Q&A with HÖRFA model Tom Mills

Exclusive Q&A session with 'scary but nice' HÖRFA model Tom Mills

HÖRFA model Tom Mills, 23 from Barnstaple, reveals how he used to be camera shy, at first, but a collaboration with HÖRFA brought him out of his shell and into the spotlight.

What is your favourite part of a fashion shoot?
“I like getting outside in the fresh air and exploring new things and places, trying to find different backgrounds and settings. I enjoy the creative side of it all.”

What has been your proudest moment in your career so far?
“Getting found. I always liked clothes and fashion, but I hated my pic being taken, then one day I started getting picked up by clothing companies and I got mad self-confidence!

It was ages ago now and I got sent through a shirt and hat from a company in America, but didn’t do anything with it, I didn’t have the confidence at first, but then I got contacted by HÖRFA and, when they came to me, I thought, ‘yeah, I’m gonna’ give it a go!’”

What would be your dream photoshoot?
“I’d like to meet up with some other guys to take some cool shots, like Curtis Rogerz, who also models for HÖRFA.

I’m off to France next month to get some cool shots, but I like anything up high on rooftops and mountain tops.”

How would you describe your style?
“I’m not really sure, to be honest, from other people 'alternative' is the word used the most. It’s a bit underground, I suppose, I’ve always been in the same sort of scenes for most of my life and most people in my scene look quite like me, but as soon as I turned 18 that was it for me, the tattoos started! I love the darker side of things and I love the prints that HÖRFA do and the simple black and white designs, it’s just nice.”

What is your favourite HÖRFA item?
“Definitely the bomber jacket, which I got a couple of weeks ago, just before Christmas.”

Who are your heroes?
“Musicians. I’m very into music and look up to musicians. My scene is very underground and people that are seen as outsiders that are making their name out of nothing is inspiring to me. Tattoos all over my face can give people the wrong impression, some people say I’ve got an intimidating look, but two minutes into talking to me and they change their mind. I’m mostly covered all over, I got addicted to tattoos very quickly, I would get one done every other week. Once I only went in for one palm sized tatt but came out with a whole sleeve!

I got tattooed very regularly for a very short space of time but now I just have the odd one at conventions I go to with my friend, who’s a tattoo artist, Matt Edwards from Electric & Steel in Barnstaple, he does a piece to enter competitions and I’m his portfolio at the minute!”

What makes you happy?
“Getting out in the fresh air, exploring, finding new things, being around people. I never used to be very sociable and for years and years I used to be a recluse. Modelling and being found on Instagram changed that.

In my town, it’s weird to have all these tattoos and very different, so I was stared at a lot. I have never been really sociable anyway and only ever had close-knit friends because I moved around a lot. People want to talk to me about my look now, and it’s been cool meeting similar people to me online.”

What are you really good at?
“I play music, I like to play guitar and I make music online sometimes. I quite like taking photos of nature, although I don’t ever post them, but I do like taking photos.”

Favourite album?
“Probably Reign of Suffering by Malevolence – it’s basically a bunch of angry kids!

But I’m into everything, I grew up on old school blues and jazz because my dad likes blues music.

When I first started learning guitar, I was picking notes instead of chords, I actually started learning to play classical, originally, then moved on to blues and found that it was lot more fun and I just enjoyed it a lot slower but with more feeling.

Like I said, my dad always into decent music and liked going to see artists like Eric Clapton and others. My older bro is a musician as well, so he got me into a lot of stuff and he was the one that first got me to pick up the guitar. I also used to play drums for a couple of years but I preferred the guitar. I’m into everything, but during winter it's angry music, for me!”

Favourite film?
“I’d say The Lost Boys.”

Tell us something that no one knows about you?
“Most people don’t know I spent most my life in Germany, I had my seventh birthday out there and came back when I was around 16 or 17. My dad got posted out there – he was in the MOD.

I should add to this answer that I’m actually a nice guy, though I might look scary to some!”

You can follow Tom Mills on Insta here @ghostface.billah