Ryan Taylor walks about ten feet across the room before abruptly stopping and walking back - his posture is impeccable and his walk slightly exaggerated in the way all models do during a casting or in fittings. We are in an industrial building on the far west side of Manhattan trying on looks and chatting about the fashion industry and his career. At twenty-six years old, Ryan has been working as a model for just over ten years – difficult to imagine in any other industry. He tells me about taking time off to go to college and graduating from UCLA last September with degrees in Environmental Science and Politics and his dive into entrepreneurship with a new company he co-founded with friends, called Bookt. I am satisfied with the way the tan colored trench coat fits him and we move onto the next look.
Two weeks later, I meet Ryan again for a chat over some not-so-good coffee, which he says doesn’t bother him. He has this unassuming quality about him, which I noticed the first time we met. On that afternoon, he walked in dressed in fitted black jeans, a navy t-shirt, black leather jacket, and leather Converses and greeted me with a hug. We decide on a brown leather couch in a corner and as we sit, he enquires about my well-being and work. This leads the conversation down the pathway of careers.
Over the course of two hours - unintended – I learn that Ryan is wise and worldly. He is as well-versed on global affairs as he is about the fashion industry and is very opinionated about current events. He talks animatedly against the UK’s consideration of exiting the European Union and what it would mean for the member countries, economically and politically. Over here in the U.S. he thinks that Hillary Clinton will make a more effective president than either Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump. He talks fervently about the American health care system, education, immigration reform both here in America and in Europe and the refugee crisis over there. I can tell how passionate he is about these issues by the vehemence of his speech.
Ryan Taylor is classically handsome and his look isn’t lost on the people seated around us who keep glancing over. Though, whether he is aware of the attention he is attracting or not, he doesn’t acknowledge it, rarely breaking eye contact as he speaks.
The conversation shifts to entrepreneurship and he asks questions about the business side of the industry and my job as both an Editor and Creative Director and running a new media company. He seems genuinely interested in what I have to say. We then talk about his new company Bookt, a mobile application that streamlines castings and bookings between models and their agencies. A built-in map allows models to find their castings locations easily and agents can monitor whether or not their models have checked into a casting and the length of time that they are there. A bookkeeping feature enables models to track their finances from jobs – a pain for many working models.
Our surroundings become increasingly crowded and as the noise levels go up, we get coffee refills and escape to the rooftop deck which provides spectacular views of the city. Ryan takes in the city’s landscape in silence for a moment; the Hudson River is off to the right of us and the New Jersey skyline. I comment about the number of construction sites on the west side of the city and the stability of the ground near the water and he immediately pivots to the use of Three-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to check for groundwater. This moment serves as a reminder of his degrees in Environmental Science and Politics, which he completed on a full scholarship.
A cloud passes by and the early afternoon sunlight hits Taylor’s face, which becomes all angles - strong jaw and sharp cheekbones. He has matured since his debut season on the runways of the world’s power brands, like Prada, Fendi, and Yves Saint Laurent, then as a fifteen year old, baby-faced, and lanky boy from Burlington, Canada. Today he stands at about six feet, three inches tall, with broad shoulders, and a muscular body.
We talk about family and I get the sense that he is close to his two siblings – an elder sister and younger brother - and although his parents are separated, he loves them both deeply. I ask whether he would like to have a family of his own. “Yes” he answers, “but not anytime soon, my focus right now is building a successful business and getting back into modeling.” I ask what it’s like returning to the industry and he laments the changes. “Everything has become about social media and if you want to work you have no choice but to do it.” He also comments on the changes in body types and looks of the male models in the industry, before stating that he understands that it is just business and the times that we are in; whether or not what is currently “in” costs him jobs.
Despite the sun shining in an almost cloudless sky, the early April air is still crisp and as a light breeze sweeps around us, I shiver slightly. He notices and suggests going back downstairs. I was happy to oblige.
Waiting on the elevator, I inquire about his life outside of work; where he hangs out in the city and what he does to unwind and learn that he prefers intimate gatherings of close friends instead of bars and clubs and loves outdoor adventures like hiking. I ask about his romantic life and he says he is single, with work being his primary focus right now.
Ryan Taylor is both comfortable with himself and content with where he is in life. There is an ease in his demeanor and he seems genuine. Despite his success in an industry known for over inflated egos and entitlement, he has remained grounded and personable. It is these qualities, compounded with his sturdy academic background that has allowed him to make strides towards his vision for himself. And if the attitude and vigor with which he approaches life serve as any indication, then it is only a matter of time before all that he endeavors become manifest in his reality.
Written by Khahlil Louisy.
