After working with brands such as Kenzo, Vans, and Levi's, Jake Alan is one busy guy. Here, he makes time to shoot with VMAN on a sunny afternoon in LA and talk dream collabs, future plans, and more.
After working with brands such as Kenzo, Vans, and Levi's, Jake Alan is one busy guy. Here, he makes time to shoot with VMAN on a sunny afternoon in LA and talk dream collabs, future plans, and more.
How old are you and where are you from?
I’m 22 from Costa Mesa, California. I grew up in Seattle and Texas as well as around here.
What do you do?
I skateboard, model, assist my friend Joe Toreno an amazingly talented photographer on his photo shoots and I am a graphic designer at RVCA.
How do you juggle modeling, skating, assisting a photographer and a job in graphic design?
I work on each project the best that I can. I enjoy keeping busy, prioritize and cruise through it.
You just booked the Vans campaign for the second time. How did you get involved with the brand?
Everything stems from skateboarding in one-way or another. I have always worn VANS and respect that they prefer to work with skateboarders rather than any other model out there.
So you’re very into skating, can you talk about how that influenced you in your modeling career?
I started modeling because of an appreciation for fashion. That seed of appreciation was planted during high school when I began to screen print T-shirts for the local skate shop that I rode for and the record store I worked at. Skateboarding influences everything. Working in the industry has brought me some of my greatest friends and coincidently plenty of modeling jobs as well.
Was modeling something you always wanted to get into?
No, originally I never set out to do so, but it’s remarkable how things connect and working hard can lead to exponential opportunities. From then on you can pick and choose what to do.
You also work at the brand RVCA. Can you tell me about that?
I started fit modeling for RVCA in 2015, then eventually interned in the marketing department running events and working on retail imagery for the stores. Now I work in the creative department as a graphic designer, working on ads, web imagery and editing all of the photos that go into the catalog and on our website including the ones that I modeled for.
Like RVCA and Vans, do you want to continue working with more streetwear/skate brands or do you also want to go more in the direction of high fashion?
This past year I have been working in high fashion a lot more (like Kenzo) and it has been rad so I’m gonna to keep on keepin’ on. That goes for skateboarding too, forever.
What do you want to get involved in next? Whether it is more video work, a brand collab, design, etc.?
To create more than I consume, that’s the goal. A Coors Banquet and Marlboro collab would be great.
What is the highlight of your career thus far?
The knowledge I gain through the diversity of experience. Working on both sides of the camera has been humbling and I’m grateful for that.
What’s coming up next for you?
I have been silently working on something for a while, curating a way to showcase all of the rad artwork that my friends create as well as some of my own. “ROADHOUSE Gallery.” Hopefully, someday I will create more than I consume.
