Model: Tee J Keys @teejkeys Photography: Pablo Raya
25
10 Letter from the Editor 13 Thrifting for the Big & Tall Man 25 Interview with Miguel Perdomo
SPRING I S S U E
2019 34 Meet The Men Changing The Game 49 Zach Miko's 5 Modeling Tips
34
Model: Kavah King @gentlemenscurb Photography: Enoch Purnell
ICONIC
/īˈ-kä-nik/ adjective
A characteristic of an icon — an image, emblem, idol, or hero.
Dapper Dan recently said on Project Runway regarding giving birth to new ideas: "What you create today tells the story about tomorrow." And he went on to tell the designers how he asked himself this pivotal question when starting out: "How can I find a way to embrace my community and change the narrative of what fashion should look like?" My answer to that question for myself is simply, the birth of Iconic Style Magazine. While the fashion industry has changed greatly, there is still a lot of work to be done. My goal with Iconic Style is to change the narrative on big & tall men's fashion and what it should look like. Whereas the women have dominated and been in the forefront of plus size fashion, what about the men?
Letter from the Editor I've been in the plus size fashion industry and community for ten years as a writer, blogger, influencer, public speaker and fit model. But what many don't know about me is that prior to my current career, I worked for a big and tall men's brand for 5 years on the client side, in marketing. Being exposed to that customer gave me insight into how different the fashion experience is for men versus women. What a better way to showcase ALL bodies, than in fashion, the very thing we are "told" we're not worthy of having in our size? The time is now. More and more men of size are rising up as aspiring models, designers and influencers. They are organizing movements like #XLTribe #WeAreBigandTall, and #MenofSize as well as walking runways and getting signed to major agencies. So I hope that this magazine tells the story of tomorrow, where the fashion industry becomes more inclusive for all. These men are icons in their own right, existing in bodies that are "deemed" not perfect and choosing to dress those bodies in current on-trend fashion their way, showing off their ICONIC STYLE.
Marcy
3 big & tall men
FASHION
show how thrifting is a great way to find key closet staples on a budget
Thrifting for the Big & Tall Man
Darnel Ghramm Location: New Jersey @dghramm
MY STYLE IS... I always feel that my personal
Darnel Ghramm
style can’t be checked off in one box. But if I had to describe it, it’d be a cross between GQ with a little rockstar.
Suit by Jones New York, Classic Cut Mandarin shirt $5.99
Total Cost of suit: $31.50
MY FAVORITE THRIFT STORE IS... There’s so many great stores but Village Thrift in South Jersey is probably my top pick when it comes to a local spot in my area. It's easy to get to and I always find something.
I started thrifting
Denim Vest $11.99
about 2 years ago. I was bored honestly and decided to go and look around. During my visits, I have found top designers such as YSL, Oscar de la Renta and Chanel. I’ve also found some great non-designer pieces that I’d never find at the mall amongst current trends, which makes it that much more special and exciting to hunt at thrift stores.
My denim vest is my favorite piece that I have found at a thrift store.
Sabas Whittaker Location: Miami, FL @showtime49
MY STYLE IS... reminiscent of levels of a video game in a sense. I like to challenge myself to push my creativity in the areas of color, texture, prints, and accessories, all while adding a touch of Miami flare. I feel that being from Miami has opened up my creativity with fashion because of the various cultures that coexist in this area. It helps me to always add a bit of Suit by Jones New York, Classic Cut Total Cost of suit: $31.50
Thrifted Suit by Jones New York, Classic Cut $31.50
uniqueness to any style that I pursue, whether it's more classic or pushing the barriers.
My childhood kind of forced me into thrifting because my mother had to be resourceful with what she had. At that time, I didn't quite understand that being able to thrift would end up being a resourceful gift I would carry into adulthood. I appreciate her for exposing me to a different way of shopping because it gave me a limitless vision to styling and recreating myself endlessly through fashion.
My favorite items have definitely been suits. You would be surprised how many Big & Tall suiting options are in your local thrift store. All you need is to clean and tailor them to make them look just like new. ICONIC STYLE/17
Lance Franklin Location: Washington, DC @goodboyfashion
MY STYLE IS... This is a hard question to answer because I don't fit into any particular category. My best friend says I dress "high fashion/editorial" but I still can't define it. I tend to wear clothes to express my various moods and, overall, individuality as a person. If I am feeling free, I'll rock a floral Photography: Alesha Randolph (@aleshacreates)
kimono. If I am feeling sexy, I'll rock lace and sheer. If I'm feeling preppy, I'll tie a bowtie around my neck. Although I can't really define my style, I find myself gravitating towards more genderneutral/androgynous clothing because that's what makes me the most comfortable at this moment.
