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!