Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This is a statement I firmly believe in. However I also believe that hot is hot. We need not question whether or not a super model is beautiful. In a world of skincare, plastic surgery, $300 haircuts, personal trainers, and model saturated advertisements, one thing is for certain; beauty sells. For the fortunate few, beauty pays. If you think you have what it takes or if you have a friend who might, then this is for you.

Team DC is taking applications for men to model clothing from Universal Gear and The Leather Rack in their Fashion Show and Model Search on Friday, March 29. To apply, simply go to Team DC, and follow the prompts. The deadline to submit an application is Monday, March 10!!!

The Winning Model receives:
- $500 in Universal Gear store credit.
- A photo feature in Genre Magazine.
- A professional photoshoot (Headshot and three other looks) with Robert Mercer Photography.
- A chance to be featured in the 2009 Ripped Genes calendar....a nationally distributed calendar.
Proceeds from the event help support the Team DC College Scholarship Program for a gay or lesbian student-athlete. The event is sponsored by Team DC, Genre Magazine, The Washington Blade newspaper, Universal Gear, The Leather Rack, and Bang Hair Salon.

Posted by UG Editor at 04:20 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Carey describes himself as “Just your average everyday photographer with a bit of an overactive imagination!”. He is right and wrong. He definitely has an overactive imagination but there is nothing average about his photography.

I discovered our newest photographer on a modeling and photography networking site. I was looking for something that jumped out at me - something that showed passion. His photos, although mostly of women, were great. The composition, lighting and best of all product focus. His photography reminds me of David LaCapelle but more refined.

We had our first meeting, just to see if he would be right for us, and I could tell this was the person we wanted shooting our next couple promotions. You can see his work in our current denim campaign and you can read more about our rockin’ winter shoot here.

If you don’t currently get our mailings you can sign up here.

Get to know more about Carey and his photography below.

Meet the Photographer: Carey Hess

1 - Where are you from originally? Washington, DC

2 - What made you get into photography? Well I was always into arts. But I got into photography because growing up it was my way of capturing life and keeping memories I didn’t want to forget. I remember always having a camera on me and realized that this is something I could and wanted to do.

3 - How long have you been doing photography? I’ve been doing photography for about ten years but only professionally for about a year now. I took one class in college and everything else is self-taught.

4 - What do you do when not photographing? Lately I’ve been working about 90 hours a week doing this so I’m starting to forget what a life is!! :) Seriously, when I do have time off, I’m either relaxing on my couch with my puppy catching up on good movies and good music or out with my friends doing whatever fun there is to do.

5 - What do you look for in a model? Honestly, personality. I think that it is the most important quality that I need for the style of photography that I do. I’ve learned that you can see the models having fun in my pictures and they are full of life. I’ve noticed the more quiet or serious models that walk in the door and can’t relax or open up; their pictures are never quite as good. As for looks, there is no specific look that I go for. It depends on what I want to shoot and who can fit that part. You don’t have to be beautiful supermodel to work with me and I’ve shown that in my work.

6 - If you could describe your style in three words what would those words be? I’d like to say colorful, creative, and fashionable but honestly I’m growing and learning everyday so I don’t know if three words could describe my style.

7 - Where is your favorite place to shoot? Being mostly a location photographer, I don’t have a favorite place to shoot. I’ve learned that the world is my location and I’ve shot in the most random places and made it work. From my closet, to bathrooms, large fields in the middle of nowhere, in the studio...they are all fun and push my creativity.

8 - When photographing, what body part gives you the most trouble? Haha, still don’t like shooting the backsides of models. I shoot at different angles and the butt is always a difficult part to shoot because at those angles you have to make sure it doesn’t look way too big or way too small!!

9 - What is the ultimate location you want to shoot in? I’ve yet to shoot at the beach and I can’t wait. When the weather gets warmer my plan is to do a lot of shooting at beaches up and down the east coast.

10 - What’s the funniest thing that has happened to you during a shoot? Wow, I’ve had way too many funny things happen to even begin to recall!!

11 - How about the most embarrassing thing that has happened? I would have to say when I split my pants out on a shoot. I was in a very awkward position trying to get this shot and then my pants just ripped right up the back. We had a few more hours of shooting and I had to walk around with my behind hanging out! Only me.

12 - If you were to move, where would you go? I would love to be in New York or LA.

13 - Other than photography, what are you passionate about? I would have to say my arts and music. Those are the things that I live for and can’t live without. Creativity feeds me and pushes me and it keeps the fire alive in me.

