Model Spotlight: Coley Brown

Not just a model, this young rising star Coley Brown has a few other tricks up his sleeve. He's also a seriously talented photographer. Check out his website, which is a really incredible peek at his oeuvre here. And he can speak "Swamp Talk." Even if it's only in his dreams. Here's a little q&a i recently did with him.

How long have you been modeling?
I've been modeling for a year. Almost.

What started the modeling career for you?
Well, it originally started last year when I was working for Ryan McGinley as a photo intern slash assistant. And then he asked me to model for him. So I went on his road trip and came back to NYC as a model.

A new model.
Yes, a new model.

A nude model!
Yeah, a new nude fresh freshy,

You definitely posed nude a lot! Why did you do that? Is your mother so mad at you right now?
She was a long time ago, but not any more. She's not mad anymore.

A long time ago? Have you been nude modeling for a long time now???
Since I was a baby, yeah. But seriously, now my parents are totally cool with it.

But now, the normal, non-nude, formal fashion-y style of modeling: it's paying the bills, right?
Yeah.

Are you doing well?
Yup!

What's this about Japan?
After Fashion Week, I'm going to Japan for a month and a half. And it's gonna be awesome and I'm really excited about it.

For modeling?
Yeah! I got a contract. I'm gonna hang out in Japan.

Awesome. Totally totally awesome. Where else has your modeling taken you?
New York, Los Angeles... I went to this amazing mountain outside Los Angeles. And also I've been to Paris to do a show for No. 9. And now I'm going to Japan.

Pretty good for a year's work.
Yeah it's been incredible. I didn't ever think I would get into modeling.

Doesn't that always seem to happen? You have these really hot models but they never really considered getting involved, but it somehow fell right into their laps!
I don't think so. I feel like so many people I meet are sooooo into it.

Like they've wanted this for a while.
It's kind of awkward. You can pick out a dude model from so far away. But they mostly don't know that I am one of them.

So why is it awkward?
Cause all they want to do is talk about modeling, and I don't want to talk about that, like, at all.

Do you know anything about fashion at all?
I think I'm learning a little bit.

Do you have a favorite designer?
Yes. Well, I like a lot of clothes. I like fashion. But I just wouldn't be able to call myself an Authority on the subject. What I like would usually be looked down upon in the fashion world.

I don't know about that, buddy, you're pretty stylish.
I've learned about Bernard Wilhem, and like him a lot. There's a lot of art and concept and experimentation and all that stuff involved with his work.

What is a typical day like for you?
Involving modeling?

Like, when you wake up in the morning you do... what? Run me through a typical day in the life of the adorable Coley Brown.
Luckily I don't really have too typical a day because I split my time between a ton of different outlets. So when it's modeling time, I'm kind of stuck all day doing that and that can be great and something can come out of that. I try to take a lot of trips, get out of the city a lot. I work a lot on my photographs. So I'm either out of town, or out of the house at least, going on adventures and finding cool stuff to do. OR I'm at home for hours scanning pictures onto my computer, and editing and trying to make amazing things happen.

Where are you from?
Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

What's it like there -- wait, you don't have an accent.
No I don't.

Did you ever?
I definitely say "ya'll." It's mixed. You either have a really crazy, crazy, really intense Southern accent, or you don't have it at all.

Is it considered "country" to have that accent?
I'd say it's Creole, Bayou. It's not so much country as it's Swamp Talk. Gator Talk.

Ohhh... love that.
I can get into it sometimes. Mostly I do it in a dream. It's weird.

All photos by Johnny Misheff

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