Pastel Suit (Jaqueline Ferrar) - $7.00 Two tone oxford shoes (J.D. Fisk) - $14
IS IT HARD FINDING YOUR SIZE IN THE THRIFT STORE? Yes and no. Because a thrift store isn't a regular retail store, you have no way of knowing what sizes or types of clothing they have. It's not like you can call ahead and ask either. Sometimes I've seen thrift stores with pant sizes that don't go above a 38 while other times I'll see them above a 46. It just depends.
Back when I was living in Atlanta, I couldn't afford to spend a ton of money at the mall. I started thrifting once I realized they carried amazing pieces of clothing in my size. After that, I was sold and I have been visiting thrift stores weekly since.
THRIFTING TIPS FOR THE BIG & TALL MAN My #1 tip is to have PATIENCE. Shopping in a thrift store takes time and
SABAS
you can't get frustrated because you will have to look hard sometimes. Tip #2: Bring headphones or earbuds because thrift stores are usually very loud. I wear them to keep me focused on shopping. Tip #3: Leave your kids at home! It takes time to really find an amazing item while in the thrift store and kids will get bored and restless very quickly, which will end up making the shopping experience more difficult.
LENRAD
Be open minded, be patient and have fun. Also, remember you can always get most pieces altered to fit you better. That’s a tip for styling yourself in general. We are all different shapes and proportions, even if we wear the same size. A good tailor will help you get your wardrobe to fit you like a glove.
Approach thrifting with an open mind because it can be hit or miss. You may have your mind set on finding one particular thing but never find it.
ECNAL
On the flip side, sometimes you'll find gems you didn't know your wardrobe needed. I've learned to enjoy the experience and if you find something you like, buy it when you see it because it will not be there when you return. Also, it's important to branch out to different locations because no thrift store is alike and you may be surprised to see what each store carries.
mvpcollections.com
Great Style Has No Size
WEIVRETNI EVISULCXE He's one of the hardest working models in the business AND one of the most humble. After being in the game for 20 years, he's finally seeing the fruits of his labor.
MIGUEL PERDOMO Photography: Courtesy of WIlhelmina Models
The new father and signed Wilhelmina model was recently featured in a JC Penney commercial as well as doing major campaigns for brands like Target, Van Heusen and Kohl's. This amazing powerhouse chatted with Iconic Style about how he got his start, what's next for him and more!
I got started in fashion in 1999. When I was younger, people would always tell me that I should be a model. I never paid attention to that because I was busy playing basketball and learning boxing. At the time, boxing was very therapeutic for me, acting as an outlet. Paterson [New Jersey] streets as a kid were dangerous but fun and it taught me a lot about myself.
When Miguel Perdomo walks in a room, people take notice. From his confident walk and star presence to his big smile, he's someone that you would never guess is viewed as a heavyhitter in the big and tall men's modeling world. His humility and kind character is what makes him a standout. He regularly answers messages from aspiring models who want to pick his brain on how they can successfully get their own break in the industry. He posts positive quotes and messages on social media. And he has always been approachable and never takes anything for granted.
Another thing that many may not know is that while Perdomo modeled, he also held down a full-time job. He's always been very candid about how challenging a modeling career can be. He recently decided to quit his day job. "It has been on my mind for a long time to quit my job, and not because it was a negative thing. They were very cool with me taking time off for modeling gigs. However, as my modeling career picked up, it made sense for me to quit my day job so I can pursue more opportunities without missing tons of work. I am grateful either way because my former employer let me do my thing as long as I had coverage. Everyone thinks making that decision was easy but it wasn't at all." "I made the decision solely to go harder on myself and my career. I bet on myself before I bet on anyone else. I'm a natural-born hustler so I can get anything done with time. People are chasing money and I'm chasing time. The most valuable thing we have is time."
Perdomo is also a father to an infant son, who he says is everything to him and helps keep him grounded. "Even though he is an infant, he sees what I am doing. Taking care of home, girlfriend, baby, and career is all a hustle but I am built for it. I aim to teach him that the world doesn't owe him anything regardless of what myself and his mother does. He has to work hard for what he wants. Life is not easy and it's tough to be an adult." That growth is where his humility comes into play. Becoming a father and also learning to bide his time productively when it came to modeling, has also helped Perdomo become more humble and not take things for granted. "In this industry, it is very easy to get lost in the clouds. Before me being a model, I am a human being and I pride myself on being just that. A model is a person who is hired to wear clothes and be aspirational for customers while selling the clothes. Some of these new models are somewhat entitled and that's not what it means to be a model. I'm here to use my platform to create more opportunities for others. Always be humble because you never know when you're going to die. All we have is our integrity and character amongst other traits, like love and respect.Â
I understand what it's like to have money and I know what it's like to be broke so I never judge anyone because life is about all about exploring, so always be humble."
I've had my hardships in my modeling career because earlier on, it wasn't my time. I would see other models and would say to myself, I can do that better than him. But honestly, I was a rookie then and jealous but at the same time, learning. Once I changed my mindset and attitude, everything starting to work for me. The Universe responded to my prayers, hopes and dreams. God made it into fruition for me as I prayed daily for Him to give me my shot. Once I got it, I was ready for it but before that, I wasn’t.
