Zach Hartman On Audacity, Social Media Implications, And Fashion’s “Distorted Realism”




"Let’s talk about this from the outset – how did it start out for you?

Hi Fucking Young! I started off just by doing some self-employed shoots for a friend’s clothing brand, and the client put me in contact with someone who is now my mother agent at Unsigned. These guys placed me with all the agencies I am currently with, and I owe a great deal of thanks to them for what they have done.



Three words that describe your best self are…

I would describe myself as someone who is passionate, courageous, and driven to succeed in life. This was quite a daunting thing to do at the beginning, as modeling was never really a desirable career path for me, and I had no understanding about the industry. Although, over time, I began to love what I do. It’s something that’s enabled me to travel to some beautiful countries, meet amazing people whilst also growing and developing myself as a person. I’ll never become complaisant with my job as I’m aware of how blessed I am to be doing it.


Who’s been the best client to work with?

Modeling for Stone Island had always been one of my greatest aspirations since I started. Getting the call from my agent to shoot their campaign seemed surreal, so surreal that I actually didn’t believe him at first! It was a great shoot and I even had the opportunity to meet some designers from the brand which was nothing but remarkable.




How’s it been for you since starting up in such field?

Being in this field isn’t always as glamorous as it seems. Commuting to London for castings all the time is quite a big expense, especially when there is no guarantee of you getting the job. You also have to learn to accept a lot of rejection and quiet periods of work, though, I’d say this has had more of a positive influence on me because it has enabled me to become more resilient and ambitious in life.



Essentials to bring along your travels for a last-minute job are…

The book I’m reading at the time, and of course a portable charger!


As a highly-admired model on social media, what are your thoughts in regard to the whole Instagram thing?

Instagram is a great tool that I use to promote myself and try to inspire other people. I don’t spend much time scrolling through my feed or looking to see what other people are doing. Rather, I prefer to stay focused on my own journey and nourishing my career. It can be useful to obtain clients through this way, as the modeling industry has evolved into being very social media-based over the years and in all honesty, some brands will book you just based on how many followers you own. It’s important however not to get lost in what we see on Instagram and try to compete or compare ourselves with others. In most cases, it is a very distorted reality of the person’s life and I believe we should focus more on just embracing life for what it is rather than with our eyes tied to our screens.



What are the things that really matter to you?

What matters to me is my family, education, health, relationships with people and lastly but most importantly my dog, Bronson. I don’t, as I said I don’t invest too much time or attention to social media other than just using it as a platform within my job and to try and help people and as long as I can do that then I feel happy. Honestly, I don’t wish I would’ve done anything differently; I believe that every mistake that has been forgotten because I have been able to take a step back focus on remembering the lessons. Going through struggles and being pushed out of your comfort zone is what truly makes us stronger people and I wouldn’t have the mindset I do currently if it wasn’t for that fact.



Any major inspirations?

One of my close friends Stephen James is a huge inspiration to me. He hasn’t only accomplished great things within modeling but has also grown a very successful business alongside it which is something I’ve always aspired to do, so it’s a pleasure having him as a friend.



Any key aspirations?

My main aspiration is just to inspire people and motivate them to succeed in as many ways as possible. A big part of happiness to me is not only growing yourself but enabling others to grow and develop themselves in positive ways. I haven’t always been focused on my career and spent too much time invested with people that weren’t good to be around. We are a product, and I can’t stress how important it is to surround yourself with people that want you to do are good influences and want you to do better.


What’s the wisest lesson you’ve learnt being in the industry?

That if you want to be at the top, you have to make sacrifices. The fundamentals of being a model lie in the way you look, so you can’t always be going out and drinking or eating bad food all the time. I personally enjoy this, so I don’t see it as much of a sacrifice as taking care of my health has always been at the forefront of what I do.



Any advice to give the young wave of aspiring models, wanting to endeavor into such field?

My best advice would be to be yourself. Don’t try and give off a fake persona or be someone that you’re not to please others. Being confident and having a good work ethic will also be something that will benefit you!



Photography: Joseph Sinclair @josephsinclair
Styling: Gianluca Cococcia @wowgue
Grooming: Daisy Holubowicz @daisyholub.makeup
Fashion Assistant: Gabriele Bilal Annouka @whatgabriel
BRANDS: Studio Alch, Iceberg, Jordanluca, Ocularis, John Lawrence Sullivan, CAT Footwear, Astrid Andersen." - Fuckingyoung.es

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