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Philippe
Reynaud …from the South of France to the top of the
modeling world and beyond
PRIOR
TO FINDING FAME
You
may not know the name, yet, but you certainly know the
face. The piercing blue eyes of Philippe Reynaud have
graced advertisements for Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton,
Armani and several other brands in an impressive career
spanning over fifteen years. Prior to finding fame,
this man from the South of France was a soccer player,
but a knee injury forced him to drop those dreams and
take on jobs such as bartending and pumping gas. Everything
changed when he was discovered at age 20 on the streets
of Paris by renowned photographer Mario Testino.
THE
FIRST MODELING WORK
“I was surprised and not
convinced at all, so little by little he started to
speak about money and then he convinced me”, jokes Philippe.
His first job was a photo shoot in Central Park
for Versace; shortly thereafter trips to Milan and shoots
with Bruce Weber propelled Reynaud up the male model
food chain. Philippe maintains his professionalism,
upbeat attitude and lack of complaints helped maintain
his longevity in the field. “I'm never late, that's
the most disrespectful thing” Though tastes continue
to evolve, the demand for classic good looks is as strong
as ever; Philippe's recent work includes a global Rolex
campaign and louis vuitton campaign with Patrick Demarchelier.
HIS LATEST DREAM
Reynaud's latest
dream is a move to the other side of the camera as a
shutterbug. After spending time with some of fashion's
finest lensmen, he's picked up some important tips.
In 2006 he opened L Gallery Studio with
a photographer friend. The Tribeca business doubles
as a photography studio and an event space. Philippe
has been perfecting his lens skills, focusing on “real
moments” and getting to know his subjects. When
asked who he'd most like to photograph, this charmer
mentions someone very close to his heart…his dad.
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