IN CONVERSATION WITH FRANCISCO LACHOWSKI

Interview by Jana Letonja

Francisco Lachowski is one of the worlds leading male supermodels. He has been ranked as a top ‘Industry Icon’ and one of the ‘Sexiest Men’ by models.com since 2015. His vast portfolio also includes winning GQ’s Man of the Year award in 2019. Along with a successful modeling career Francisco is a family man and is a keen cyclist both on and off-road.

Francisco, what enamored you by fashion and encouraged you to become a model?

I didn’t know anything about the fashion industry until my cousin Natalia invited me to participate in a small fashion show done by her school, where I was approached by an agency in my town and attended the Ford Men’s Supermodel of the World in 2008. I was thrown in the deep end after the contest and was immediately sent to Paris for Fashion week in January 2009. It was all so fast and it was the start to the ride of a lifetime.

Your career started when you won the Ford Men’s Supermodel of the World in 2008. How has this experience prepared you for the career of a model? What is the most valuable lesson you learned from that experience?

The contest was when my career as a model started. I was 17, not sure what to do in my academic life. I wasn’t expecting a lot from the contest, but the closer I got to the finals, the bigger my expectations grew. I’ve learned many great things from the contest, valuable lessons about myself and the industry. But the most valuable was the people I met, who are still very important in my personal and professional life today.

In your career so far, you’ve been ranked as a top ‘Industry Icon’ and one of the ‘Sexiest Men’. How does it feel being included as one of the sexiest men for many years now?

I am grateful and thankful for all the different awards and rank titles I received during my career. Most of all, being a role model for young people around the world coming up in the industry. I am just as inspired today as I was when I first started. I am grateful for all the people and clients who helped me get there.

What excites you the most about walking the runway and being in front of the camera, posing for the covers and campaigns?

Walking the runway is a rush of the lifetime. Hitting the runway and when the lights come up and the show starts is an exhilarating experience.

I love being in front of the camera and being able to connect with the team to create amazing images and content. It is very special when you are offered to be the face of a brand and have the opportunity to be the cover model for a magazine. It makes it all the more exciting when you connect with top fashion photographers and designers.

What does fashion represent to you? How important is it in your life?

To me, fashion represents a place where one can find creative expression. Fashion is important in my life because without it, I would not have been able to see the world and learn about all the amazing things fashion brings to people around the world.

How would you describe the term beauty?

Beauty is best seen in the eye of the beholder. The nice thing is you can find beauty in almost everything if you really take a step back and see the bigeer picture.

We are living in a world that is full of constant, fast changes and also a lot of norms. In what ways does fashion industry still have room to grow?

Even though fashion can be repetitive throughout the years, there will always be somebody somewhere who will create a new idea and new trend, which will add to the future of fashion and innovation. For instance, today there is a lot of discussions about sustainabiltiy and how the fashion footprint can change so the world won’t be as affected by the execution and production of the fashion industry. These innovators are leading an amazing conversation,  which will innovate the industry moving forward. This would be one of the many examples of the constant change that is happening in a constantly evolving industry.

You come from Brazil. How has your career enabled to you to explore the world? What do you love the most about traveling?

The fashion industry has allowed me to tour the the world. I make it a point when landing in a new city and country to learn about the culture and history. The thing I love about traveling is the people I meet along the way.

Before modeling, I never had the chance to travel overseas, something I always dreamt of. When I got called to go to Paris, I was 17, not able to speak any other language than Portuguese. Modeling gave me the opportunity to learn other languages, travel the world, get to know many different cultures all over the globe.

I’m forever grateful for my job.

When you are not modeling, you love cycling. What are some of your other passions and hobbies?

I love cycling and off road biking. It is so freeing to be able to explore areas on a bike. I also love all types of sports and training exercises. Currently my new toy is a Mercedes Sprinter Van. My wife, my two boys and I are in the process of retro-fitting a vehicle to travel the rest of the US and drive through Canada. We love to camp, see the sites and hit the open road. You will be able to follow us on our trip this Fall on my Instagram.

You are a dad to two boys. What are the biggest lessons you would like to teach them for life?

My family is my life and I am so fortunate to have two amazing boys. The biggest lesson I would like to teach my boys is to live life to the fullest, to be humble and honest with themselves and go after their dreams. I just want them to be happy and enjoy the ride.

TEAM CREDITS
Talent: Francisco Lachowski @chico_lachowski
Photographer: Fernando Sippel @fernandosippel
Stylist: Lucas Magno @lucasmagnof
Groomer: Piu Gontijo @piugontijo
Editor: Timi Letonja @timiletonja
Cover design: Arthur Roeloffzen @arthurroeloffzen
Interview: Jana Letonja @janaletonja