Strange that I didn´t find this interview earlier . Thanks to Faith !
Copenhagen Exclusive Issue #05 / August 2007
Behind the camera / On stage / Backstage
By Julie Ralphs
mathias lauridsen, model
the hottest must-have in fashion right now is mathias lauridsen, the face behind an impressive list of giga brands growing as we speak. and yet he’s grounded in reality, with a quick wit, making him all the more appealing.
any online fan site will tell you that mathias doesn’t buy fashion magazines. he is known to have 10 pairs of shoes but only wears three. his favorite food is mashed potatoes. and he won’t travel without his ipod and toothbrush, and has quite a down-to-earth attitude in a world known for being the absolute opposite. in fact, the first thing mathias did with his modeling money was to buy a round of beer for his friends. aside from his hypnotic hazel eyes and bed head, brown hair, mathias has something else that adds to his appeal, a scar on the left side of his face. when asked, he reveals that it’s the result of a drunken argument when he was about 15 that got out of hand. it’s ironic that it would work to his advantage. at age 23, mathias has already worked with a slew of some of the most famous aspiring brands in the business including christian dior, hermes, calvin klein, marc jacobs, perry ellis, dkny, jil sander, lacoste, kenzo, tommy hilfiger and hugo boss. most recently, he has become known as the face for gucci pour homme ii. mathias shares his off-the-cuff insights from his perspective in front of the camera, from his home in copenhagen.
q. what is danish about your look / style / aesthetics / appeal?
a. i’m actually often asked if any asian blood runs in my family because of my eyes. so i’m not really sure how particularly danish i look.
q. what makes danish fashion danish - from your point of view wearing it?
a. i think what makes danish fashion danish is the distance it has to itself and the business. it seems danish fashion embraces the casualness that makes you feel in control. you are wearing the clothes and not the other way around.
q. as a model, what do you love about your work in fashion?
a. the cliché is traveling and meeting people. what is really positive about the business is that you can just remember who you like and forget about the rest. i’ve never been much of a traveling person, actually. i’m glad to have a job that is forcing me away from copenhagen. it feels good to know that when i get older, i probably won’t have the feeling of “missing out” on seeing places. and as a bonus, i like the fact that i haven’t had to pay for a haircut in four years.
q. what are some of the challenges from your perspective?
a. the biggest challenge would definitely have to be all the time you spend alone and all the “family, friends and so on” stuff you miss out. another challenge is having to connect with people you meet for the first time. the business has so many players and new ones coming and going constantly, you have to present an open mind and be good at small talk. that’s probably why outsiders find it so superficial.
q. what could the global fashion world learn from the danes?
a. what the danes could give is a more laid back approach to the business. it seems they always keep in mind that fashion is only fashion. and it’s not about creating your identity through fashion, but supporting you identity with fashion.
q. what could the danes learn from them?
a. just to contradict myself completely, i think the danes could also learn to be a bit more passionate about their work in fashion. the mentality here is you should be the best you can, but you can’t allow yourself to care too much, either.
q. what’s one amusing experience regarding cultural differences?
a. i found it amusing going to tokyo with [the film] “lost in translation” running in the back of my mind. going there i found it, at least from a western point of view, to be exactly like that. i like to be able to read a situation and figure out the proper thing to do. there i loose that ability.
q. when you’re away from denmark, what are three things you miss most?
a. being able to have fun with my friends and family. riding by bike in the streets of copenhagen, especially in the summer time. staying up painting while everybody else is sleeping.
q. off camera, how do you keep yourself amused?
a. my ipod is a very dear companion. while i listen to it i can just think of everything and nothing.
q. would you consider trading places, for example, to be a photographer or a stylist?
a. probably more with the photographer than the stylist. i don’t really see myself doing either. even though shooting summer clothes during winter i would very much love to trade places.
some of my screenshots: