Model and Tik Tok star Mathieu Simoneau is gaining worldwide traction.
20-year-old Mathieu Simoneau is a Korean Canadian model who has gained traction for his impressive modelling portfolio. Recently, his personal Tik Tok account has also gained popularity for his “What I think about when I’m on the runway” series. He also creates videos showing a behind the scenes look into his modelling life, and answering questions from fans and aspiring models alike.
Despite only a 3 year career, Simoneau has already walked down the runway for major brands including Calvin Klein, Prada, Versace, and Louis Vuitton. One of his most recent shows includes the recent Cactus Jack x Dior SS22 show.
Humble Beginnings
Simoneau told Sheesh Magazine about how he was originally approached to be a model at a music festival. A modelling agent asked him who he was represented by. Upon learning the teen wasn’t already a model, he gave him his card. Simoneau assumed he was being scammed, and quickly threw the card away, “…I said ‘thanks’ and threw it in the trash a few feet away when he wasn’t looking. I thought there was no way a legitimate modelling agency was scouting kids while they were at music festivals.”
The next day, the agent had found him again and gave him another copy of his card. By the end of that year, Simoneau was signed to Want Entertainment and has been managed by them ever since.
Simoneau has also commented on some favourite brands of his, giving a particular shout out to Pacsun and their team.
“Everyone there is so welcoming. They try to keep stress at a low and give compliments when we’re working. It makes the work look so much better in the end. The reason why the smiling pictures for PacSun look so good is because we’re actually laughing at something the photographer or team said.”
Identity
Being Korean Canadian, Simoneau has also told Sheesh Magazine about the cross between his nationality and the modelling world. The model acknowledges that while the fashion industry is incredibly diverse, that there is a need to make sure that representation is being taken seriously. He noted how there “are certainly brands that have not participated in the celebration of diversity in fashion and it is more noticeable now than ever”. He also told Sheesh how being a minority in the industry, one is able to tell when a ‘diverse model’ has been cast “to avoid a callout or scandal”.
The model also commented on the impact of racial stereotyping within the industry, especially upon the Asian community. He described how stereotyping also developed an over-sexualisation of Asian women, that “they have been sexualized for decades and continue to be sexualized today”. He also presented his loathing for how these stereotypes impact the community as a whole,
“In general the media should stop portraying Asian stereotypes. I find it so odd that even today there are people that pull their eyes back or mock accents. Allowing that type of racism and broadcasting it in the media leads to greater, more violent, forms of racism.”
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