An Interview with Vinicius Piccoli, Fashion Model from Brazil

RK : First of all, thank you for accepting our invitation for an interview.

Vinicius : Thank you to all of you for the opportunity for the interview.

RK : About your career as a model. How did you get started?

Vinicius : Well, I worked as a mechanic with my father's in his mechanic .

When one day my mother who was a director in one school called me to go home at 6 pm. The team (Diego Comarella) went to the school where my mother was director to make the announcement that they were looking for new talents. I remember her call until today while I was fixing a tractor at my father's mechanic. 6 pm I got my motorcycle I closed the mechanic and i went home, I got there I took a bath and until not arrive at the place where the event was my mother did not want to tell me what it was, why she knew I would not go if I knew hehe ..When we arrived soon I began to notice that they had only small children and only I the tall on hehe, when they started talking about what it was I looked at my mother and said that I would leave because model business was not for me and that I did not have the slightest desire to do that. My mother noticed that i was leaving and asked me to stay this time. I decided to stay because it was my mother , who was asking and I went to the second day where they started explaining that to participate in the big event that would be happen after 2 months in Chapeco where the agencies from SP AND RIO would come. I needed a book with photos and the cost at the time was 1000 reais. . At that time my father was in crise in the mechanic without money, so I could not participate in the event without paying, but my father and my mother seated with me talking, my father looking in my eyes and said, my son I do not have that money but if they do it in 10x in the check we can try, my father still said, you already tried to play ball, play drums and nothing worked. This is the last time I invest on you haha . I went with the 10 checks and paid, I made the book for the event, that was in the days 26-27-28 / 2009 .At the time the check returned because there was no balance in the bank, so I would not have to go to the event without money. Summarizing my father's employee, Sidinei Moura give me 30 reias and my mother borrowed it from a teacher in the school 100 reais for i can go to the event. When I arrived I had to pay the check that had come back and I did not know that I had to buy the T-shirt of the event that cost 20, I finally got 10 reias for the 3 days ..I was lucky because the hotel served breakfast so I went down first and then when everyone woke up I went down to have breakfast again and on the way back to the room I asked everyone to get a yogurt to put in the fridge in the room. At last 3 agencies from SP liked me but it was 40 degrees Sergio Mattos models that like me more . Since the day I left Serginho call and send me emails asking me when I would go to Rio. As I did not have the money to go to Rio I went to the city hall of my city to talk to the mayor and he helped me, then I talked to 2 city councilmen and a farmer from my city, there were so many other people that somehow helped me supporting me that I so am grateful. But for me not to need to spend the money I had gotten by truck to Rio, my Aunt Ludi called my mom and said that my Uncle Quinho would make a delivery of doors in Rio but first in SP, and that I could go with him I did not think twice. On that day that I decided to leave, I left my father with the mechanic at the time with crisis and I went home to pack a backpack with clothes to go to my uncle's house 70 km to get a truck ride to Rio. I remember my mother cried a lot because we are from a small town and I had never been to a big city alone and very young at the age of 19. My mother and a woman took me to the bus station, i took a bus to Xanxere 40 km from Abelardo Luz. In xanxere, I thought I would have a bus to my uncle's city, but I did not have any more that day, so I took a taxi and asked to dropped me off at a gas station, where there were trucks that would take me to my uncle's city. I waited for 30 minutes and there was no truck. So I grabbed the taxi driver's phone and called him to pick me up and drop me off at the exit of the city. When he got out of the taxi, the first truck came and I signaled with my hand and he stopped to give me a ride. With this truck I went near Ceara, he left me in the middle of the railway and I waited until the next car stopped. This one left me inside the city of Ceara, in the city I took a ride to the federal police. In the police the cops helped me stop another car to give me a ride to my uncle's city. When I arrived I remember my uncle was ready to leave, I arrived I took a shower and eat, I was all sweaty and hungry, after all the trip that would usually be one hour and twenty minutes, took an entire afternoon. I traveled with my uncle making delivery of doors in SP a week and then we went to Rio, we took a guide to help us find the agency 40 degrees models that at the time was in the neighborhood of Botafogo. I watched my uncle as he was able to get in with a so big truck in the middle of the city being that for small cars was tight. He still managed to park the truck a few meters from the agency. When I arrived at the agency I saw those tall, thin and beautiful models and I all dirty and chubby, but still I went into the agency asking where is SERGIO MATTOS because i arrived hehe. I came and saying that I was there to be a model. Everyone looked at me and thought who is this crazy? I even remember a booker talking down to another booker that now Serginho was bringing plus size models to the agency. Surely he does not remember that but I never forgot. But serginho always believed in me and called me to stay in Rio and he always told me the world is your backyard . It was 6 months between staying in Rio and going home and in those 6 months I did not work anything, dont have book, experience,fat ,etc. In January 2010 I took 3 fashion shows in Rio where I had many interviews telling my story and a fashion week in SP. That was a part of my story, I hope all of you like it and think that everything is possible , believe in your self, be good with people and always be gratefull .People know me before as Mechanic of Fashion.