14 - What advice would you give to aspiring models? Don’t ever sell yourself short. Work with the best photographers you can and don’t settle for less. It will show in your portfolio and people will notice. Also be diverse, you want to be able to show many different sides of yourself. Push yourself to be creative because people want to see you can step out of the box and do different things and it will help you get attention.

15 - What about aspiring photographers? The best advice I tell all aspiring photographers is two very important things. The first is to learn to take criticism and learn it quick. Not everyone is going to like your work and there is nothing you can do about it. There will always be people who don’t see what you see or don’t like your style or this or that and you need to realize that it’s ok. It should only make you work harder and sometimes not make the same mistakes twice. The second, and most important advice I can give, is do what you love and stay true to you. When you’re doing what you love you’ll always be happy and everything will just fall into place.

See more of Carey’s work at CareyHess.com. And be on the lookout for his work in our upcoming underwear promotion.

--Jim

Posted by UG Editor at 08:10 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Compared to last year’s winter photo shoot, this year’s was just as cold and just as hot - we were in Washington DC rather than Miami. Covering our denim and our underwear promotions, the shoot took place at bebar, a great new space in DC. Once again we worked with R&L Model Management in NY to guarantee us the best models for the job. As you can tell, Anthony and Shawn fit the bill and did an amazing job.

Our photographer is somewhat of a find. His name is Carey Hess and we were very lucky to get him early in his career. He has an amazing eye and he did a phenomenal job the day of the shoot. He was great with the models and worked tirelessly for us. The images speak for themselves, click below the out takes to see the new denim campaign images.

Our 2 amazing stylist, Jason Santiago [left] and Jesse Harbaugh [right].

Getting to show the models how great some of the shots look. [l to r] Me, Anthony, Carey and Shawn.

Now take a look at the finished product. rock your denim |1|2|3|4|5|6|

Stay tuned for our upcoming blog entries on Shawn, Carey Hess and our underwear photo shoot.

--Jim

Posted by UG Editor at 07:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Little did we know when we booked Anthony for our rockin’ winter photo shoot that his journey into modeling started all the way back in Texas. As it turns out, one of our favorite photographers - Bruno Rand - shot Anthony a while back and brought him to New York to see the agencies. Anthony was snapped up and continues to keep working and winning clients.

You would never guess he is so young when you talk to him - he’s 20. He is personable and a hard worker, always willing to add to the creative outcome of the shoot. [The personable part probably comes from being Texan] Although Anthony is not featured on our home page he is featured on the cover of our current mailing and in our store windows. If you don’t currently get our mailings you can sign up here.

Take a minute to get to know Anthony.

Meet the Model: Anthony

1 - Where are you from originally?
Magnolia, TX

[“Magnolia, Texas is a wonderful town just north of Houston. It’s a serene area with great people, complemented by a country atmosphere. The landscape is filled with beautiful forests, peaceful pastures, rolling hills and much more.” --magnoliatx.com]

2 - What initially drew you to modeling? I use to be Abercrombie shirtless greeter.

[“Today at the Abercrombie & Fitch store at The Grove they were using the easiest trick in the book to lure in teenage girls and gay men: young male flesh.” --towleroad.com]

3 - What do you do to stay in shape? I seriously workout and obey a strict diet.

4 - What’s your least favorite body part? My feet.

5 - Besides modeling, what do you enjoy in life? I play the guitar and I’m into acting.

[Anthony, you may be a “bit young” to know this man but if you enjoy playing the guitar you need to hear him. --www.jimcroce.com]

6 - Who are your favorite photographers? Bruce Weber

[“Visionaire (by Bruce Weber) is a multi-format fashion and art publication released thrice yearly as collectible limited editions.” Click the image to learn more.]

7 - Who is the most famous person you have ever met? P. Diddy

[“You know how you feel when one of my records come on.” --diddy.com]

8 - Who is the most interesting person in your cell phone? My grandpa

[Is this the most endearing thing you have ever heard?]

9 - If we would give you $100,000, what would you do with it? Invest it and move into a better apartment.

[Oh wow, completely took away any southern hospitality idea we had about you. I think New York has taken over. ;)]

10 - Tell us a secret about yourself your mother doesn’t know. I tell my mother everything

[Good boy]

11 - Boxers or Briefs? Boxers

12 - What brand would we find most in your closet? Dickies

[Hmmm, we don't know how to respond to this.]

