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Guest Interview n°26: Lucas Kalda
With clients like Valentino, Vogue, Galliano and Acne under his belt, the Swedish model Lucas Kalda is on the verge of becoming a model with a capital M. Born in Stockholm, he’d prefer to live out an American dream in New York City. Maybe someday with his own billboard in Times Square…
So… who is Lucas Kalda?
I’m a 21 year old model from Stockholm, Sweden. I have been modelling since I was 15, so I’ve been in the business for a while. I would say that now’s s the best time in my career. For the moment I live in Stockholm with my girlfriend Louise and my little dog Prince, working at the Swedish brand Tiger Of Sweden. I see myself as a very down to earth guy who is very easy to be around.
How did you get your start as a model?
I started off because a booker at the Swedish modelling agency Stockholmsgruppen approached me in a shopping mall in Stockholm. And the rest is history…
Did you ever have thoughts of modelling before being approached?
Yeah, I had. A lot of people around me, as my friends… and even my parents told me I should send some pictures to agencies, but I never made it before Stockholmsgruppen scouted me.
What was your first job?
It was a show for a couple of small boutiques in an area called SoFo, which is the trendy and fashionable area in Stockholm.
Which myth about being a male model would you like to kill?
That it’s a very glamorous life and a lot of money. As an example, before doing fashion shows there’s a lot of work! You do different castings for four days, and you have maybe around 6-10 castings per day. If you do both Milan and Paris Fashion Week, you have around 50-80 castings in eight days. Then, maybe, you get one show! When getting a show, your agency takes between 50-70% of your proceeds. But the thing with fashion weeks is that it’s the best place to show your face! So it’s important if you want to do the big campaigns. There’s the glamour and money, but getting there isn’t easy.
When it comes to your own sense of style, who is your favourite designer and why?
My favourite designer is Rick Owens. I don’t exactly know why but every time I look at his shows or his collections, I love it. There’s something mysterious about his design…
Try to describe the biggest moment in your career so far?
I think it has to be when I did the Galliano show in Paris. I had the chance to meet John Galliano in person. I only had the chance to say hi! He just told me to walk boldly and quickly. But there was something special about him, for sure…
How do you prevent yourself from being dragged into the dirty side of the industry?
I have never personally experienced the “dirty side” but I’ve heard strange stories about it. Maybe I will in the future but I think that the industry is better now than before. I also think the female models have it much harder than male models. They get asked to do things they shouldn’t, and so on…
And when you’re not working, what do you do?
I love football so a lot of my time goes towards playing and watch games. And of course hanging out with my friends. And my wonderful girlfriend and dog!
Has modelling helped you find yourself as a person?
It has made me much more aware of who I am. I have learned so much from modelling and I’m really happy I’ve had the chance to do it. To get around all by yourself and managing situations you never would have if you didn’t model. That part is great. Before I was a bit shy but after the years as a model I’ve changed. Now I don’t have any problems with that.
Who’s the coolest person you’ve met?
If not John Galliano, I’d have to say Nicola Formichetti. He’s the main stylist and editor of Vogue Japan, but is probably more known as Lady Gaga’s stylist. The master behind the “meat-dress” and all the other crazy stuff she wears. I did a shoot for Vogue Japan and he was styling. He was very funny and easy to hang out with. One funny thing was that when I told him that I came from Sweden, he replied with ”I hate Sweden and it’s fucking cold there!”
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve done as a model?
I haven’t done anything too weird. However, when I did a presentation for Valentino, I had to stand still in the same position for four hours. We were six models who were placed in a room, wearing Valentino suits while people were watching us. I literally felt like a tailor’s dummy!
You’ve always been very interested in fashion, so what is your next step?
As a model, it’s to do my very best and develop my network! I see myself as a fashion buyer after my modelling career, so it’s a great opportunity for me to get to know people in the fashion business. My plan is to maybe study in Paris or in Sweden. But I don’t know when, time (and work) will tell!
Tell us about your dream job, modelling wise.
My dream would be to do one of the really big campaigns. If I hade to pick one it would be CK Jeans. Only me on a big billboard at Time Square in NYC!
