Fashionably Funny – Don Hood by Lagaret

By Tom Peaks @MrPeaksNValleys

Don Hood knows his way around the modeling block, and doesn’t even seem to have all that many bruises to show for it. He is the epitome of modeling success, and demonstrates that one can indeed have staying power in this industry. He’s been modeling since he was 15 years old, and is proof positive that in an industry where sustainability can often seem unattainable, there are paths forward to a rewarding career.

With hazel eyes and dirty blonde hair, the 6’1” model from Allentown, Pennsylvania was inspired to model after a sports injury during his teens ended his days of athletic competition. His mother was a successful model and mentored young Don in those early days. Two decades later, talented Don is with NYC’s Wilhelmina Modeling Agency among others and is consistently churning out quality work.

Handkerchief: Supreme / Jacket TOPMAN / Denim Belstaff.

Don, a self-proclaimed comic, talked about his career. “My biggest accomplishment is my longevity, going on 19 years in the industry. I’ve lasted this long because of my personality. Making the work day feel like fun which locks down regular clients who stay loyal.” He added, “On top of that, I constantly evolve with the times. Going from film to digital to now social media, I find it’s important to know how to roll with the changes.”

Having known Don since PnV launched over 5 years ago, his humor and wit certainly stand out. He’s a genuine guy who definitely works hard, but doesn’t take himself too seriously. The venerable one employs humor in his social media postings and in his interactions with fans. Very unpredictable in his exchanges, you can see how much fun and creativity comes from his mind. Fans gravitate toward his unconventional style, as do those critical clients. We’ve all seen those models whom love to post and receive compliments but remain in the fetal position when it comes to engaging their fans. Don is totally chill! Give him some beer and nachos and he’s good to go!

Don finds funny inspiration from 3 former “Saturday Night Live” cast members: Molly Shannon, the late Chris Farley, and Will Farrell. He continued, “I like mockumentaries like “Best in Show” and “Drop Dead Gorgeous” or funny horror movies like “Nightmare on Elm Street” or the “Scary Movie” series.”

Recently, Don did a shoot with his pal, Bill Lagaret, for Fashionably Male/PnV. Lagaret, a native of Hawaii, is NYC-based, and makes great captures of today’s hottest models. Don explained what it is like to shoot with Lagaret, “It’s a personality-gelling experience. We sit and talk about personal things and then about the industry followed by discussing our goals. From there, our shoot is like one long run-on sentence where we talk throughout most of it, and capture moments along the way.” Don had glowing remarks about Lagaret’s potential as a photographer in the fashion world.

Here is Don, fashionably sexy in a shoot by Bill Lagaret!