Conor first came to our attention here at Boys by Girls when he won the Elite Model Look competition at the very young age of sixteen, and with is beautifully blonde hair and sharp cheekbones mixed with his cheeky chappy personality it really isn't hard to see why this young fella is capturing the attentions of designers and photographers alike. We knew Conor would look completely perfect in a Boys by Girls editorial and who better to shoot him than the wonderful Cecilie Harris who captured Conor looking relaxed in his family home in the editorial 'What My Parents Taught Me' for our latest issue "Lessons", (which you can still grab a copy of here) and we also accompanied the shoot with a little interview with the lovely boy which you can read here. And yes, he is back once again for another much needed catch up. So, take it away Conor.
We love the story of how you got scouted, tell us about that again.
I was either fifteen or sixteen at Highbury & Islington station and this guy chased me down the stairs and I was like "whoa, whats happening". He asked me how tall I was, how old I was etc, I gave him my details, didn't think much of it and then two weeks later I got a call from Elite saying come in, so I did and they took some polaroids. I think I was a bit too young and a bit too short to be signed at the time, either that or they were iffy about signing me but then they put me into the Elite Model Look Competition 2012, I took part in that and ended up winning and things have taken off since then.
Polaroid by Cecilie Harris with special thanks to The Impossible Project.
You've walked for some amazing designers too, care to remind us of your favourites?
I'd say the best show I've probably done was for Burberry in Milan, but I've walked for Jil Sander, Topman, Valentino, Phillip Lim and most recently Christopher Shannon.
Why was Burberry your favourite?
It's… I don't know… well it's the brand I knew of the most, English heritage, just a sick show to do and the clothes I was wearing were insane. Just to take part in it was cool.
So, outside of modeling what else have you been up to?
Well, I started college the same time I started modeling and I live in west London and I was going to college in Egham. It would take me like two hours to get into college and then my agency would call me up and be like "you've got a casting or a job in central London" so it would just be too manic. So we came to a mutual decision of me dropping out for a year and to see how things go, turns out things are going alright! But apart from that, hobby wise I love football, I like to play sports, just socialise and stuff.
That must have been quite hard having to choose between college and modelling, what made you want to carry on doing modelling over college?
To be honest any opportunity to anything apart from college i would have taken it!
And where is the best place that you have been through modelling so far?
New York. I went last January for Fashion Week. And then I was meant to stay out there for another another month but I had already been in Milan and Paris. I was sixteen at the time and it was all so new to me. I hadn't ever been away from home like that before and I was like, I think its time for me to go home after Fashion Week.
So, what do you think the best thing is about modelling then?
Definitely travelling and meeting cool people. I know it can open up a lot of doors, it's cool, I can't complain. At the start to be fair I was like 'Oh fuck this, it's gay!' I thought everything was a bit cliche, but now, I don't mind, it's ok.
And what would you say the worst thing about it is then?
Just, I'd say, feeling like a prick a lot of the time! Just the waiting around, its hard having people judging you 24/7.
What have you had to do to make you feel like that?
It's nothing in particular... just sometimes doing it in general. Shows, I get quite nervous, I just feel like an idiot having people watching you wear weird clothes!
I guess that is fair enough! Ok, so what kind of music are you into?
Recently I have been getting into a lot of UK Hip-Hop, artists like Chester P, apart from that I listen to a lot of rap, artists like Kendrick Lamar.
Ok, and how would you describe yourself in 5 words?
Mischievous, lazy, loving, sharing and an occasional liability.
Any final words until we see you next?
Merry Christmas to all the Boys by Girls readers out there! Hope you all have a great year. Lots of love.
And lots of love to you too Conor.
Polaroid by Cecilie Harris.
Words by Cleo Glover.
