Interview with AndromedaX

AndromedaX is an alt / fetish / fashion / creative / art nude model from the UK. Although she has now retired from full-time modelling to study law, she is still available outside of term time to work with photographers and designers. Alongside modelling, she has done makeup, hair and styling for the majority of the shots in her portfolio.’

Photographer: Andy Thomas, MUA/hair/styling: AndromedaX

When did you begin modelling and what interested you about it in the beginning?

To be honest, it really wasn’t something I had ever considered doing until relatively recently, and somewhat late in life! I grew up as very much the ‘ugly duckling’ at school; I was shy, frumpy and deeply unfashionable. I was called ‘ugly’ by other girls and bullied for some years about my appearance, so I never thought I would ever end up doing something like this so many years later! However, when I was in my mid-teens I fell head-over-heels in love with goth music, and gradually became part of the scene, embracing the gothic styles of makeup and clothing. This was something which developed over the years, and I became more and more adventurous with the hair and makeup. To begin with, the modelling was for me a means of recording all the daft looks I liked to mess around with – something to show to people when I’m old and grey, to prove that I was once young and flamboyant! I began modelling regularly I suppose in 2007, when I was already 30 years old!

Since you have many styles in your portfolio, which do you prefer working in?

Although the ‘big hair, big makeup’ look is the one that people seem to know me for and want to book me for (and the one I prefer in real life!), I very much enjoy the opportunity to do other styles. I am only 5’ 2” (and 34 years old) so I am never going to be a ‘proper’ fashion model, but I do love doing more editorial, fashion-oriented shoots. I find the challenge quite exciting, and also love it when I see photos of myself which look nothing like me! I don’t get the chance to do this as much as I would like, although I do have a few ideas lined up that I’m hoping I will get the chance to shoot at some point this year!

Photographer: Jason Juta, Model: AndromedaX

Tell me about the photos in your portfolio by Jason Juta.

I stumbled across Jason’s fantasy art in the portfolios of several other alternative models back in 2007 when I first started modelling, and really hoped that I would get the chance to do something with him one day. His work is absolutely beautiful! I was so pleased when he wanted to work with me; Jason had some precise ideas in mind which he wanted to work on, so I was happy to provide the styles he was after and was seriously impressed with the results. Two of the images from our shoot were featured in his Gothic Fantasy artwork calendar (2011), which was lovely. I’d jump at the chance to work with him again, and do something more extravagant in terms of the styling if he were ever interested!

Photographer: Jason Juta, Model: AndromedaX

When looking at your portfolio everyone has their favourite images of you. What are some of your favorites?

I don’t have a set favourite to be honest! I like all the photos in my portfolio – if I didn’t they wouldn’t be in there! I think that the sets I have done with Julian Kilsby, Eddie Cheng (eymc275), Mike Matthews, Scott Chalmers, Toxic Imaging, Gary Mck (Edition of You), and Tim James (Gray Gallery) are the ones which have had the most positive comments from other people. My own personal favourite changes all the time, although I am currently loving my recent images by Maja Stina (also an amazing model!) and Andy Thomas.

Photographer: Maja Stina 2012, Model/MUA/hair etc: AndromedaX

Who are some of the designers you have modeled for?

I haven’t modelled specifically ‘for’ that many people to be honest! I don’t get asked (because I’m not well-known enough, cool enough, young enough or tall/slim/fashion-model-y enough!) very often, nor do I often approach designers as I tend to assume that if they want me, they’ll ask me! I’ve been lucky enough to model clothing for Ooh La Latex, Cyberesque, Violaceous Latex, Shhh Couture, Engineers of Desire, Peccatus Latex Couture, Sample Remix, Sacre Coeur Adornments, Boom Boom Baby, and a few others. Its lovely to get the chance to model all these beautiful clothes that I would never otherwise get the chance to wear!

What do you expect from a photographer you shoot with and how much do you like to collaborate with them?

Its brilliant when you really hit it off and gel with a particular photographer, but obviously it would be impossible for that to happen every single time; all I really expect from a photographer is that they are professional in their conduct, and that they (ideally!) have a good sense of humour! I’m happy to work with photographers of all abilities, depending on the project…. obviously if I have a specific shoot idea in mind I prefer to approach the photographer I’d like to shoot it with directly. I think all model photography requires an element of collaboration for it to work, but these personal projects (by either model OR photographer) are where the real mixing of ideas happens. If only one party is getting what they want from a shoot, it is not really a collaboration (so you’d need to be sure you’re being compensated financially for your time!); I personally love to collaborate with photographers on an idea we are both enthusiastic about. You get the best results that way.

Photographer: Jamie Mahon, MUA: Morgan Walker

What do you think are your best features and your worst?

