After fifteen years at Balenciaga, Nicolas Ghesquière quietly left his post as creative director last November.
ARTIST, MODEL, AND LIVING PIECE OF ART: ZOMBIE BOY
July 09, 2013 4:11 PM
From Zombie Boy to living icon, Rick Genest isn’t just Nicola Formichetti’s muse anymore.
Artist, model, and living piece of art, Genest, aka Zombie Boy, has made it. First discovered by Nicola Formichetti of Thierry Mugler, he instantly became Formichetti’s muse. Their relationship as mentor and muse quickly metastasized into a modeling career for the artist. Zombie Boy was featured in the unforgettable Mugler’s Men’s & Women’s RTW 2011 runways’ and Men’s Fall 2011 campaign. Zombie Boy was quickly propelled into the mainstream with his infamous tattooed body making an equally unforgettably cameo in Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” video. His body art is mainly the work of self-taught tattoo artist Frank Lewis based out of Montreal, Canada.
If it’s possible to imagine, Zombie Boy has expanded his career from beyond being just a male runway model. He was featured in a promotional video for Dermabrand Professional makeup entitled, “Go Beyond the Cover”, in which they completely cover his body with makeup, effectively making him tattoo-less. The video almost instantaneously went viral. Zombie Boy became the first ever male spokesperson for L’Oreal based on the success of that campaign.
TWELV received exclusive images of a project Zombie Boy did with famed eyewear designer and model Stevieboi. Shot by Colin Singer and styled by Bobby Webster, “Freaks Bring Fashion to Venice Beach” shows Zombie Boy and Stevieboi in the edgy punk LA brand Skingraft, a brand favorite of TWELV. The images are reminiscent of the traveling freak show, of which Formichetti first discovered Zombie Boy.
So what is Zombie Boy up to next? Other than granting exclusive images to TWELV, he’s currently the face of Rocawear Europe, and expanding his skeletal brand into acting. You’ll recognize his now iconic face this Christmas alongside Keanu Reeves in 47Ronin.
It might seem impossible to keep tabs on this quickly expanding brand, but Zombie Boy has got you covered. He recently launched his own website, zombieboy.com, where you can catch up on what his up to, but most importantly, shop his exclusive Zombie Boy approved fan gear and sportswear accessories.
By Rachel Arseneault
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