jean Paul Gaultier's couture show – in the most incredible wedding look no less? Was that a milestone or just another day at the office?
AP: It was amazing – when I was walking down the runway people started clapping in a rhythm. Honestly, it was like a dream.
JWD: Finally, you and Lea T. have seemingly come up as the faces for this new take on androgyny. The label is applied quite loosely when used in describing both of you, no? Considering you're just a boy with an incredibly fascinating and versatile face, which brings an exciting edge to wearing women’s clothing, while she's actually going through the process of gender reassignment. Are you comfortable sharing "the face" of this movement with her when what it describes for each of you is quite different?
AP: Well I don’t think my situation and Lea T's are completely different when it comes to our personal lives but that’s personal, for me at least. And I really think people should stop trying to categorize me because of their need for labels. When it comes to our professional lives, well she only does women’s wear and I think I cover more fields. Some people in the industry will use us in a very similar way to represent similar ideas and some will want me to be a bit different from her – more androgynous, more boyish or even sex-less rather than womanly. I think professionally I am capable of being very versatile.
Photographer: Thomas Lohr
Stylist: James Worthington DeMolet
Makeup Artist: Samantha Trinh using Dior Cosmetics, Atelier Management
Hair Stylist: Sarah Sibia, See Management
Model: Andrej Pejic, DNA
