From urban mockery to successful model: the Brazilian overcomes bullying and fashion shows for brands in Europe

Of humble origins, Felippe Vier ran after his dreams and was ridiculed for this

the Brazilian model Filippo Vier, 27, can be considered synonymous with “coming back”. Born and raised in Paraty (RJ), he found himself humiliated when he tried to reach heights greater than the small coastal town would allow. Today he has in his CV a season of Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, and shows for brands like WhiteGCDS and farfetchfamous shopping site for luxury brand parts.

From a humble and religious family, he could not count on the financial support of his mother. With financial difficulties, the model and her mother sometimes went through difficulties. Her, mainly. In an interview with Terra, Vier recalls that sometimes her mother stopped eating to satisfy her hunger and it was cold to keep him warm with the blankets they had.

“I needed to get out of there to be able to pay her back somehow,” he says.

The desire to be a model was not born with Filippo Vier. Fashion was a door for him to fulfill other dreams, such as acting and singing. Determined to make a career on the runways, he saved every penny of his salary. young apprentice to pay for their trips to attend selective in São Paulo (SP).

at 18, to come participated in a selection in parade this did not put you at ease. The photographer asked him about the poses he defines as “uncomfortable”, but these were the photos chosen for the campaign. On several posters and billboards around the city, Vier became the target of comments and jokes.

“People made fun of me on the street, tore up posters, imitated the pose and shared it on the Internet. It was a difficult time because they didn’t make fun of my appearance, they made fun of me. bullying with the position I wanted to get. I avoided going out on the street, I felt sad when people made fun of me. It was very difficult for me, a very sad time, “she says.

Today you are showing for the big luxury brands, but what was the beginning of your career like?

“Starting my career was complicated. Unlike other models, I didn’t have the support of an agency. Usually the agencies go to the countryside, to small towns, select the talents and give them all the support, the house, the monthly financial help, the so-called ‘pocket money’ and I had none of this.

Have you always dreamed of catwalks?

“No, it actually took me a while to figure out what I wanted. The truth is that I’ve always wanted to be an artist, do you know how you’ve been feeling since you were little? I didn’t know how to act or sing at the time. So, I thought being a model might be a good opportunity to enter that world. Fashion for me was a light at the end of the tunnel. However, at the time, as a teenager, I did not fall within a certain standard of beauty required. I was tall, sure, but shy and with a lot of acne. […] and as a model in a small city she rarely succeeds, I started looking for selective in São Paulo (SP). I traveled to the capital, I underwent casting and on my return I always tried to improve in something […] whether you go to the gym or take better care of your skin. I did it until I was approved in an agency, then I moved there. ”

Speaking of casting, how did you fund your career?

“I paid for everything. My first formal job was at 15, as a young apprentice. But I’ve always worked before. I sold sweets and jewelry. When I worked, I saved up money to plan my trips to São Paulo to pay for my selections, food, transport, accommodation, in short, all until I started working. “

You talked about beauty standards, how did it influence you?

“When I decided to be a model I thought I had a height and a well-defined face, I thought it was possible, but then things were very different. I have suffered a lot to adapt. I was considered thin and weird because I had a lot of acne. I feel like it’s the story of the ugly duckling, I have adapted until I have adapted to the pattern ”.

Men are usually the subject of jokes when they opt for the catwalks, has that happened to you?

“When I suffered from wanting to be a model, school was already over, I was 18. A big agency was in my city to do a selective, they wanted to do a campaign with people who had the potential to be a model and show that they could become the protagonists of the catwalks. I remember seeing myself as a model already, traveling to Sao Paulo and so on. So I took the test and passed it. In the photo shoot I didn’t feel comfortable with the photographer, so he asked me to do something different, an unconventional pose. I didn’t like the recovery, I felt uncomfortable, but I did it. Then he chose that photo for the campaign. ”

“To advertise the work, this agency put the photo on posters and billboards. There was a refusal of the people of the city, they mocked me, imitated the pose on the internet, tore up the posters that had my image. For me it was difficult. it was all I wanted [ser modelo]. They [pessoas] they weren’t bullying my appearance, they were bullying where I wanted to go. I didn’t want to go out on the street, I felt sad when people made fun of me publicly. It was hard enough for me. I felt very sad. From that moment on I started the treatment with the psychologist, because my strength was shaken “.

Do you remember a specific uncomfortable situation?

“There was one day when I saw a group of young people on the street, they laughed as I passed, they even did the pose that was printed on the poster in front of me. I didn’t feel threatened, but I didn’t feel comfortable staying in places. Soon after, they shared the photo by doing the pose on the Internet. It was horrible”.

And what was it like for his mother to deal with him?

“Well, my mom was a model for a while, I felt like she didn’t have that dream. She was always proud, but she was always attentive to the expectations within me. I couldn’t share much of the pain I went through with her, but she encouraged me to seek therapy ”.

And as for your father, how was the relationship, did it affect you in any way?

“My father and mother got divorced when I was two. I was only raised by my mother. With my father … we had a long-distance relationship, from time to time I went to visit him in Sao Paulo, but he was distant. In part he inspired me, in part he hindered me.

“From my mother I had the vision of a warrior woman, who does everything, who solves, who plays the role of father and mother. On the other hand, the absence of my father, I believe, weighed heavily on adult life. I think if I had had the image of him, his presence and the teachings of him, maybe I wouldn’t have gone through the things I’ve been through. Today I am very resolute with this, but I do not forget that my mother has sacrificed a lot for me and I want to repay her ”.

What kind of sacrifices did your mother make for you, would you like to name?

“She lived alone with me and we had a hard time, sharing a blanket in the freezing cold, she stopped eating well to be able to give it to me. I come from a very simple, very simple family. I grew up with that, with the thought that I had to get out of there to give them back. I never asked my mother for money [para a carreira de modelo] because I knew that I would miss him at home if he gave it to me ”.

When did the success come?

“In mid-2014, at the age of 19, I was finally hired by an agency in São Paulo. The work was very productive there and earned me an appearance in Vogue Italia. However, the model’s work is continuous and not always valued, tired of giving a lot and receiving little, I decided to move to Europe. At that time, a cousin of mine lived in Portugal. I sold everything I had and traveled with only 200 euros in my pocket. After a few months here I found Blast, where I still am today, and started modeling for Off-White, GCDS and Farfetch. I didn’t have big projects in Brazil, but the time there served as a model for development ”.

And what are the prospects for the future?

I’ve always dreamed of music. I have always known that I have a talent for this business. After a breakup I wrote a letter to that person. Then, calmly, I saw that he would produce a song. I’ve been writing for a few months and I’ve already written 50 songs ”.

And when will we be able to see the release of these works?

“Let’s wait, unfortunately without a label it is difficult to launch a career. Independent music is very expensive and I don’t have that investment right now. But it is a dream that I intend to realize “.

How about a modeling career?

“I want to go where no male model has gone, on Gisele’s nail. Many male models have gone a long way, but Gisele is known as the best model in the world to date and I also want to be put in that position ”.

+The best content in your email for free. Choose your favorite Earth Newsletter. Click here!

Source: Terra

Camila

Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.