RK : Was modeling something you always wanted to do, or did it just kinda happen?

Vinicius : NO,I never thought of being a model, never crossed my mind.

RK : Best modeling experience ever?

Vinicius : The best experiences and travel, to know new cultures and languages.

RK : What do you enjoy most in modeling?

Vinicius : I enjoy everything i do , i love my job..

RK : What is one of your favorite photographs from your career so far? Who shot it?

Vinicius : For me now is the one who help me a lot , Maurizio Montani.

RK : Main challenges in modeling today?

Vinicius : My main challenge is with my self, to give my best every day.

RK : What do you do to stay in shape?

Vinicius : I have a personal trainer, he make my training , also tell me what i have to eat, but need so much discipline , focus.

RK : Do you have any beauty routine you stick to daily?

Vinicius : I wake up between 6-7 am first medication, read for like 20 min and go to the gym, after i do this i am free to go anywhere..

RK : What are the top five items every man should have in his pantry?

Vinicius : ou need to be polite, humble, elegant, good perfume and have a good conversation.

RK : What skills according to you are necessary to be a successful model ?

Vinicius : Discipline, charisma always be you, never forget your origins and do not try to shorten paths to get somewhere, and the principal of all are always grateful, grateful and the secret of success.

RK : Put these factors in order of importance for becoming a successful model: The right looks, hard work, luck.

Vinicius : Hard work,luck,right look..

RK : How do you stay up to date regarding fashion?

Vinicius : Always checkin websites , brazilian models but not often.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you became a model?

Vinicius : I think it's in China, because when I was younger I played a lot with people at work and always fumbling with weird faces, they started calling me (santibim) which in Chinese means crazy hehe ... that was just a nickname that I used it for the Chinese to remember me. Since 2011 where I arrive in China everyone knows me like this and not by Vinicius hehe.

There is also another story of when I went to Taipei in 2011 and I did not speak any English, I went to work and I ended up losing myself in the city. The agency called me and hey hey Vinicius where are you? I answered, I am fine, and you?

RK : What are the 5 Things you want to tell newbies before he/she become a model and why.

Vinicius : First do what you love, study english,have a good diet, discipline and believe in yourself.

RK : Have you ever been to India and anything you know about Indian Art & Culture?

Vinicius : Not yet.

RK : Thanks for the time to answer the questions. We (Retro Kolkata) are trying to make a bridge between National and International Art & Culture By featuring some National & International personalities who already have made their own path in their respective fields and we think your story and tips might help the newcomers to build their career. Please say something about our initiative and any special message for your Indian followers.

Vinicius : In all professions whatever they are, we have to struggle, to have focus and goal if we want to get somewhere. Dream big, thank you for what you already have, thank you for having health, for working, for your family.

Always ready for the opportunities and do not think about preparing for when the opportunity appears. Always remember that for everything in life the secret of success and gratitude and humility.