A Perfect Match Of Fashion And Music

When it comes to the name Willy Monfret, something rings a bell. I’m sure, many of you now think about the name and how to classify it. If you’re always up-to-date in terms of the most known DJs and therefore nightlife fancier, you’ll definitely know this name. His tracks are supported by DJs such as David Guetta, Chuckie, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano and he's famous for his lead roles in the music videos "Right Thru Me" (2010) and "The Pinkprint Movie" (2014) by Nicki Minaj. 

If you’re more a fashion lover, there’s also no way to miss the name of this young guy. He's been booked for names like Karl Lagerfeld, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Elle, Maxim and has been seen on covers of popular magazines like GQ, Men's Health and Préférences. Willy was born and raised in Paris, studied Business Management and was an athlete, running for the French national team, before he started his successful model and music career.

Last weekend, he visited Switzerland for another performance in his tour around the globe. Although his time schedule is too full, we had the honor to meet him in the Radisson Blu hotel lobby before his performance and enjoyed a very inspiring chat about his work.

Photos by Diana Kottmann

How long have you been working as a model and which brands did you work for so far?

It's been almost ten years now. During this time I’ve been working for brands like Armani, L’Oréal, Diesel, Levis, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren and so on.

What do you like most about your job?

It really depends, because there are different sections in modeling as runway, campaigns and TV commercials. For doing this, you need some acting skills, you have to show yourself and move around. So, I’d say TV commercials.

How do you combine your work as a model and as a DJ?

Sure, these are two different kinds of jobs. But for me it’s a fusion, because they both go together. Working as a model is a daytime job while the DJ performances take place during the evening and night. So I have castings and model jobs during the week and live performances at the weekends. As a model, you’re often going out to bars and nightclubs in the evenings, so the party scene is part of the fashion industry. That’s why it goes well together.

What does fashion mean to you?

I'd say it’s your personal style. It’s a way to express yourself in clothes, accessories, and attitude.

How would you describe a perfect gentleman?

A gentleman is open and social to everyone. In a situation with a lady, he certainly opens the door and takes care of the woman in every second. I’d say, he’s the one who knows what you want, before you actually ask for it. That would be the perfect gentleman, I guess.

You live in Miami during the winter. Where are the differences in terms of fashion/style to Switzerland?

Miami is different. There’s more beach life, there are more colors in the fashion trends in general. It’s also the US – they are more into aesthetic things like big boobs, big butts. The fashion is different as well as the models. The market concentrates more on commercials in swimwear, lingerie, sports, fitness, beachlife style and surf style in general.

What are you next plans?

This year, I’m very focused on productions, new tracks, new releases, and new collaborations with other artists. I’m spending more time in the studio. In addition, fashion as a whole is a part of my life. I’m doing different castings, going to the fashion weeks and so on. 

On April 5th (Easter Sunday), Willy Monfret will be back in Zurich for the Fabulous Fashion Night in the night club Alice Choo. That's definitely worth a visit!

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