POKER FACE. John Kolic’s cool countenance and unflinching gaze belie a vibrant personality with a lot of great insight into the modeling world
Outfit by Michael Kors
Fashion models are seen, but not often heard. That’s how things used to be, at least. Nowadays, a model’s personality can count for just as much—if not more—than his looks. For model John Kolic, though, the cool and somber look still works swimmingly for his runway appearances, his campaign shots and his editorials (including this one, obviously). But beneath that look is a genuinely warm personality with a penchant for humanitarian work (Kollic supports the A.skate Foundation, for one, along with several non-profits mentioned below) and a lot of insight into the world of modeling. Oh, and apparently, he has quite a sense of humor. Below he shares his thoughts on what gets a model noticed in the industry and his passions beyond fashion.
DA MAN: Hi, John; great to have you with us. So, what are you busy with these days?
John Kolic: Thanks for having me. Interview shoots are always nice, because my mom gets to hear me lie to strangers. But let’s get on with my fabulous life.
DA MAN: Take us back to the very beginning. How did you end up becoming a model?
John Kolic: I was surfing in Malibu, and got approached by a creepy dude who turned out to be the most fortunate acquaintance of my life—Jim Jordan. Jim also found a girl named Taylor Hill [now a model and Victoria’s Secret Angel]. Luckily, I’m holding it down for him.
DA MAN: During your early days as a model, what did you consider to be the hardest part of the job to get used to?
John Kolic: Eyeliner. That s**t is no joke. I have been doing this for three years now, and I still cry every time.
DA MAN: On the flip side, what were some of the things that you picked up immediately?
John Kolic: Looking like myself, and being kind to everyone on set. That’s about all I can do, but I try to do them well. You wouldn’t believe how many models think the world revolves around them. I like pushing the focus onto the artists around me, as I’m actually an introvert in many ways.
Outfit by Calvin Klein
DA MAN: Was there a particular moment when you realized that you were going to do well as a model?
John Kolic: Riccardo Tisci chose me to walk for his 10th anniversary show in New York. That’s when things changed. Givenchy has been using me for ever since.
DA MAN: What has been your key to success in the super-competitive world of male modeling?
John Kolic: Don’t be competitive, and take this time to cultivate other talents. This isn’t a competition. You’re chosen—or not chosen—based solely on an artist’s creative inspirations. There is no good or bad work. Just focus on your happiness, health, and personal endeavors. Everything comes in due time.
DA MAN: Many TV shows and movies try to convince us that modeling is a ruthless arena where everyone is super-tense and super- ambitious. In your experience, what’s the atmosphere really like backstage at fashion shows or on set between takes?
John Kolic: Everyone gets along until you take yourself too seriously. It’s fun once you get over yourself.
DA MAN: On a related note, what do you think is the key to being noticed by top-tier fashion brands?
John Kolic: Be genuine. Individuality is palpable. Be yourself, and stay positive. You’re going to be surrounded by insecurity. Advertisement is built on our insecurities. Your job is to exude confidence to people who lack it. That is what jumps o of the page when people see your photo.
DA MAN: Among all the photo shoots you’ve done so far, which was the most memorable?
John Kolic: I got arrested, hit a kid in the head with a beer can and was pulled away from a fist fight by Maria Carla Boscano in a shoot for Interview Magazine with Fabien Baron. That was a weird night, but one that I will always remember.
Outfit by John Varvatos, Neroli Portofino Body Moisturizer by Tom Ford
Outfit by Polo Ralph Lauren
DA MAN: How about the most important one for your career?
John Kolic: Every shoot is different, and I don’t like to compare them in terms of importance. I’ve had tests with some photographers and friends that make me just as proud as my largest campaigns. I love to work with artists and immerse myself in their creativity in order to accomplish
something. That’s the mentality I take every time I walk on set.
DA MAN: A lot of people aspire to become professional fashion models. What, would you say, is the one thing that most people get wrong about this profession?
John Kolic: Don’t join this industry if you’re trying to be famous. There are already too many people like that, and you’ll be disappointed. This industry is filled with some of the most talented artists, producers, writers, and all around creators in the world. If you’re lucky, you might have a chance to steal their attention for a moment to make some-thing together. Wouldn’t it be a shame to miss those opportunities while admiring yourself?
DA MAN: On a more personal note, what is your usual go-to style for your day-to-day wardrobe?
John Kolic: Vintage leather jacket. Black skinny jeans. Vintage band T-Shirt, and my YSL suede Chelsea boots.
DA MAN: Can you name a popular fashion trend that you eventually took up?
John Kolic: Hedi Slimane created my world in the ’90s when he was at Dior. To this day, he still holds me in the palm of his hand.
DA MAN: You also work as an actor, right? What was it that drew you into this art form?
John Kolic: I studied acting briefly in Los Angeles and then London while I was living there in 2014. I find the process of acting to be quite admirable, and it has given me the joy of connecting with so many lives that I could never have imagined otherwise. I tend to live in a slightly lucid state most of the time, and filmmaking shares a wonderful connection between dreams and reality.
Outfit by Calvin Klein
DA MAN: We often hear about how modeling supposedly lends itself well to acting and vice versa. Is this the case for you?
John Kolic: Not in the slightest. Acting is the practice of leaving oneself in order to channel the character of another from within, while modeling is all about lending your own character and physicality to a project. It’s very hard to become someone else when you’ve only focused on being a heightened version of yourself before.
DA MAN: So far, what has been the best stage production or film project that you’ve been part of?
John Kolic: I did a short film with a friend of mine in 2015 that I am quite proud of. It’s called “Au Loin” and was filmed as a short series by my close friend Basak Erol. In it, I play a poet who is writing to a lover.
DA MAN: Are there any new theater or film projects that you’re currently working on? Or maybe something that you’re seriously looking into?
John Kolic: I am currently waiting on the release of another film that I worked on last year, in which I play a cheating boyfriend whose girlfriend decides to fight back. It’s called “Bang Kitty,” and let’s just say that I get what’s coming to me.
DA MAN: What are some of the most important milestones—personal or professional—that you’re looking to tackle in the near future?
John Kolic: I’ve been really fortunate to work with some amazing magazines, brands, photographers and artists over the past year. More than anything else, I just want to be happy and stay that way. I love my job, and I know that I’m very lucky to be where I am.
DA MAN: Outside of your work and any future career goals, what else are you passionate about?
John Kolic: I’m currently using my free time to shoot documentary work, photography, for some really great non-profit organizations and news agencies. I love people, and I want to do everything I can to raise awareness for causes that I am passionate about. This year, I am shooting stories on transgender/gay rights in Puerto Rico, immigration on the United States and Mexican border, drug trafficking and gang culture in Honduras and the U.S. Military presence in Afghanistan.
DA MAN: If you could sum up your life and your work in a single quote (or saying, movie line, etc.), what would it be?
John Kolic: Live fast. Die fun.
Outfit by Calvin Klein
Photography Mitchell Nguyen McCormack
Styling Lauren LaRocca
Grooming Elie Maalouf at Jed Root
Model John Kolic/Vision LA, Re:Quest Model Management