13 - What’s playing in your iPod right now? underoath

[“Underoath have single-handedly given hope to a genre ripe with rip-offs, carbon copies, and flavor of the week musical acts. ” Click the image to learn more.]

Some more shots of Anthony from our great “rockin’ winter shoot”. |1|2|3|4| Stay tuned for more updates about our winter shoot.

--Jim

Posted by UG Editor at 09:09 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I met Dominic at an open call our photographer, Bruno Rand, held at our New York store. I didn’t have to think twice about booking him. With those eyes and those lips combined with strong features and a great personality (although a little shy, which added to his charm) I knew he would be great. Unfortunately, for the fans of our advertising campaigns, we were shooting fall and winter merchandise - he definitely would look good in our swimwear.

Meet the Model: Dominic

1 - Where are you from originally? New Haven, CT

2 - What do you do when not modeling? College, working [construction], acting.

3 - How old are you? 21

4 - What’s your work out routine like? Intense weight lifting [obviously] everyday and running every other day.

5 - What’s your favorite body part to work out? I don't have a favorite body part to work out because I believe your body needs to be evenly sculpted but if I was forced to pick it would be my chest or biceps.

6 - What body part gives you the most trouble? Calves, no matter how hard I workout my calves they just don't get bigger.

7 - What’s your favorite body part? My favorite body part would be my abs

8 - 5 years from now where do you see yourself? I hope to see myself still working in the modeling/entertainment industry. In television or in my first film.

9 - What’s your favorite vacation spot? Cancun. Mexico for spring break.

10 - Do you have pets? 2 cats and 1 dog

11 - What’s your favorite piece of clothing on universalgear.com? It would have to be all the diesel jeans(5 of which are now on sale)

12 - What brand would we find most in your closet? Armani or Guess

13 - Boxers or Briefs? Boxer briefs

14 - What do you like to do for fun? Partying with my friends and working out.

15 - What’s your favorite place to just hang out and relax? My boat in the middle of the ocean with tons of sun.

16 - Funniest thing that has happened to you? Well, it actually happened during the photo shoot for Universal Gear. Standing on a New York city street waiting for the second part of the shoot to start, people walking by started starring and asking “You are that kid, aren't you?” Not sure who they thought I was but it must be someone famous.

17 - Most embarrassing thing that has happened to you? Unfortunately my most embarrassing moment has been recorded for history. I was at football practice taking a much needed break ... relieving myself near a tree. Little did I know the year book photographer was near and just so happened to snap a picture which ended up in the football year book. Mom was so proud.

18 - If you moved where would you go? New York city or California

19 - What are you passionate about? I'm passionate about life.

View Dominic’s campaign posters. |1|2|3|

--Jim

Posted by UG Editor at 10:39 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Do you like our recent cashmere campaign? If you answer yes (and you'd better) then allow me to introduce you to the man responsible, Bruno Rand! Bruno is a fashion photographer based out of both Washington DC and New York City (although he often shoots in locations like Miami and LA). He approached us a little over a year ago about doing some work on our upcoming photoshoots. Since that time he has been responsible for several of our campaigns including the ultra-sexy shoot for our Spring 2006 Underwear Sale (image below). After this most recent shoot, we thought it would be fun to introduce you to the man behind the camera.

Meet The Photographer: Bruno Rand

Where are you from originally? Arkansas

What made you get into photography? I was living in Los Angeles, working as a playwright and writing screenplays, and all my friends, who were actors and models, started asking me to shoot their headshots and portfolios after seeing some of my snapshots... I enjoyed the more serious photography so much that I started pursuing it as part-time profession.

How long have you been doing photography? As a hobby, all my life... more seriously, six years.

What do you do when not photographing? Writing.

What do you look for in a model? Personality, personality, personality! I think the best models are the ones with the best personalities, not the best looks. As for the look of the model, it depends on what I'm shooting... if I'm shooting fashion, I look for the more traditional fashion model, thin, exotic looks... if I'm shooting physique studies or artistic nudes, I look for more muscular, more all american looks. But not even the best looks can overcome a boring personality. The camera knows!!

If you could describe your style in three words what would those words be? Definitely still learning.

Where is your favorite place to shoot? An unusual looking location, i.e. an old warehouse, an old house, or someone's house that is decorated with very modern, trendy furniture with lots of color.

When photographing, what body part gives you the most trouble? Hands when shooting... hair when styling, I can't do hair.

