Solomon James and the incredible story of how a tico modeled for Louis Vuitton |The nation
Solomon James McCrackin Hickey, a 17-year-old Costa Rican born in Limón, was one of the models to participate in the most recent and significant catwalk of the luxury brand Louis Vuitton on November 30. The show was made even more special because it paid tribute to Virgil Abloh, the brand's menswear creative genius who recently passed away. Virgil had been involved in the final details of the show.
On the catwalk, which was viewed by 1,500 guests in Miami, Florida, walked a slender young man with pale hair and eyes. He wore pieces from the brand and carried several of the iconic Louis Vuitton bags. The boy did not walk, he felt that he was levitating, and it was until some of the attendees stared at him that he felt that what he was experiencing was real. It was him, Solomon James, a young Costa Rican who just three weeks ago was enjoying himself on the beach with his friends. That day everything changed.
For this interview, Solomon was accompanied by his mother Julie Marie Hickey, an American who arrived in Costa Rica more than two decades ago and has never wanted to leave since. He still assimilates what he experienced in just a few days, since everything happened “by coincidence”.
A discovered talent
Solomon lives in Puerto Viejo, Limón, however, in mid-November he went for a walk in Tamarindo, in Guanacaste. That day he changed his destiny.
While at a restaurant, designer Rob Chamaeleo, who is also a director of modeling agency The Aegency, was watching a group of young surfers. He restrained himself and thought that this was not the time to go out looking for talent.
However, when he came out, one of the boys complimented him on his shoes and Chamaeleo took the opportunity to ask him about one of the young men in the group. It was Solomon.
“I never go to the beach. I was in a restaurant and I went out to throw something away. When I was able to talk to Solomon I asked him if he was interested in modeling. I told him that we are The Aegency, I showed him everything and I told him about our processes so that he could see that it was real and that it would not seem strange to him. He told me that he had already thought about modeling. I asked him if I could take photos the next day”, recalls Chamaeleo.
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The next day they saw each other and Chamaeleo took pictures of her on the beach. Before this, he asked him to shave his beard and when he saw him, he verified that indeed the young man's face “was impressive”. After having the images, he uploaded them to his Instagram stories to see reactions and shortly after an agent from The Society agency (from New York) saw him.
Rob says that the agent asked him why the young man had not been at Casting the Atlantic (directed by Rob), an event that lasted several days and was attended by recruiters from important agencies around the world looking for Costa Rican and Central American talent.
She asked Rob for a meeting to meet the young man. He told her that they should wait because the boy was finishing his fifth-year school exams. She told him that she hoped the meeting could be soon, because they saw such potential in the young man that she had already presented him to be valued as one of the Louis Vuitton catwalk models.
“He didn't apply and I didn't look for people. He is from Puerto Viejo. It was quite a coincidence that we met”, says the director of the agency, who says that Solomon is a person with timeless and elegant features.
@ LPNH Absolutely idiotic take. What will a kid learn doing hours of menial tasks when they can be learning how to b… https://t.co/MvrXniNbfL
— BBPhotoKid Tue Jun 08 14:27:15 +0000 2021
Rob Chamaeleo recruited Solomon James on November 17th. Thirteen days later he was on the catwalk for one of the most recognized luxury brands in the world.
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Catwalk experience
A few days ago, Solomon was attending classes at the Puerto Viejo Rural High School. One day before traveling to Miami to show, he finished his last exam. Now he awaits his graduation.
He arrived in Miami with his mother Jullie. She tries to understand how fast everything has been. On the morning of Thursday, December 2, when this interview was conducted, she and her son had just received the news that the young man had been signed to the prestigious D Management men's agency, in Milan.
“Everything has been very fast. Every day there is new news. I want to cry and laugh at the same time when I see it. The models who met him (before the show) said that he was one of the most beautiful and kind souls”, he says.
For his part, Solomon describes the experience as “wacky.” In his mind are still images of the photos of him printed backstage before he walked the runway.
“I have been interested in modeling and Fashion. I found all of this incredible. It was very nice to pay tribute to Virgil. He died two days before presenting the collection (the creator had a rare heart cancer). There was a very large statue of him. Being there was a lot of emotions. It's crazy. I thought it was fake. Life changed for me suddenly. I haven't processed it yet,” says Solomon, who recently opened a surf school with his family and also runs a video production company.
On the catwalk Solomon and the more than 80 participating models had a single exit. Each step of the young man seemed unreal, but he became convinced when he saw familiar figures in the audience who were also watching him.
“Seeing all those celebrities made me feel distracted. Some looked me in the eye, ”he says.
Exclusive guests included Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Silvia Venturini Fendi, Serena Williams, Maluma, Pharrell Williams, Bella Hadid and many others.
After this first time for Solomon, and all the doors that are beginning to open (there is already another luxury brand that he could work with), there are plans for him to travel to Europe in January.
“It is already positioned in the men's agency in Milan. It was the dream of us as an agency. He's the first kid to do it."
He aspires to work hard and be able to see the world, as he says that adventures have taught him more than anything in life. He is excited.
“I think he comes a lot. Now we can only move on. I am very anxious and grateful. Let's see where this takes us," he says.
