exclusive interview with Lexy Hell

   Hello Lexy Hell! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview. It is a great honor and pleasure to have you here! Please start by telling us something about yourself and your background. How it all started? I'm 27 years old, I live six years in Berlin. I was born in Austria, lived and worked there till I was 21. I was always interested in art and I loved to draw the walls in my room when I was really young. I loved to use my mom's make up. She was not really happy about it, and when I was sixteen I couldn't wait any longer and I got my first tattoo, a sun on my back. From now on I go every month to get a tattoo.  When I was nineteen I went to a tattoo convention for the first time and a photographer did a photo of me and two months later I was on a cover of a tattoo magazine and this is how it started. After this cover I got some emails from other photographers and I did more photoshoots. When I moved to Berlin I got the first contract with a model agency and I think I was at the right time on the right place:)

Q: Who inspired you?
A: There is no special person when it comes to inspiration. Sometimes I see some cool looks in fashion magazines and I think this is something I can try, or it will fit me, but the rest is how I feel and who I am. If I should give you a name, then is it Gwen Stefani, she is really beautiful, her make up, her hair, the whole style, she looks always perfect :)

Q: To be a successful person, you gotta be passionate and dedicated. What kept you motivated when you were starting?
A: Good question :) I think my friends, they kept me motivated and the idea that I really wanted this and I knew that I can do this. You have to believe in yourself, that is the hardest part. It's still not easy at all, there are rents to pay, when I think about a normal job.

Q: Modeling is now your full time job?
A: Definitely. I live from my modeling job, but I know this works just for five to six more years and this is why I work on some new projects and ideas for the future.

Q: I love the hairstyles! Do you work with a stylist?
A: Thank you:). For the shootings, I always have somebody who does my hair and my make up, but I have to say, I'm not easy when somebody else does my make up and hair. When it is not perfect and I see that one eyebrow is longer than the other one, it stresses me so much. I like perfection and I do it on my own some days, trying something new haha:)

Q: Do you have any "free" skin left? haha
A: I have a lot of free skin:) Always... When I look at my body I just see the free skin and then I see a photo of me and I think "ok, I'm really heavily tattooed, haha" I still have to finish my stomach and my legs and at the end I have to tattoo the rest of my neck and then I'm finished. But at the moment I do nothing, my body needs a break, but I'm 27 years now, I have enough time to finish the rest.

Q: How people react when they see you for the first time? Especially people who don't have any tattoos.
A: Most of the people are really nice, they ask me why I do this and they like it and they think I'm a strong woman that I can take all this pain. Many people think that I'm into pain and that I'm a aggressive, loud party girl and I have no job, and then they talk to me and they get to know me and they say "wow, you are totally different that I thought you are, you are so nice and normal" There are also some idiots who don't like tattoos and they say bad words, but fuck them, it is my life and I do what makes me happy!

Q: Any natural beauty tricks you have? Share some secrets with us.
A: There is no secret, I'm sorry. It's all about good make up, haha:)

Q: Probably the best career achievement is you collaboration with Jean Paul Gaultier on the Paris Fashion Week-Spring/Summer 2012 WOW!! Really fascinating. Tell me more!
A: This was the best time of my life and of course in my career. I was always into fashion and I wanted to work with all the big names. I wanted to be a tattooed fashion model. When he asked me to work with him I thought it is fake, haha, I couldn't believe that he really asked me to work with him. But my dream came true. One week later I was in Paris and stand in front of Gaultier in his office. He was so nice and we talked a bit and then we did a small fitting. I was afraid that I'm too fat for his clothes, haha, but I wasn't.

Q: What was your part of the fashion show?
A: I was a normal model like all the other models. I was two times on the catwalk. Of course I was booked because it is good for the press, every tv station filmed me, all the magazines and newspapers printed photos of me. He invited me a second time to Paris and I had a really great time with him.

Q: Do you think that nowadays tattoos are seen in a better light?
A: Yes! Since "Miami Ink" it is so trendy to get tattooed and it is normal to be tattooed. This is cool, but I also think there now many young people who get tattooed because it's so cool and they think they can earn now a lot of money with it, but it is not that easy.

Q: When Jean Paul Gaultier loves you, many doors open! What is next?
A: Jean Paul Gaultier was a good start, but it's still not that easy to be in this business, in the real fashion buisness. I had a great shoot with Steven Jones, the Hat designer of Dior, Lady Gaga and so on... and the Berlin fashion week starts in 3 weeks so I will do some castings. My biggest project at the moment is to publish my own book. It will be out next April.

Q: Beeing busy all the time, must be hard but I believe it is worth it?
A: Sometimes is really hard, because I travel a lot and I don't have too much time for my friends. But this is how it works and I like it. The best motivation is that I know people wanna see more of me, they book me in another city/country. I'm very happy.

Q: Any tips for the models that are just starting out?
A: Don't do this because you wanna earn money and you think it is so easy to do some shootings and you don't need to work. This is not how it works. It's a hard business and hard work! It's not about being just tattooed. You have to be professional, be good in front of the camera, showing emotions and working sometimes 12 hours a day! And for the girls who really wanna do this, it's important to get good photos, you need a good portfolio with different styles. And please don't do nude shootings! It's more interesting when you ware beautiful dresses! Believe in you!