We reunited with top model CHRISTIAN HOGUE to talk about the modeling industry and the challenges it faced during the COVID19 year, switching gears from Modeling to role of a Creative Producer, and his view on Social Media then and now.
Read the interview + see more of the story captured by photographer Santiago Bisso below:
Hi Christian, great to have you again at MMSCENE. You were featured in our 20th edition of MMSCENE Magazine, back in 2017. What have you been up to since then?
It has been a while hasn’t it, honestly I know this is something everyone says but I have just been busy with work and happily at that.
Congratulations on getting the Davidoff fragrance campaign! So tell us all about it, is Cool Water your new favorite perfume?
Thank you so much it was such an incredible experience to even be a part of the Davidoff team let alone be the face of it. Davidoff Cool Water Intense is for sure a staple in my line of colognes now for everyday.
Was it a challenging shoot? Are there any backstage anecdotes you can share with us?
It was an incredibly taxing shoot. Long hours and a lot of physical activity involved from waking up at 4:00AM call times to jumping off cliffs to treading water for long periods of time. But again I couldn’t have been happier to do it all.
How does the life of a male model look in the middle of a global pandemic?
It felt like odd waves coming in, first it was those horrible FaceTime shoots that I didn’t partake in but was all the craze. Then there were the photoshoots for clients that the models did themselves at home with cellphones. These weren’t brand deals on instagram reel they actually used them on the clients websites so that was a thing. Hahah yeah it was a strange thing to watch!
How do you pass the time during the lockdown? What does your usual day look like these days?
Wake up, run my dog then I make my special coffee. After that I go through emails, socials and answer calls I may have missed the day before, then I build my workout and after I finish any possible work I would have. Maybe end the night with a good read and some Netflix.
Did you discover any new passions while in quarantine?
Making a business has become my new passion as well as trying to make a name for myself in the creative producer side of modeling.
What is the most exciting thing that has happened to you in the last year?
Probably realizing how business driven I was, as well as how creatively excited I am about moving out of the modeling world and having a different role to play in it.
Social media also plays an important part in your life. Can you tell me a little bit about how you got started and how you found your own voice in the space?
Social media has just been something to distract and kill time. I have never used it really in a way of making money or succeeding. I was actually against social media when it made its way into modeling. In the beginning made me feel like all the hard work I had done over the years before it came was really for nothing.
Your favourite TV shows to binge watch and books to read?
“That 70s Show” and “Frasier”. Books, “The Way of the Superior Man” by David Deida and “Armada” by Ernest Cline.
Describe your personal style. Where do you get your inspiration from?
My personal style is a mix of thrifter vintage and Tom Ford class I would say, I love to have that rugged used look through time but I also love to be cleaned up and sharp give me both sides.
What kind of music are you into? Could you share what’s on your current playlist?
I know people say this all the time but I mostly like all genres besides house music haha. Ill give you my three right now! Crooked smile J Cole, What you do James Gillespie, and Rain Azizi Gibson
Your personal passion or hidden talents?
I absolutely love motorcycles and the speed they give. I love riding and that two wheel life.
What makes you happy?
Feeling like I have a goal I’m striving for knowing I’m working hard to better my life and my future family right now.
What’s next for Christian Hogue?
Guess you will just have to wait and see.
Keep up with Christian on Instagram – @christianhogue
With Christian ending with a “wait and see” what’s next for him, it’s hard not to walk away inspired by that interview. He seems down to earth and has a hard work ethic, which we think most men can relate to. Even when he’s talking about his style, he mentions thrifting and vintage – an everyday man for sure. While you may not have the hours to put in at some of the top gyms in La Jolla or his recipe for his “special coffee” he referenced, you can at least smell like him. Christian was blatant about his preference for Cool Water Cologne, and it makes sense – men have been using this fragrance for decades and this point. Talk about serious staying power. Cool Water is almost like the Chanel No. 5 version of men’s cologne, everyone wears it, and everyone loves it. If you want to start your journey to get on Christian’s level, you could always start with a spritz of Cool Water.
Photographer SANTIAGO BISSO – @santiagobisso
Stylist ARI MICHAEL – @arimichaelt
Grooming JORDAN ALEX – @_jordanalex
Model CHRISTIAN HOGUE at LA Models – @lamodels