What is your ultimate location you want to shoot in? My own studio in Soho, New York with the most expensive lights money can buy!

What's the funniest thing that has happened to you during a shoot? Trying to explain to male models during an underwear shoot why they need to "fluff it up".

How about the most embarrassing thing that has happened? Trying to explain to male models during an underwear shoot why they need to "fluff it up", haha.

If you were to move, where would you go? I'm actually moving back to New York City.

Other than photography, what are you passionate about? Writing, politics, movies, television, pop culture.

What advice would you give to aspiring models? Do your homework. No lawyer would go into a courtroom without studying law, no doctor would take a patient without studying medicine, yet models think they can just show up and model, without studying the profession, the business or the skills needed. It's a definite formula for failure. Don't be lazy, do your homework.

What about aspiring photographers? Shoot what you love. The worst stuff I've ever shot was produced when I was trying to shoot things that someone else wanted. Shoot what you love, and if you're work is good, someone will find it and like it.

View some of Bruno's past campaign images! [1] [2] [3] [4]

Photography Bruno Rand.

-- Jon

Posted by UG Editor at 04:39 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Matt, our third model from our summer shoot, definitely didn’t come accross as a first timer. He was easy to work with and had a great sense of humor (albeit, a little bit on the raunchy side).

One thing that did shock us about him was discovering he had nipple rings. They weren’t there in any of the pictures we saw of him when we booked him. At first we weren’t sure whether to have him leave them in or take them out. So we tried both ways. In the denim part of the shoot you can see Matt’s piercings. In the other parts of the shoot we had him take them out. Unfortunately for Matt, by the end of the day the piercing holes had closed and he had to have them redone. Ouch!

Take a chance to get to know Matt below.

Meet the Model: Matt

1 - Where are you from originally? Rome, Pa . . . One of those small towns you see in a movie with one traffic light.

2 - What do you do when not modeling? Hang out with friends, play football, lacrosse, street hockey, basketball or any other sport that I can be involved in. I love to ride four-wheeler and hang out at the beach.

3 - How old are you? 20

4 - What's your work out routine like? I usually do legs once or twice a week, I’ll hit my abs everyday and sometimes twice, I’ll do my chest real hard twice a week and then I will work my arms and back in on the other days.

5 - What's your favorite body part? My favorite body part would have to be the lower abs around where the “V” is formed.

6 - 5 years from now where do you see yourself? In five years from now I still would love to be modeling. I would also like to see DCM, a clothing line for lacrosse t-shirts that I designed, to really be hitting the market.

7 - Do you have pets? I do not have any pets, but I do like them.

8 - What's your favorite vacation spot?I would have to pick the mountains over anywhere else, I love to go there and be in that environment and get nice and muddy riding four-wheelers.

9 - What's your favorite piece of clothing on universalgear.com I love jeans, so I would say any of the jeans.

10 - Boxers or Briefs? This is always a popular question . . . as long as they match the shirt I am wearing I don’t care if they are boxers or briefs.

11 - How long have you been modeling? UG was my first modeling job, but I have been in the business trying to establish myself for about a year.

12 - Funniest thing that has happened to you: Having some random person come up to me and asking me if I was related to Elvis.

13 - Most embarrassing thing that has happened to you:It takes a lot to embarrass me so, if there is anything, I am not admitting to it!!!

14 - If you moved where would you go?If I could move back to my hometown of Rome and still model I would do it in a heartbeat.

15 - What are you passionate about?I am passionate about being successful in life, about seeing DCM become a successful sports clothing line and modeling.

More pictures of Matt from our HOT SUMMER SHOOT! |1|2|3|4|5|6|7|

Photography Scott Henrichsen • Model Matt R&L Model Management

--Jim

Posted by UG Editor at 03:34 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

After the water fight during our denim shoot, Sean needed to get out of his wet jeans. While he was throwing his jeans into the dryer, our photographer snapped the shot you see to the left and instantly we knew we had our underwear campaign! Genuinely nice, and (not that we need to say it) extremely good looking, Sean is no stranger to modeling. He can also be found on the packaging for Play By Night underwear from Play! To get to know him better, we sent Sean some questions and posted his answers along with some candid shots (he's...um...cooling off in the first one and relaxing between shots) from the photoshoot.

