Vintage Model: Chelsea Turnbo

General | 03 June 2010

Lulu*s is happy to indroduce one of its lovely vintage models, Chelsea Turnbo.

Hailing from the sunny city of Los Angeles, Chelsea kindly dished about her experiences as a model!

1. Tell us a little about your modeling career path?

I was first discovered by Elite modeling agency in New York. They wanted to sign me but couldn’t because I was too young and lived in Arkansas at the time. So they had me transferred to Atlanta Elite modeling agency where I started spending my summers modeling at the age of 13. My grandparents lived in Atlanta, so it made it easy for me to work out there.

When I turned 16, I graduated high school and went overseas to Asia where I did runway shows for many brands including Calvin Klein. I did a lot of print ads, and at one point, I was in pretty much every magazine on the stands. I continued to grace magazine covers, dabbled in some lingerie campaigns and continued to grow my portfolio. When I was confident with my portfolio and where my career was going, I moved to Europe. I loved Europe, and I had so much fun there. After a while though, I began to miss the States and decided to move out to Los Angeles and have been living here since.

2. What is life like as a model living in L.A?

It’s totally different. It’s more commercials instead of high fashion. It’s a lot of fun though.

3. What is the best part of being a model?

The traveling!!!

4. What do your daily activities consist of?

For the most part it’s mainly working out and going to castings.

(photos above curtesy of Fashion Model Directory)

5. What do you do for fun in L.A?

I go out sometimes like every normal 21 year old. I love shopping in L.A. It has everything! I also love going to the movies, Runyon Park and the beach.

6. Do you have a lot of free time or are you pretty busy?

I stay pretty busy, but every now and then I have some down time.

7. Do you have any favorite photographers?

Honestly, right now I would say Richard Bernardin. I love his vintage photos! He is able to find a certain type of beauty in every person he shoots.

(Find more photos by browsing our Vintage section!)

Meet Vintage Model Diana D!

Interviews | 20 May 2010

by LuLu*s !

If you haven’t checked out our vintage section lately, you really should take a look! We had a recent photo shoot in L.A., and model Diana D was happy to dish about modeling, fun and life in L.A. She is even one of the Paul Mitchell faces, check her out!

1. At what age did you start modeling?

I was discovered by a scout at 13. They expected I’d grow incredibly tall. They were mistaken; just 5’4″ (tear).

2. Tell us a little about your modeling career path?

Modeling granted me pardon for absences from school. Often caught a flight to Los Angeles (from my hometown, Las Vegas) the evening prior to a booking. A few of my first gigs included Stila, Nylon (their first year in print) and this British line called Sugar. For Sugar, we drove to a fruit stand within few miles of Joshua Tree, CA. We had an old classic mustang convertible. Inspiration for the shoot was a vintage road trip. I was sitting pretty in the driver’s seat with these massive retro sunglasses on. Just 14. No drivers permit. Surreal.

3. How is life in LA as a model?

Got the bones to make a move to LA at 19. Pursuing the dream. Still going. Modeling gigs are always lovely. The exposure to creative folk and artists alike makes modeling seem more like being an essential element to the making of a group art project.

4. What is the best part of being a model?

The Perks — The ability to manipulate your own schedule, make it to all your castings, feed yourself, meet a friend for coffee, take a trip. Work comes in clusters. Sometimes it’s wildly hectic and other times, quite lackadaisical. There’s always time to take a pause and read Albert Camus beneath a tree or runaway for a weekend music festival. You just never really know when or with much advance. A model must be spontaneous.

5. How did you become one of the Paul Mitchell Faces?

The Paul Mitchell gig came about through a series of unpaid creative projects I decided to model for. The hair stylist for one of these shoots happened to be an assistant to Lucie Doughty, Editorial Director for Paul Mitchell. Lucie saw the finished photo series, and set up a test shoot with me immediately. A few months later, I found myself sitting at PM headquarters for a casting. Sitting in a room with 20 Amazonian goddess types, I had to wonder, whether I had any chance of getting this gig at all. Within 20 minutes of my departure, I received a call from Lucie herself; I had booked Paul Mitchell, (cartwheels and screams!)

6. What are some of your daily activities?

Daily activities include french pressing my coffee, checking favorite music & style blogs, pen to paper, bicycle riding, treasure hunting, chasing raccoons, taking photographs, conversations with friends & attempting false grand self confidence at castings.

7. What do you do for fun in LA?

LA fun includes farmer’s markets, weeknights at the Hollywood Cemetery, the Wiltern theatre, thrifting, taco truckin’, chasing carnivals, record collecting, double features at the Beverly Cinema, fellow mouseketeering, group sing songs, Dodger games, LOVE & summer BBQ’s.

8. As a model do you have a lot of free time or are you pretty busy?

Currently, I have nothing but free time. Someone book me on a gig quick!!