Have you ever looked at someone and thought “Wow!! There’s just something about them”?
And you really can’t pinpoint their age? Because they look young and impressionable, yet mature and wise at the same time.
That was the case when I first spotted model Francisco Calderon on the runway last year.
He stood out. And even though he was walking for a children’s designer, he didn’t exactly look like a child.
I was intrigued. The curious cat inside me had to find out who he was.
We connected on Instagram and he agreed to be interviewed.
This blog has been a year in the making. I finally got to sit down with him before he jetted off for New York Fashion Week.
The thirteen year old got his first taste of modeling over a year ago at a local Dillard’s Fashion Show.
That taste fueled his desire for more.
Acting, interviewing and even having his own YouTube channel are just a few of the things he’s already accomplished. But his main love is the runway.
It’s hard to remember he’s so young.
But mention the video game Fortnite and you’ll see a glimmer in his piercing dark eyes.
He then shape shifts into a typical teenager.
He loves wearing hoodies, jeans and sneakers.
And listening to rap music. His fashion icon is rapper Lil Uzi Vert.
And then in the blink of an eye he’s a mature, well versed young man, sitting across from me.
He speaks on his enviable collection of designer items.
He owns more Gucci and Louis Vuitton than most grown ups. And he introduced me to the term ‘Hype Beast’.
Now I thought I knew everything there was to know about fashion. But this new trend had escaped me. Kids are mixing labels like they’re Garanimals, creating the newest look in fashion.
If he had to describe his signature style it would be business casual. While he’s just as comfortable in blazers and jeans as he is in haute couture, his Mom describes him as a ‘Hype Beast at heart’.
He truly is a chameleon. He looks natural in any outfit, and fits easily into any environment. This has been noted by designers and photographers that know him as well.
We’ve all seen that he has ‘IT’.
It’s Fashion Week in the Carolinas starting with Charlotte and York County following.
Look for him on the runways. You will see that he’s anything but typical.
His maturity is matched only by his childlike wonderment.
Marcus was thirteen and a master of beatboxing when his music teacher picked up on his talent and put him in a talent show.
Living La Vida Diva 