Envy Man Magazine Online

Throughout time the ideals of female beauty have remained fluid and changing. What is considered beautiful for a woman in one culture or time period is drastically different from another.

Male beauty is an entirely different beast altogether. The foundations laid by Greek and Roman artists around 480 BC through their statues and paintings set the standard for male beauty in western civilization to date.

The ideal Roman was, and is, the quintessential male beauty. He was defined by his long frame, his lean and muscular body, his full head of thick hair, his high and wide forehead, his strong perfect nose and profile, his full lips, and his solid jaw line.

The eighteenth century dawned, and with it came the beginnings of the hygiene movement. Cologne and polish replaced grit and sweat. Etiquette and grooming finesse replaced dueling and crude, aggressive behavior.

The melding of these two fronts was the beginning of the familiar image we love to pour over in magazines, on billboards, and on runways today. This is the image of the modern male model.

One might think it is enough to just be “pretty” or “handsome”. Really, that may have cut it in the late 1800’s when the first models appeared. To be seen and not be heard was the order du jour.

However, things have changed. Models now represent products. Their image, their body, their voice and sometimes even their name become entwined with the clothing they wear on the runway. In our modern times it’s just not enough to simply be beautiful or handsome. One has to be more than an amazing set of abs. He has to be the full package: Worldly, Educated, And Charming. He needs to spend just as much time in the gym as he does reading the newspaper and going to school if he really wants to succeed in the industry.

“The modeling industry for men is more defined by the model’s personality,” George Brown, an agent at Red Model Management of New York City, observes. “His overall appearance and physique is still quite important, but it’s the all important personality that will separate the losers from the winners”

He continues, “The successful guys quickly learn the ropes and see themselves as independent contractors with their likeness as the product.”

Maybe you’ve seen John Stallings on the runway, on television, or on the cover of this magazine. At the very moment I am writing this he can be found modeling in Tokyo. Working with many different models from around the globe, he observes the following, “I find guys that are musicians, that want to be doctors, that have families that they support, that are running their own businesses on the side...a lot of guys are modeling to put themselves through college.

” For some male models, the process of becoming a professional is daunting. Countless auditions have to be gone to before one finds his first booking; countless hours spent waiting in long lines of beautiful men. For others, it’s instantaneous. He walks into a room, and everyone in the room knows he’s got the booking.

No matter what one has to go through, the end results are worth it.

Maybe you’ve seen Allie Holden, a model out of New York City. He’s been on the covers of numerous romance novels, on runways, and all over magazines. He’s also familiar with the world of perks that come along with near perfection.

“A lot of gyms, salons, and clubs give big discounts or complimentary service to you because they want models around their business,” he confides. “Though you are getting a deal, you’re also advertising for them and helping lure in new customers.”

“When you’re working on a product shoot, you often get samples of the product/clothes before they are available to the public. Again, the advertiser wants his clothes to be seen on those who are considered “fashionable”.

Maybe you’ve seen our cover models, Santiago and Nicolas Figueras, in fashion layouts and on the runway. From Argentina they can testify first hand about one of the perks: Travel. And when I say travel, I mean FREE travel. Hotel. Food. Transportation. They pay for nothing. The only cost is a dedication to being two steps beyond beautiful.

“Most of the guys that do well don’t even want to be modeling,” John Stallings says. “They do it for the free trips to places they have never seen before, or they have girlfriends waiting for them in certain countries. Yes, just like our female models who have four different boyfriends at a time, the guys also keep their black books close to them in their carry-ons.”

He also adds, “And the going rate of work is around $150-200 per hour, which is nothing that we were taught in school to look forward to being able to do.”

Maybe you’ve seen me around. If it wasn’t for modeling, I probably wouldn’t be writing this article. The opportunity to write for this magazine presented itself after I did a fashion layout for the premier issue. Had it not been for the door that modeling opened for me, I would still be sending out submissions trying to get a foot in the door at another magazine.

Many male models are taking the intellectual route with their careers, using the spotlight not just to show off denim, but to inspire and demand change from our world. Political activism, gay rights, and messages of anti-war can be heard from models’ lips these days, which is a far cry from the silence that was demanded from models in the 80’s.

The bottom line is if you want to be one of the elite, you have to accept and embrace all that comes with it. In the modern male model’s case, it is an obligation to be more than just an image. He is representing something far more than a product. He is representing every man, and is projecting the image that most of them wish they could be. He is what the masses will strive to be.

As was stated in the beginning, the ripped, chiseled competitors of the original Olympic Games were worshipped and revered as gods walking amongst mortals. There was no stigma of gay or straight…they were simply the definition of beauty, and this was agreed upon by all.

Nowadays male models aren’t looking to be worshipped. In reality, that level of adoration is somewhat creepy. But, if you’re looking for someone to envy, feel free.

Envy us.