Mind On Fire

Name: Cecilie Harris
Price range: $

27 January 2016

In a society amongst several couch potatoes, we are bound to meet that one person so naturally driven, they overflow with kinetic energy. Seemingly always on the go, a passion for learning, and generally having their shit together are symptoms of a driven one - moving forward a key insentive. To remain stagnant would be like refusing to get out of bed when a dangerous fire is clearly happening around you.

Maxim Steklyanov at PRM Models wasn’t able to speak a drop of English a year ago. Now, he is comfortably conversing with us about the various things occupying his life. From Russia with love, Maxim unravels his patriotism, speaking on the diversity, language, and his ease with the way of life in his home country. As a student of engineering, he contemplates what his future may be, whilst treasuring London's busy bodies that creates its motion filled city vibe. To calm down from all the madness in his life, his remidies include remaining positive by reading books and sometimes playing volleyball. Ultimately, there is definitely more than meets the eye and certainly a sense of a strong-willed character. Brace yourselves for the heated aftermath.

Being from Russia, if you could move anywhere else in the world, where would it be?
I would want to stay in Russia; I find that it’s the perfect country for me, because I’m Russian, haha. It’s good for my mentality.

What is unique about Moscow?

In Moscow everything is different and there’s so much going on, you can find exactly what you want to find. There are a lot of places and it is a very diverse city.

Instant Analogue by Liz Ord and Molly Baker. Special thanks to IMPOSSIBLE.

Do you find London to be a stressful city?
Well no, I think stressful cities are just cities with a lot of movement - without that movement it would be boring. I like that there are so many people, that it’s always busy.

Do you study in addition to modelling?
Yes, I also study engineering. Modelling and engineering are such different things. I don’t know what I will do after I finish studying and finish my modeling career, but I feel like my future could be interesting. It would be nice to combine all my strong points.

What do you do in your spare time?
I love to read books and occasionally do some sport. I play volleyball for example. I think the Russian Volleyball team is one of the best in the world, and the Russian League is the best. We can buy the best players from all over the world.

How long have you been modeling for?
I've been modelling for a year now.

What is the most challenging thing you’ve had to do as a model?
Oh I don’t know, I think it’s more about enjoyment. It’s easy, it’s funny, and you can learn languages; a year ago I could only speak about two words of English. I travel and meet a lot of people, which feels important for my future. Everyday you go see five to ten new people, so you’re interacting with people from everywhere, experiencing different languages, and different mentalities.

Did you do London Collections: Men?
No, I didn’t do menswear fashion week in London, but I did Paris fashion week.

What shows did you do?
In Paris I walked Walter Van Beirendonck and Berluti. In MIlan I walked for Antonio Marras, Andrea Pompillo and Stella Jean.

We saw in a picture that you ride horses?
Well no, I actually I learned when I was younger, but I had a sort of quick intensive refresher course of about three hours before the shoot. It's fun, and was great fun that I could revive my skills for this shoot. It’s funny that over four years have gone by since learning and then suddenly it helps me in a new setting.

Was it difficult working with a horse?
It was my first experience with animals in a shoot, because it was only my second shoot.

Oh haha that’s challenging.
No, it was funny! I think it wasn’t about it being difficult, I think that sometimes being in a studio is harder.

What is your favourite film?
I think ‘Cloud Atlas’. I'm not a big fan of the book, but the film is great. I enjoy books that teach you something, philosophical for example is really interesting. At the moment my favourite book is by Blaise Pascal, a French writer, philosopher and physicist. I want to develop myself everyday, I think it’s the most important thing in life.

Interview by Molly Rose Baker & Liz Ord.
Words by Nicole Chui.