Fashion Week Files: Jason Ellis
You just did the Bobby Abley show - how was it?
It was a great buzz. The collection was amazing, it was inspired by Power Rangers! I was wearing a beanie hat with Powers Rangers on, and a tracksuit, it was amazing. It’s cool to wear something you really like on the catwalk.
You did Elite Model Look in 2013 - what did you learn?
I was scouted for EML and then they put my into a bootcamp for a week, and then I got through to the semifinals and then through to the finals. They trained me up on the catwalk, which was amazing, built my confidence for shows and shoots which was good.
How has men’s fashion week in London been for you?
I have been busy. I have been to about 11 or 12 castings, and I’m only on day one! I’m supposed to have more, we’ll see what happens. I took a break from modelling since I first started, but it’s been 10 months since I’ve been working again, and I’ve started to pick up a lot and I feel good about it. The shows in London are good. They’re a bit street, which is good as I’m from the streets, so they’re that kind of vibe! Today, all of the Bobby Abley models have that street-cast look, which is cool.
What did you do before you were a model?
I was working as a railway engineer, I was doing the train tracks for network rail. Lifting the sleepers, checking and changing them, and I was doing that for about 4 or 5 months, so it was a big change from going from heavy duty to this, which was incredible, two different worlds. I had no idea what it was about. A lot of people don’t know. People in construction or in an office who don’t know the industry or the ins and outs of fashion shows, or about being a model, it does open up your mind, which is good.
Do you like doing fashion shows?
I love doing shows. The buzz that you get - loads of people are watching you, but you don’t really focus on that. You just do your thing and that’s it, my mind just goes blank, just kill it. It’s really fun backstage, the vibe is...everyone’s fun. It can get a bit busy and hectic being told to do this and that, but it’s all part of the job!
