Off Duty With

It was one of these sunny mornings in Barcelona, I walked down the boulevard Paseo de Gracia, straight to Sight Management Studio, a mother agency representing Ferran Calderon. I sat down with Ferran and after a few moments, I have noticed, this conversation is so much more than just looking at a pretty face. Ferran’s prosperous modeling career, which started twelve years ago, is still blossoming but the 30 years old will become a completely a new role in his life - probably the most important one, being a father. 

Ferran, how did you get in modeling business?

I played basketball since I was 5 years old at “Joventut de Badalona” one of the most historic basketball clubs in Europe . At that time when I was 18 a friend of mine was working in modeling, she asked me to go with her to a casting.’ For me it was weird, because I was more a sports man. Anyway I gave it a chance, nothing to lose. At that time was my mum who pushed me to go for it. So I went to that casting and it worked. It was for an underwear TV commercial, I didn’t tell my friends, just my family knew about it. 

So imagine, we were in a cinema with my friends, watching a movie and before the film started there was a commercial. and suddenly… BOOM! Myself in a slips…(laughs) My friends were like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s you!’ The whole cinema was turning around and starring at me. What a shame! But it was funny. It helped me to say ‘I accept it, I want it now.’

After that my agency started to push me, standing behind me. I first traveled to Paris for a couple of months, so everything went really fast. I remember one of my first castings there for L’Oreal with french actress Laetitia Casta… This kind of experiences make me believe that modeling was the right choice for me. I went back home and few weeks later I got a call from Marilyn, my french agency,  “You have an option for L’Oreal with Laetitia Casta” And you think like, okay, sure you don’t believe it at the first moment. But few weeks later the dream came true.

How long have you been in the modeling business?

It has been 13 years now.


In men’s fashion it’s different then like women’s fashion. 

Sure, there is more market for women’s, so I guess that’s why they contracts are biggers than ours… 

Do you have any plans after modeling?

Yes I do, but still just plans. I think most of the models have always plans in mind. You never know when your career is gonna end.

We have Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat and you always have to be present.

Yes, I have the three of them. Actually I just opened a Snapchat account, but truly… I don’t like it. So I guess I’m not gonna use it so much. I use more instagram and trust me I have enough with my instagram profile. People often told me to post more things, but I don’t feel like posting anything, I try to take care about what I post.

But you have clients checking your accounts, you have fans around the world, so it has become part of your job.

Yes, social media changes our job. Before there were only the agencies which were managing everything and had all these pictures. Clients went to the agency and checked the models. If the agency doesn’t exist, you don’t exist, the client doesn’t know about you. Because models didn’t have a way to present themselves. Now we have social media, we are part of our own marketing.

Let’s talk about you and Andrea. How did you meet your girlfriend Andrea?

We met in Andorra, a small country between France and Spain. I like to practice snowboard in my free time and it was in one of my vacations there, where she was practicing snowboard as well. At that time I didn’t know anything about her skills with a camera… We start to see each other so frequently, and it was on a trip in Menorca where I see her potencial. I received an email from Sight my spanish agency where they said they need a video of me for a fragrance option. So I asked Andrea to help me with that. After seeing the result I flip out. It was not a casualty… she studied direction of photography at “ESCAC” one of the best film schools in Spain.

Now six years later after our first meeting, she is working almost everyday. Her succes in his work it’s not a casualty. She puts all her effort and passion in all of his jobs. To be success this two things have to go together

What is your favorite picture that Andrea has taken?

A picture she took of me in a New York studio. There is a beautiful story behind it, like the video of Menorca. 

We were in New York and one morning I received an email from Paris that they need new pictures and a video of me for a campaign. I look around and I see our little apartment in Manhattan. I didn’t like any of the corners in our flat to shoot that pictures… It may seems crazy, but I look for a studio to rent in Queens, I have never rented a studio for that… but I wanted to do this time, it was a big campaign, a big chance for me. So I checked the Studios Lic in Queens. So lucky that this morning the natural light at the studio was wonderful, we took a few pictures and the video, sent it to the agency and… “voilà” two days later I got the job. They confirmed! We were so proud, we trusted in each other, we believed and what we did. If you don’t trust in yourself nobody will trust on you!

So you lived in Paris, but now you are living in Barcelona?

Now I live in a city next to Barcelona, called Badalona. Where I have all my family. I liked it more, I enjoy every time there. Still a big city,  you have everything you need. We live just in front of the beach. That’s what I need when I come back home. I just want to relax, see the sea, it makes me calm. Barcelona and other big cities they are these fast living cities. I remember in New York, people don’t walk there, they run. And I don’t want this to be my whole life. I don’t want to run all the time. 

In Barcelona and and all southern countries people seem to be enjoying life more than others, not running behind something.

(laughing) True! We have very good weather almost all the time, good gastronomy, rich culture and a beautiful sea… What else!? Always missing good restaurants when I’m out for work.

But can you always find a Spanish restaurant?

Yes (laughing) you can have tapas and sangria everywhere… But trust me... it’s not the same! Better come and try a good Paella here.

You have visited so many stunning places around the world, but what’s your most favorite place?

To disconnect I would say Philippines, but for work maybe Paris can be one of my favorite places. Always when I go back there, I felt the good experiences I’ve made in that city when I was there for the first time. I actually like the city very much, the streets are big, the culture, the people. I feel so comfortable in the city, I meet really nice people there, I also have some favorite places I can’t miss when I’m there. I love tartare, and I have a favorite place called “Les tontons”, everytime I go to Paris I need to make a visit (lauhging). 

So your best experience in fashion was probably the first in Paris?

I will always remember the first fashion experience in Paris and also my whole first year. I walked at shows in Milan and Paris. I remember the feeling, when you first see the designers in front of you at the backstage before the show, like Dolce & Gabbana. Stefano or Domenico were always there, making sure that everything fits perfect, fixing our clothes. Also with Giorgio Armani that same year. I wouldn’t expect that Mr. Armani would work by himself so much, I thought always they are some guys taking care of it. But no, there you realize that the designers are taking care of everything by themselves.

In the same year I was also booked for a show of John Galliano in Paris. They asked me to open the show. That is something that made me really proud, opening or closing the show is always a big honor. So I remember my first shows, it’s a totally different feeling then working in a photoshoot. The shows are speedy, faster, pure adrenaline.