Model Spotlight: New York Model’s Mark Westinghouse

With the proliferation of fashion reality shows, a career as a fashion model seems like a walk in the park for those young men and women who are gifted with beauty and svelte physiques.  Though shows like Remodeled, Scouted, and the long-running America’s Next Top Model gives a purview in the rarefied world of fashion models, the realities of the fashion industry are far removed from the glamor, backbiting and cat fights of reality television.

Fashion Reverie seeks to give its readers an accurate perspective on a model’s life. It may be glamorous, but the fame and accolades are the result of a lot of hard work and sacrifice. Still, those glorious creatures who give character, movement and shape to a designer’s vision continue to excite, enthrall and inspire.

Fashion Reverie: Mark, where are you from?

Mark Westinghouse: I am from upstate New York.

FR: What agency (s) are you with? Who’s your mother agent?

Mark Westinghouse:  I am with New York Models and New York Models is also my mother agency.

FR: How were you discovered?

Mark Westinghouse: I took pictures of myself in a mirror and sent them in. New York Models called me and the rest is history

FR: What designers have you worked with so far? And, could you talk about
some of your modeling experiences?

Mark Westinghouse: I have worked for Dior, Jean-Paul Gautier, Hermes, Dries Van Noten, Issey Miyake, and Fujiwara. I love travelling to Paris, Milan, Austria, and meeting creative crazy people you wouldn’t normally meet at my age or in Upstate New York.  I also walked in the Lifeball show which was so over the top!

FR: What is your funniest modeling experience?

Mark Westinghouse: After an agency dinner, I got locked out of the model apartment, had to climb upusing the fire escape. We broke the window and went into the apartment only to find out we were in the wrong one. This poor old man watching TV nearly had heart attack. Makes for funny memories!

FR: Tell me about your experience shooting the video “Boys of Fashion
Week” with famed video/photographer Justin Wu?

Mark Westinghouse:  The video was lots of fun as I know a lot of the guys in his videos, and of course Justin is such a great photographer and so much fun!

FR: What do like more, runway or modeling for editorials and campaigns, and why?

Mark Westinghouse:  I love runway more because of the energy of runway shows and the immediate response from the audience.

FR: Who is your favorite designer?

Mark Westinghouse:  I love Dries Van Noten.  I love all their whole collection, especially their shoes.

FR: When you’re not modeling, what do you do on your down time?

Mark Westinghouse:  When I am not modeling, I like working on a horse farm, shoveling horse s***t all day … lol

Images courtesy of New York Model Management

FR: If you weren’t modeling what would you be doing?

Mark Westinghouse:  I would definitely be furthering my education. I have deferred college but until I give modeling a proper try!

FR: What advice would you give to an aspiring model?

Mark Westinghouse:  Don’t take it too seriously! Enjoy it for the fun ride it is.

—Geraldine Laiz