1 - Where are you from originally? New Jersey

2 - What do you do when not modeling? Studying Math and Statistics at Rutgers University

3 - How old are you? 20 years old

4 - What's your work out routine like? Run 4 miles 5-6 times a week, and I'm in the gym for 1-2 hours a day, sometimes I go twice a day if I have time

5 - What's your favorite body part to work out? Chest

6 - What body part gives you the most trouble? Legs

7 - What's your favorite body part? Abs

8 - What's your least favorite body part? Again, legs, haha

9 - 5 years from now where do you see yourself? Hopefully making a large salary in some big corporation

10 - What's your favorite vacation spot? Acapulco spring break baby!!

11 - What's your favorite piece of clothing on universalgear.com? Definitely Diesel jeans

12 - What brand would we find most in your closet? Diesel clothing of course!

13 - Boxers or Briefs? Boxer Briefs

14 - What do you like to do for fun? Eat sushi and party with my brothers in FIJI

15 - How long have you been modeling? 2 years, but my first photo shoot was when I was 16

16 - What's your favorite place to just hang out and relax? I rarely relax so I don't know, haha

17 - Most embarrassing thing that has happened to you? I fell off my loft onto the floor while trying to get out of bed

18 - If you moved, where would you go? California

19 - What are you passionate about? FIJI (my fraternity), Rutgers, and the gym

Sean was also featured in our recent denim catalog [1] [2] [3]

If did not receive our catalog and would like to, click here to send us your name and address and make sure you get the next edition!

(R&L Model Management New York)

--Jon

Posted by UG Editor at 12:07 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

wash, rinse, repeat...


HOT IS THE ONLY WORD TO DESCRIBE OUR SUMMER PHOTOSHOOT!
From the pictures to the weather, everything sizzled! In early August the temperatures in the nation's capital were hitting a scorching 97 and 98 degrees. With models and photographer in tow, we embarked on a trip throughout Washington DC to shoot our next few promotions.

First stop, a local car wash. To show off our great new denim and clean new washes, Joe, Matt and Sean got down n' dirty scrubbing a bright orange, vintage 1960's Ford Bronco. The sun was intense and the blacktop was searing. The ensuing water fight was inevitable.

After that we headed indoors to the connecting laundromat to dry off the jeans and cool down a bit in the shade. While inside, inspiration struck our photographer Scott and we had an impromptu shoot. Joe (the troublemaker of the group) thought it would be fun to see if Sean would fit into one of the dryers....he did.

Hundreds of quarters and several spin cycles later, we were ready for the next stop. Check back later this month to meet the models.

Did you receive our first ever catalog featuring images from our hot summer shoot? If not click here to send us your name and address and make sure you get the next edition!

More pictures from our HOT SUMMER shoot |1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|
(Photography: Scott Henrichsen. Models: R&L Models)

--Jon

Posted by UG Editor at 02:09 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

How do we describe Jared? Tall would be one word - he stands in at just a little over 6’2”. Driven is another word. Even though he has only started modeling recently he is progressing fast. With an agency in Chicago looking at him and another agency in New York wanting to see him as well, he is fast on his way to making a career out of modeling. Although I’m sure he’s not ready to give up his quest to become a lawyer.

When we asked Jared to come in for a test shoot we had no idea how good he would look in the clothing. He turned out to be everything we were hoping to find in a model. Every piece of clothing we put on him was a terrific fit. You can see more of Jared in our “Summer’s Top Ten Must Haves”.

As a form of introduction to all of our customers we asked Jared a few questions so everyone could get to know him a bit.

1 - Where are you from originally? Fairfax, Virginia

2 - What do you do when not modeling? Snowboard, wakeboard, lift and go to school

3 - How old are you? 21

4 - What’s your work out routine like? Gym in the a.m. for cardio and abs, back again in the afternoon for weights and more cardio - 7 days a week

5 - What’s your favorite body part to work out? Chest

6 - What body part gives you the most trouble? Chest

7 - What’s your favorite body part? Biceps

8 - What’s your least favorite body part? Back

9 - 5 years from now where do you see yourself? Practicing law

10 - What’s your favorite vacation spot? Vail Colorado

11 - What’s your favorite piece of clothing on universalgear.com? Drifter Decore Shirt

12 - What brand would we find most in your closet? Lacoste

13 - Boxers or Briefs? Boxers

14 - What do you like to do for fun? Snowboard, wakeboard, hangout with friends

15 - What’s your favorite place to just hang out and relax? At the lake house

16 - Funniest thing that has happened to you? I was at a bar one night and saw a girl that I had a class with freshman year. We were talking all night, and I could tell she was into me but I wasn’t interested. At the end of the night I was leaving the bathroom headed for the front door and she stopped me to give me her number. Thinking to myself ‘I’m never going to call’ I pretended to put her number in my phone to be nice and just punched in 111-111-1111, with every intention of deleting it later. After I put the fake number in...she reached over and took my phone saying ‘here, let me store it!’ She saw the fake number and the look on her face almost turned me to stone. Without saying a single word I took my phone back and walked out of the bar.

