Manic Mondays: Nick Youngquest
Photography by Joel Barhamand of Nick Youngquest (Instagram: @Nick_Youngquest)
It’s just another man-ic Monday here on Yahoo Style. And the man of the hour this week is Nick Youngquest. As if Youngquest’s eight (nay, twelve!) pack wasn’t enough to excite, the 31-year-old Australian ex-pat—who is currently the face of Paco Rabanne’s Invictus fragrance—is a professional rugby all-star, bona fide surfer, devout yogi, an aspiring businessman, and is as humble as humble can be. Long story short, Youngquest is one to watch. (And his enviable body and sweet style make that task far too easy!) We caught up with Youngquest about taking the perfect selfie (note: he’s anti-selfie sticks), nude photo shoots, and working with the famed Bruce Weber for an Abercrombie & Fitch gig.
Yahoo Style: You seem like you’re taking social media by storm. Is there a specific reason why you’re so connected?
Nick Youngquest: You have to be social media savvy these days to get the correct message out about how you want to portray of yourself. Instagram has taken over and I think it’s cool because it allows me to be able to create my own narrative without words. I Instagram only a couple of times a week, though, so I don’t overdo it and bombard people with pictures. I’m not big on hashtags either.
YS: What about selfies?
NY: I love selfies. When the phenomena first started, I thought it was kind of weird. But now when I visit people in different markets around the world for the fragrance, oftentimes people would rather take a selfie than have someone take a picture of us together. I think it’s cool, unique, and creates some sort of experience with a person.
YS: So what’s your secret to taking the perfect selfie?
NY: I just have to shoot from my good side, right? (Laughs) I’m kidding. I’m not too strict on how I take my selfies. It’s just a quick snap for me and it’s done. My advice is not to overthink it too much! It should be very raw and in the moment.
YS: Famous fashion photographer, Bruce Weber, shot you for Abercrombie & Fitch. Tell us more!
NY: It was a long time ago and I was still playing sports. At the time, I think I was 22 or so, my agent in LA said, “Bruce Weber wants to shoot you.” And I was like, “Bruce who?” Being the typical Australian surfer that I was , I didn’t know about how big he was. But once I shot with Bruce and met him, I understood. He was a lovely guy.
Photography by Joel Barhamand
YS: What was it like shooting with him?
NY: He was an intense photographer to shoot with because he really wants to capture the picture and he has a unique way of doing it. It’s pretty much where all of this started for me. I look fondly back on it.
YS: So were you on the Abercrombie & Fitch bags or posters?
NY: Those pictures never really made it. I had tattoos, which is not typical of an Abercrombie model, so they never really took off. But they actually edited all of my tattoos out and it didn’t look like me in the end.
YS: What was posing nude for the rugby calendar like?
NY: It was the first nude shoot I ever did and was one of the first shoots I’ve ever done. It was definitely a different experience and I’m not scared of being naked. So it didn’t really affect me.
YS: What’s it like being a face of the Paco Rabanne Invictus fragrance?
NY: It’s a totally different experience from anything that I’ve done before. Stepping away from sports and into this role has been an amazing journey. I’ve met so many people and have traveled to so many different places.
YS: So what’s next for you—fashion, sports, modeling?
NY: I think I’m probably too big to go down the fashion route, but I do hope this experience can last for a while. I really see myself working in health and wellness, too. That’s my ideal goal. I’d also love to integrate yoga into professional sports.
More from Yahoo Style:
Kicking Back With My Dogs, An Exclusive Film From Bruce Jenner
Abercrombie & Fitch Is So Over Abs
Colton Haynes on Abercrombie & Fitch, “Arrow” & Spoofing Jennifer Lawrence