Oh god, I don’t know!! Physical features? Allegedly I have nice eyes… I’m not very good at picking ‘good’ bits, I’m a typical woman!! Worst features would have to be my teeth (I’m British, what can I say?!), my bottom, and my thighs. I also have weird feet!

I read that you would like to do a “proper boy shoot” sometime. What did you mean by this?

Ah yes, the boy shoot… its going to happen when I finally have the time to organise it properly! I have often had comments made about my looking like a man, or a drag queen. I don’t mind this to be honest, and take it in good humour; I think there is definitely something of the drag queen about my over-the-top hair and makeup so I can see where it is coming from. I also have quite angular features and do not look typically girly and feminine. I’ve been hoping to do a shot which capitalises on this aspect of my look and would really love to do an androgynous, stripped-back look – minimal makeup, cropped hair, masculine clothing etc. I think it would work quite well, and again give me something different to aim for. I’m already discussing it with a photographer and with a bit of luck we’ll get the chance to do this very soon!

Photo by Gothic Image, Latex: Westward Bound, MUA/hair/styling: AndromedaX

I understand you are a big Edgar Allen Poe fan. Have you an interest in the mysteries, horror or the supernatural?

I do love Edgar Allen Poe, its true! I first read ‘Tales of Mystery and Imagination’ when I was a kid of about 9 or 10 and was fascinated by the atmosphere his stories created. My parents had let me stay up late to watch the 1960’s films of his stories made by Roger Corman and I absolutely fell in love with them – and of course with the legendary Vincent Price who starred in many of them! I’m not generally a fan of the standard ‘slasher’ type horror film and if I’m going to watch something of that genre I prefer it to be more atmospheric, subtle and genuinely scary, as opposed to just nasty! I think most people are fascinated by the supernatural in some ways, whether they believe in such things or not. Everyone likes a bit of mystery, and I think lots of us also like to be scared too… at least just a little!

Who inspires you? Artists, photographers, models, musicians…. anyone?

I have always been a fan of Pre-Raphaelite art, particularly the work of Rosetti and Waterhouse; however I would not claim to be a great art connoisseur in any way. To quote Orson Welles, I don’t know anything about art but I know what I like! I love the dreamlike romance of their paintings… something about it appeals to my inner hippie! As for photographers, the late Bob Carlos Clarke took some of my favourite images. I would have to say that my favourite model (if I had to pick one!) would be the scarily versatile, otherworldly beauty that is Razor Candi. She’s always alternative, but never, ever boring. Her styling is always immaculate and she just pulls off every look perfectly. I’m a big fan!

Photo by Gray Gallery, MUA/hair/styling: AndromedaX

What do you do when you are not modelling? Reading, movies? Tell us some of your favorites.

I’m currently at university studying for a law degree which takes up a large portion of my time; aside from that I do like to do all the normal everyday things which everyone seems to do to pass the time. I used to be a big reader but it fell by the wayside over the years – however in the past year or so I’ve rediscovered my passion for books and have torn through heaps of the things! Favourites have been ‘Wolf Hall’ by Hilary Mantel, and more recently the sequel ‘Bring Up the Bodies’; I’ve also particularly enjoyed ‘The Book of Human Skin’ by Michelle Lovric, ‘Vernon God Little’ by DBC Pierre and ‘Pure’ by Andrew Miller – a fabulous book about the clearance of Les Innocents cemetery in Paris at the end of the 18th century. As for movies, I like all kinds of things; I’m a big fan of the Coen Brothers, and also enjoy silly comedies such as Zoolander and Anchorman. I like quirky, off-the-wall fantasy and science fiction films such as Stardust, or The Fifth Element, and also love so-bad-its-good films such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula! My favourite film of all time however has to be The Red Violin, which is just beautiful.

What are your hopes for the future in regard to your career?

I really don’t know! I’m in my mid-thirties and still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up! I certainly don’t consider modelling my career; as much as I love it, its never going to make me my fortune or even keep me in the manner to which I would like to become accustomed, haha! Especially not at my age, and with my lack of ‘proper model’ statistics! The law degree will I hope be a step up for me when it comes to future work; I don’t intend to train to be a lawyer, I’m just not the right type of person for that I don’t think… too much of a dreamer and not driven enough. But it will I hope enable me to find a reasonably well-paid job, or at least one with prospects of maybe being so in the future. My main interest in law is human rights, and I think that if I could in future work for a human rights charity I would be happy enough with that!

Where can we go to find out more about you and your work?

I don’t have a website of my own, but I have online modelling portfolios here:

http://purpleport.com/portfolio/andromedax

http://www.modelmayhem.com/AndromedaX

as well as a Facebook fan page here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/AndromedaX/179753715393980

Photo by Edition of You, Model/MUA/hair etc: AndromedaX, Latex: Cathouse Clothing

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