17 - Most embarrassing thing that has happened to you? See #16

18 - If you moved where would you go? Alaska

19 - What are you passionate about? Being outdoors and getting into law school

--Jim

Posted by UG Editor at 03:36 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Universal Gear is looking for male product models for our online store.

If you are 5’9” to 6’1”, tanned and have an excellent muscular defined shape please send at least one face and one full body shot to models@universalgear.com for consideration.

--Must live in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

--Must be available for a 2-3 hour shoot per week.

--Product models are compensated with gift cards good at any of our stores.

Posted by UG Editor at 01:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

As the temperature was hitting the mid-30's in the Northeast in January 2006, we were packing our bags and heading south to Miami. The goal? Take pictures for our Spring 2006 campaigns featuring Levi's jeans and swimwear from Blueman as well as our own Universal Swim line. The model search was challenging, but in the end, we found Angelo and Charlz, both local Florida guys just staring their modeling careers. Behind the camera was Le Roy Rosario--a fantastic Miami photoghapher who joined us on a day's notice when our previously scheduled photographer bailed last minute.

The weather was strange: beautiful blue skies and warm at first, then--as luck would have it--30 mile an hour winds came through just in time for the swimwear portion (notice how Charlz's hair is contantly flying in the wind). The result though were some beautiful photographs that really capture the essense of our campaigns: friendship and fun in the sun.

Meet the Model: Charlz
The first thing you notice when you meet Charlz is the hair. Especially during our windy photoshoot in Miami, it just blew in the wind and created a the exact feeling and laid-back attitude we wanted to create with this photoshoot. Here are the top 10 things we learned about Charlz.

1 - Where are you from originally? Blacksburg, VA Home of the VA TECH HOKIES!
2 - What do you do when not modeling? Go to the beach with friends and workout
3 - How old are you? 21
4 - What's your work out routine like? I work out one muscle group a day (chest/back/arms/shoulders/legs) and the weekends are off days!
5 - What's your favorite body part to work out? I'd have to say my chest. What body part gives you the most trouble? My legs, I have had two surgeries on my left knee and a third coming up in May, so hitting legs as hard as I used to is difficult.
6 - Five years from now where do you see yourself? I hope to own my own gym by then.
7 - What's your favorite vacation spot? A nice beach with nice waves....
8 - What's your favorite piece of clothing on universalgear.com? All the jeans!
9 - Boxers or Briefs? Boxer Briefs
10 - Describe your perfect day. Wake up and eat a big breakfast chill out and hit the beach with friends...then hit the gym.

View Charlz' campaign poster. More images |1|

Meet the Model: Angelo
Angelo was one of the featured models in our Miami photoshoot in the Winter of 2006. Tall, dark and handsome with a killer smile, he provided a nice contrast to the all american boy in Charlz. Here's what we learned about him:

1 - Hometown? New Brunswick, NJ
2 - What do you do when not modeling? Work, family and friends. The gym is also a favorite place to hang out...it's a good stress reliever!
3 - How old are you? 21
4 - What's your work out routine like? I workout every other day for an hour, one major muscle and smaller one the same day.
5 - What's your favorite body part? Arms Least favorite body part? Stomach
6 - Five years from now where do you see yourself? Stable with a nice car and house, possibly marriage!
7 - What's your favorite vacation spot? Key West, FL
8 - What's your favorite piece of clothing on universalgear.com - Jeans
9 - Boxers or Briefs? Briefs!
10 - Describe your perfect day. Six good solid meals, the gym and a hot date!

View Angelo's campaign poster. More Images |1|

OUTAKE |1| OUTAKE |2|

-- Ricardo

Posted by UG Editor at 11:02 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

To say we stumbled upon 21 year old Daniel is an understatement. During our last trip to Brazil (where we designed and ordered most of our swimwear for this season), we were so busy creating the collection that we didn't have time to plan a model search and photo shoot. Then on our last night in Rio, we saw Daniel and his troupe performing in the street. The performance is called capoeira--a 500 year old martial art form that was developed in in Brazil by African slaves. More than martial arts, capoeira is also a form of dance, expression, play and personal interaction developed in the oppressive atmosphere and environment of slavery.

