Exclusive: Q&A with Up-and-Coming "It" Model Bo Don

Our Fashion Features Editor, Jesscia Minkoff, sat down with rising model Bo Don. Get the exclusive interview here!

Hairstyle, Shoulder, Jewellery, Style, Bangs, Fashion model, Fashion accessory, Fashion, Black hair, Eyelash,
(Image credit: Archives)

Photo: by Jan Welters

Name: Bo Don

Age: 21

From: Holland

Where do you live now? Right now I live in New York. When I first started modeling I was here for a bit and then I moved to Paris for eight months. Now I live on the Lower East Side with two of my friends.

Do you have any siblings? I have a brother. He is 18.

How were you discovered? I was shopping with my aunt in Holland when I first got scouted but I was in school at the time so I didn't think it was the right thing for me. But when I finished school I got scouted again and I decided to give it a try.

What was your first runway show? My runway debut was Balenciaga. I was 18 and I was so nervous. I had just started modeling about a month before and I had to practice for a week because the shoes were so high. Before that I had only done a lot of test shoots.

What was your first editorial? I've shot for Italian Vogue but my first big editorial was the cover of Self Service magazine that I did recently. I had two editorials and the cover, shot by Collier Schorr.

Do you have a favorite photographer or one that you like working with? I don't really have a favorite. I like to work with different people because everyone has their own vision.

Who are some of your favorite designers? I like Alexander Wang.

How would you describe your personal style? Simple. I like a lot of black and I wear a lot of jewelry. I am kind of boyish.

Do you like to go shopping? I like fashion and I am really into what designers do but on a normal day I don't really wear designer clothing. When I go to stores I am drawn to the rack with the most black on it.

What are you wearing today? Black vans, black G-Star skinny jeans and a black G-Star leather jacket. My jewelry (silver bracelets and rings) is from my mom and my aunt.

What is your favorite item in your closet? This G-Star leather jacket that I am wearing. I have had it for a long time and I basically wear it everyday.

Tell me about when you cut your hair. I had long hair for a while and it worked well. I was getting good jobs. But when you become a model you change a lot and I was bored with it. I didn't feel like it was me. I wanted to cut it and my agency was fine with it so we did it. It was right before I opened for Balmain.

Tell me about your tattoos (she has four). I have a J on my wrist — it is my brother's initial. His name is Jesse. I have a symbol on my finger, one under my foot and one on my upper rib. The one on my foot I just got with Iris [Van Berne]. It's a word that we use a lot.

What are the pros and cons of modeling? There are definitely more pros than cons. You get to travel a lot and that's good because I could never really stay in one place. You also get to meet a lot of talented people and the job is fun. The con is that my family is so far away.

Are you going to do the spring season this time around? I am still debating. I prefer editorials. During show season there are so many girls. It is fun but it is a lot less personal than a shoot. When you do a great editorial, in the end, you have nice photos and it makes you feel happy.

If you weren't a model what would you like to do? I don't think that I would be in school. I would probably be working at a bar (laughs).

Tell me about shooting the Highlands story for Marie Claire. It was really fun. We shot at a nice farmhouse. I really enjoyed the shoot even though it was raining. Everyone had good energy. The clothing was definitely my style. I saw everything and I was like "I want that!" There was amazing jewelry, too!

See Bo's full spread, "Clash of the Tartans," in Marie Claire's September issue.