| Will Chalker
The Fashion eZine - Supermodels
British Bad BoyWill Chalker was born in East Sussex, England on March 7th 1980. The 6'1" tall British supermodel and 165 lb. amateur boxer began modeling at the age of twenty in 2000, leaving his earlier career as a construction worker after a friend took test shots of him. "I guess it's been distorted slightly over the years. I was working with a friend of mine on a building site. It was on a power station in Shoreham. He was at film college in Wandsworth. I went up there to collect some stuff with him and we did some pictures together. I took them to be developed and while he was off doing his stuff I took them into a couple of agencies. Someone I knew a couple of years before had done some modeling. Nothing serious like, just a little something they'd fallen into and they said I should try it. Nevs did some test shots with me and it's been a slow progression from there. The first couple of years were a bit rubbish, to be honest with you." - Will Chalker. There was a tough beginning in the first two years in terms of his financial situation and the works available. Once he learned the ropes of business, Will Chalker was able to be versatile to meet the demands of different designers. He has been successfully modeling full-time for the past two and a half years. Since then, the green-eyed and blonde bad boy has appeared in major designer campaigns including YSL, Perry Ellis, and Paul Smith. His runway tasks include opening and closing for Gucci, John Galliano's finishing tableau, Athena-poster look for D&G, and walking along Sonia Rykiel during her show. He has been modeling on the men's catwalks for nine seasons and modeling full-time since early 2003. He was crowned by the media as "the first male supermodel".
Will Chalker is in demand because he seems to tie in with the current mood in menswear: handsome but gentlemanly, well built and healthy, he marks a move away from fashion's drawn-out obsession with boyish, sallow androgyny. His success is more than just a number of appearances in major designers' campains, which includes YSL, Paul Smith and Perry Ellis, but the catwalk tasks that Will Chalker was given - openning and closing for Gucci, John Galliano's finishing tableau, Athena-poster look for D&G, and walking along Sonia Rykiel during her show.
Will Chalker's look become popular since 2003 because of the move in menswear towards dressing up. Designers prefer recognizable faces in their shows to add some empathy to the designs. Despite Will Chalker's growing popularity in fashion today, there has been no public buzz about him. But we all know that he is a well deserving male supermodel on the rise. For now, Chalker seems happy to remain down to earth. He has a reputation for punctuality and professionalism, and is enjoying the experience for however long it lasts, supermodel or not. "I've always liked nice clothes," he says, "but now I know names I would never have known in the past. Now I'd still never wear a whole outfit, but the clothes at places like Gucci or YSL make you feel like a million dollars." Recently he can be seen on Paco Rabanne Black XS TV commercial with Bianca Balti. Will became the first man ever to be nominated for the Best Model at the British Fashion Awards in 2004. For now, Chalker seems happy to remain down to earth. He has a reputation for punctuality and professionalism, and is enjoying the experience for however long it lasts, supermodel or not. "I've always liked nice clothes," he says, "but now I know names I would never have known in the past. Now I'd still never wear a whole outfit, but the clothes at places like Gucci or YSL make you feel like a million dollars."
Photos of Will Chalker
Will Chalker #01
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