Capoeira is characterized by deceptive kicks, sweeps and rhythmic movements that lie somewhere between dance and fight. The music is a critical component--during faster tempos the players throw fast, powerful kicks and blows at each other (usually without making contact), along with movements reminiscent of the most acrobatic gymnastics. Slower tempos dictate more dance-like interaction with lyrics reflecting the action.

Watching him perform left us mesmerized. The songs, drum beats and movements were almost hypnotic and his physique (which he claims is purely from practicing capoeira) was perfectly lean and cut. After the show, we moved our schedules around for the following day and managed to squeeze in a quick photo shoot with Daniel on the beach highlighting some of his best movements and some of our best suits for the season.

During the shoot, we learned a bit about this amazing performer. Born to a poor family in Caju--a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, Daniel learned capoeira mostly on the streets. Now he spends most of the summer months travelling around the state of Rio de Janeiro performing in the streets for tips--where he says he can usually make around R$25 per day (the equivalent of less than $10) after the troupe splits the day's earnings. Besides the capoeira, Daniel does odd jobs throughout the year to get by and help his family pay the bills (his $100 paycheck from this photoshoot would "go directly to my wonderful mother to help pay the rent"). The motivation for his hard work was evident throughout our time together--Daniel wants a family more than anything--and wants to be able to give his son the financial security he didn't get from his father.

On a lighter note, we also learned that Daniel is a typical 21 year old in many ways. He's always looking for a little fun with the foreigners that visit Rio. He's currently dating an Australian woman who's travelling through Brazil, but claims he has a few other "regulars" on the side. The interview quickly got X-rated as the described his other hobbies and interests. For now (to keep the censors off our backs), we'll just say he's really into role-playing and likes it a little rough between the sheets (our guess is that the aggression of the capoeira is not cathartic enough of an outlet for this sexy 21-year old). You get the picture, right?

More Images |1|

-- Ricardo

Posted by UG Editor at 03:36 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Though Universal Gear models usually garner some attention from our customers (through fan emails and love letters), few get the response we recently got from all-american boy Tom Gaynor, our Summer 2003 cover model.

Tom (who also goes by Rusty) was discovered dancing at Shampoo in Philadelphia last winter by Larry E. of Mega Men (who has since opened a majorly successful club in Philiadelphia). Since then, life has been a fast-paced, whirlwind tour of clubs all over the East Coast, fashion shows and photo shoots.

I sat down with Tom in Rehoboth Beach after our latest denim photo shoot and learned that Tom is your typical 22 year old: energetic, purposefully sexual and full of big dreams.

Stats: 6 feet tall, 195 pounds
Birthdate: June 6th, 1980, Gemini
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Occupation: Dancer, Model, Student (he studies Business at a Penn State branch campus and plans on transferring to main campus this winter)
Career Goal: His dream job is to take over for Ashley in O-Town. His more realistic career goal involves working for a large corporation in a business management role. “I’ve always dreamt about working for a large successful business--you know, the kind where everyone drives their Ferraris to work,” he says.
Favorite Cities: Philadelphia, New York, Orlando, Miami
Vacation Spot: Cancun, Mexico
Favorite Show: “It used to be Making the Band, but now I guess I’d have to say American Idol”
Best Quality: Open-minded, gets along with everyone
Biggest downfall: Procrastinator
Perfect Date: Dinner at an expensive restaurant, walk on the beach followed by a little lovin’ right in the sand.
Perfect Mate: Blond, blue eyes, tan skin, beautiful body and great sense of humor
Deserted Island: What if he were stuck in a deserted island? Well, Tom would want to have his weight bench with him, lots of protein shakes, bars and GNC supplements and lastly his dream girl (we presume to spot him on his bench press sets and for other miscellaneous activities)
Word that best describes Tom in the bedroom: Passionate (this one is self-proclaimed... contrary to popular belief, no one in the crew that day learned that first hand).

From working with Tom these last few months, we can vouch for his passion. He’s committed to the success of any project he gets himself into. He’s low key, a little quiet when you first meet him and he’s up for just about anything.

More Images |1|

-- Ricardo

Posted by UG Editor at 03:11 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)