Starboy

Senior Drake Brown is signed to DT Models

Click, click, click. Light reflects. Directions and movements are called out. Flustered hair and makeup artists rush around. He tunes it all out and does his job: wearing high-end clothing, staring unblinkingly into the camera, and striking pose after pose. Senior Drake Brown is on his way to success as a male model, a passion that grew out of a love for fashion.

“I got a manager for modeling around a year and a half ago and that’s how it all started. Modeling gives you a lot of exposure. It’s cool because people start to notice you more. The clothes are cool too because you get to try a lot of new styles, and some shoots even pay with clothes. It opens your eyes to new brands, which is cool,” Brown said.

Brown was signed by DT Models after sending them his portfolio and undergoing the interview process, and since then, Brown has become much more involved in the fashion industry, as well as overcome obstacles on a personal level.

“I have a lot of anxiety and that has affected a lot of things in my life. But just recently, the reason I am pursuing modeling is because I overcame that anxiety and just accepted myself. I get anxiety but once I’m in the shoot I’m fine. It’s always before,” Brown said.

Although he works to minimize his anxiety before a shoot by listening to music and “getting pumped up,” once he is in the clothes and in front of the camera, letting go of the concern about his appearance during a shoot is something he is still working on.

“I think a lot and sometimes I have to calm myself down because I’m thinking about what face I’m making and what pose I’m doing, “Brown said. “But usually I end up just getting the help of the photographers to direct me, so I’m not thinking about too much, just basically what I’m doing and if it looks good.”

So far, a lot of the shoots he has been a part of have been test shoots, which are unpaid shoots with professional photographers. Since Brown just signed with his agency a month and a half ago, he is still building his portfolio and uses these test shoots to do so. He also attends many castings, which are visual interviews where he presents himself in front of a client or casting director, most recently for Coca-Cola and PacSun.

“A lot of shoots are just for websites that sell high-end clothing so I’m in the catalog where where when you’re buying clothes you’ll see me wearing them. I also do lookbook-type shoots. I did a lookbook shoot for Life’s a Beach,” Brown said.

While Brown feels he has fit in fairly well into the modeling industry, he recognizes the intensity of the field and the fact that not everyone is welcome.

“I would say it’s really fun but it’s not for everyone. Obviously a lot of times [people] say you can do whatever you want in life and, and I like to say that to everyone, but modeling is really specific. They need a certain look and it’s a lot of work, so not everyone can do it,” Brown. “Also, girls’ modeling is a lot harder I think. I’m really happy I’m not a girl trying to model because it’s so harsh.”

Regardless, in addition to being involved in modeling and fashion, Brown also makes his own music, a triple threat skillset that has become more common recently.

“One of the people that got me into fashion indirectly was Luka Sabbat. A lot of people say I look like him too because he has dreads, but he [is] my inspiration for fashion as well as people that go along with him like Ian Connor,” Brown said. “They are all youth and fashion and music all combined into one.”

With goals to one day be as successful as the young men he looks up to, Brown hopes to eventually model for big brands, like Gucci and Saint Laurent, and to see himself on a billboard.

“I would definitely like to make a career out of modeling if it takes me somewhere. It’s not a career forever because obviously I’m not going to be 70 and still be a model, but for the start of my life it would be a good career,” Brown said.