Maiki: Hi HÃ¥vard, it feels kind of strange to speak in English with you here as we are both Norwegian. I thought about you now that men’s fashion week is going on and it would be interesting to have your points of view on men’s fashion week as you have walked for so many top designers. Will you be working this week?

HÃ¥vard: I agree it feels strange to shift over to English. Yes, I will I do Icosae and Dries Van Noten, and we have to see how the rest of the week goes. At least it’s very nice to be back in Paris, although it’s almost as cold as Norway these days.

M: Yes it’s freezing like Norway! How did you get discovered?

H: I was discovered by a designer of Kaibosh at a party at an architecture school in Bergen, and the make-up and hair lady sent some snap shots to a Swedish agency.

M: What did you feel when you started modelling, was it a bit surreal?

H: That’s 3 years ago today and my first jobs those months before summer just sent me on a few jobs to Sweden. So it was to go tax free shopping and drinking for free I remember. After 3 years I don’t think I got anything of the industry anyways, and to travel just because of your face and body will always be a bit surreal I think.

M: The environment we are surrounded with during the fashion weeks is completely different from the town you are from in Norway. What was the first experience in Paris for you like and what is the contrast from your hometown?

H: I started modelling late compared to most of the other boys, I was 23. So I had already been in Paris a few times with some friends. But it’s like fashion Paris is a parallel world in the same city. As a model you a get literally and metaphorically a lot of doors opened for you. Not all of it is grand of course, but it’s a very interesting scene.

M: What are the greatest perks?

H: All the cool places you get to go and amazing venues for the shows I’ll say.

M: You probably knew this was coming, but you received a lot of attention last year for the Rick Owens show where people thought they saw your privates. I know this must get tiring for you to answer, but can you tell us the actual story of that?

H: Haha I’ve had 3 stories in one of the biggest newspapers in Norway all about my d… It was when he did the collection with the holes in front, but I was wearing pants beneath, 2 actually. So the newspaper wrote I was naked in one article, then had a new one to correct that and then they had a follow story with interview.

M: Tell us about a typical men’s fashion week for you.

H: It depends if it’s Milan or Paris. Milan is slower for me work wise, and the food and wine is great and cheap, so it makes Milan fashion week crazy in that sense. Paris is machine week, getting up at 9 running around to 20-23 pm to different appointments castings, fittings and shows! And then you have to squeeze in some food and maybe some wine too.

M: Sounds like fun. Can you mention some of the designers you walked for?

H: Prada, Gucci, Raf Simons and Paul Smith to name some of the top ones. Raf and Ann Demeulemeester are two shows I’ve done every season of mine, and I’m quite proud about that.

M: How long will you continue and what will you do after?

H: I’m not doing that much anymore, just been doing fashion weeks and some direct bookings since summer. I’m back at university now, studying geography but let’s see! Best not to decide!

Final three questions from your moments in fashion:

The most jaw dropping one?

The real answers for this is not suitable for public… So I will stick to the fashion and not my personal adventures. Most jaw dropping was seeing the first collection of Allessandro Michele and the change in Gucci. A show I closed.

The craziest one?

The craziest was the time we went 15 models to Helsinki from Stockholm on the ferry boat to a job.

The funniest one?

The funniest is the shows of Paul Smith. All about good vibes, having a good time. It’s all about enjoying it.

Chat by @xMaiki