With every model comes a great story of how they were “discovered” and John Economou is no exception. After leaving home at 19 and spending his nights on Venice Beach without a roof over his head, things are looking up for the Milwaukee-native now that Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid have helped him out with a major modelling contract.
John told Daily Mail that he was just “chilling on the beach”, aka his home, when he had the chance meeting with two of the world’s most in-demand models right now.
They were having a picnic right near him, but were being bothered by seagulls who wanted their food. He helped shoo the birds away without realising that it was Gigi, Ansel Elgort and Kendall and her manager, Ashleah Gonzalez, who had just finished filming a commercial on Venice Boardwalk.
“One of the girls said to me, ‘You’re cute’, so I turned around and we struck up conversation,” he explained to Daily Mail. “I didn’t realise who I was speaking to at first and it finally clicked who it was.”
After the girls suggested that John takes up modelling, he revealed to the high-profile pair how he’s been chasing that exact line of work in Los Angeles for some time now. “I told them my story, I told them how I was a model back home and how I came here to follow my dream and try get an agency, how I’m living the hippie life, living out on the beach crashing on the sand right now,” he explained.
“They said they could help me out and get me an agency and they got me with Two Management, the agency I signed with,” he continued. “It’s a crazy story. I’m super grateful. I was just in the right place at the right time.”
John said “Kendall was cool” but it was her modelling manager, Ashleah, who exchanged numbers with him. A Two Management spokesperson said, “The owner of Two Management, Luc Brinker, started Kendall in modeling years ago. When Kendall met John on the beach, she told her manager, Ashleah Gonzalez, at The Society, who reached out to Luc. The rest is history.”
Now 20 and represented by Katie Wolland at Two Management, John is still technically homeless, although he doesn’t really see it that way. “I don’t like saying I’m homeless. I like saying I’m on an adventure. I’m a traveller,” he explained, noting that his parents are supportive of this choice.
Photo: Two Management
“My parents thought it was a little odd that I wanted to come and live the hippie lifestyle out here but they knew I’m super independent and super driven and motivated so they support me and believe in me,” he explained.
John hasn’t kept in touch with Kendall and Gigi, just Ashleah, but he’s super grateful. “I’d like to say thank you to them,” he explained. “They are the reason where I am where I am now.”
That being said, John wants bigger and better. He wants it all. “I came out here for one reason and that’s to get that money and get that fame. I want that Lamborghini, that Ferrari you know exotic cars, big house.”
See, there’s more to life than being ridiculously good looking. There are cars too!
[Via Daily Mail]
