TWELV DIARY #6: LUCAS GOOSSENS

MODEL: LUCAS GOOSSENS

AGENCY: WILHELMINA MODELS

Lucas the designer, the model and artist...

Where are you from and what is your name: 

My name is Lucas Goossens and I am from Jacksonville, Oregon.

How were you scouted to model: 

I literally just walked into the only agency around in Oregon and said "Hi, my name's Lucas and I'd like to give this a try." 

Which agencies are you associated with: 

Wilhelmina NY, Wilhelmina Miami, Elite Milan, Vision LA, and IMD Medford. 

What are the challenges you have experienced during your modeling career: 

The most challenging part about modeling is what you do in between jobs. Sometimes, modeling jobs were so few and far apart that I had to survive by getting other jobs like catering or working at a restaurant.  I did that here in the US, but when you're abroad that's not an option.  Abroad, you kind of learn how to live off of the smallest budget, but when pay day comes (usually about 3 months after your original modeling job) using that money wisely is a priority that many people don't know how to handle! 

What do you love about the industry: 

I love the many kinds of people I get to work with! The best part is running into people you've worked with before and having fun all over again, but in a different job setting.  I'm lucky to enjoy my job so much, but that's a choice that anyone can make! 

Hobbies: 

Eating delicious food, being with friends and family, traveling and seeing new things, keeping a light spirit and always pointing things out like "WHOA look at this!" and "Wow, would you take a look at that!?".  All of that, and of course: turning inspiration (all of the aforementioned hobbies) into a wonderful creation.

Favorite designer:

Tom Ford.  Hands down my favorite just because I respect him so much! I'm also loving the collaboration between John Varvatos and Converse.  After having worn my black canvas high Chucks for 8 years, you can imagine they started to wear and tear, and I'm guessing my new steel-toed leather zip-up Varvatos Chucks will do the trick for the next decade.  

What would you tell anyone who want to discover modeling…advice to break it in the industry: 

Don't forget who you are and where you came from, but do realize that modeling is a chance to create the person you've always wanted to be!  Most important of all, stay on top of your image (it's common sense to eat healthy and stay fit), and try to be a role model to others.  

Who is your role model: 

I'd say my role model is a combination of things: my own vision of who I want to become, and the significant people who steer me in that direction.  My mom and dad have always been my biggest role models.  

What is the inspiration behind your jewelry design:

Positivity. Watch out, it's a bit of a story: It started out as a conscious choice in my mind, as a new year's resolution during high school.  My best friend and my twin sister both told me I wasn't nice; I was greedy, egotistical, and selfish. I told myself "I don't want people to see me that way, especially notthose who loveme most!", and so I started working on it.  By the next new year, I was so much happier with my relationships, and I became a great twin brother and a thoughtful best friend.  I then read the 3rd book of the Da Vinci Code series: The Lost Symbol. That book introduced me to the concept of Noetic Science, the study of our human experience with objective scientific tools and subjective inner knowing.  I started doing yoga, and reading spiritual books. Most importantly, I started meditating and learned how to breathe. I got a new perspective. I loved that perspective, and wanted to represent it somehow. I would call it: thinking positive. So I bought a ring September 10th, 2011 to represent how far I'd come, and this new way of thinking that was making me a happier and better person! 

Why did you decide to design a jewelry line:

After finding out that thinking positively was really working for me, I bought a ring to remind me to do just that!  That was 2 years ago, and the more I would look at that stainless steel ring with a tiny diamond in it, the more I loved it.  I wanted something better though, I needed a symbol.  I came to the conclusion that the Plus sign was the perfect symbol to represent "being positive".  I came up with a few sketches, a 3D model (with the help of a friend, and old CAD programming skills taken in high school) and made my very first Plus Ring! I used a 3D printing service called Shapeways to create my vision, and now I have a full collection of positive LucasPlus Jewelry made to order and shipped worldwide.  

Describe your aesthetic:

Modern, bold, architectural.  I design for both sexes, and my way of creation results in a particular style.  I use Google Sketchup, a free 3D design program, to draw my models.  When working with the program, I feel like it's the inside of my head. D Printing helps in plucking it straight from my head and into my hands in weeks! I would also say that Legos were probably the biggest inspiration in my life, its blocky system of building engrained itself in my mind from a very young age! 

How do you balance everything:

I just keep waking up knowing that today's going to be a good day.  Keeping a positive mindset helps me make everything work. 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years:

I see myself living the dream!  I want to have an established jewelry business, and I hope to be a well known face in the fashion industry.  

What is something everyone does not know about you:

The moment I discovered my passion for jewelry, I got a tattoo on my right wrist - the outline of my original Plus Ring. That was last summer in Milan, Italy. 

MANY THANKS TO LUCAS GOOSSENS

INTERVIEWED BY: DENISE BOWEN