Things have changed in 20 years. We now have social media, where many aspiring models go to promote their shoots, with some treating Instagram like their portfolio. Perdomo's feelings on social media are mixed. "I think social media is an important tool to use to brand/market yourself. Definitely. But I also see some who use it to be critical of other people for their decisions and journey. That's the downside. I use social media to research brands, fashion companies and all things outside the US because I love to see what other people are creating.Â
Aspiring models should definitely create content for their key audience but having a website as well is important. You never know if social media will shut down one day. How are you going to show off your work if that happens?" When asked what's next, Perdomo is looking into expanding himself into different markets, including heading to the UK to work. He also wants to jump deeper into acting, something that he has dabbled in during his modeling career. He states that he wants to be "the male version of Ashley Graham in the men's Big & Tall fashion world." And we have no doubt that he will.
I want the world to know that we all have the same 24 hours and time is the most valuable asset we have on Earth. You can lose money and love and get those back, but not time. I want the world to have more entrepreneurial mindsets instead of just being a worker. Let's think bigger and get bigger. Remember the dream is free, but the hustle is sold separately. Once you learn that, then you have nothing to fear. In this country, you need a degree to work for a business owner but if you're a business owner, you won't need a degree! Keep that in mind. Now go hustle and get yours!
Follow Miguel
THE NEW NEUTRALS
www.brandonkylecollection.com
Cover Editorial
Meet The Men Changing The Face of Fashion These 5 big & tall men have become superstars on the influencer scene, proving style knows no size.
Photography by Karizza
Seth Martino Location: Los Angeles, CA @freshtoseth www.themodelfather.com
Kavah King Location: New York, NY @gentlemenscurb www.gentlemenscurb.com
Sabas Whittaker Location: Miami, FL @showtime49
Ralphy Lopez Location: New York, NY @iamrelopez
Lance Franklin Location: Washington, DC @goodboyfashion
5 Modeling Tips from
ZACH MIKO
InStyle Magazine calls him "one of the most influential models in the world" and we agree!
Three years ago, IMG Models signed Zach, making him their first-ever Brawn model. He has gone on to work for major brands such as Gap, Kingsize, Target and Bonobos. So we thought... let's pick his brain and ask him what his top 5 modeling tips are. Get ready to take some notes.
1
Take yourself seriously. Brawn/Big and Tall/Men's Plus modeling is still a very new industry. There is still a lot of "old school" folks in the industry that do not want it to exist. These old guards of the fashion world are looking for a way to dismiss brawn models the same way they tried to dismiss female plus models, and because of that, are looking for any excuse to say that big and tall models are not professional, or less than, or not good enough to use. It's very important to know that you are a model, you deserve to be there, you are good at what you do, and that you can do what any "straight sized" model can do.
2
Create an Instagram page. Make it public. The amount of models who reach out to me wanting to know how to go pro from private IG accounts is staggering. In this modern day, your Instagram is essentially your portfolio. So many brands and agencies and photographers do their casting straight off of IG. And no one, I repeat NO ONE in the industry is going to request to follow your Instagram page. You need to keep it public and updated. Trust me, the President of IMG Models Ivan Bart found me on Instagram, and if I had a private account, my whole career would have never happened.
3
4
CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT. As a model you need photos of yourself, high quality photos. Buy a camera and start experimenting with taking shots of yourself, or if you cant make that investment right now, simply use your phone. Modern Iphone and Android cameras can do wonders. Take a ton of shots, have your friends take a bunch of shots of you. I literally mean you need to take THOUSANDS of photos of yourself. Once you start booking, you will be taking between 3,000-4,000 shots every single day. You cannot become good at anything without practice and modeling is no difference. These friends/self shots are your practice. And in the meantime, you are giving yourself tons of content for your brand new public Instagram!
Know your body, know how things fit, know how your clothes work. Because this is a new industry, there will be people you work with who have never shot with a bigger person before. They may think the clothes will fit a certain way, or that certain angles or poses will work that may not. You know you and your abilities and your body better than anyone else. Let them know that, work with them. Everyone working with you is there to make sure you and your photos look the best they possibly can. It's on you to bring it as hard as they are.
5
Make a network. Reach out to EVERYONE, Any models you want to work with, any photographers, any brands, any blogs, any magazines, everyone. Announce your presence in this industry and show people what you can offer. That's the most important part is to GIVE. So many people reach out asking, whether they ask for advice, or a leg up, or a job, people are always asking. Do the opposite. You need to offer help, offer connection, give give give. Then you will see yourself become a part of this industry and this community. And you'll start working because of the connections you've made. Not because you asked, but because it was offered. Now get out there with your new Instagram, your new photos, your knowledge of your body and your abilities, and the friends and connections you've made in the industry.
Follow Zach:
Summer Issue Coming June 2019