Background information
The messy side of the make-up industry: «I didn’t want to be part of the problem»
by Natalie Hemengül
«Hand modelling is hard work»
9.10.2020
Pictures: Thomas Kunz
Measurements of 33-27-35 make Charline Muse too big for the catwalk. In this interview, she tells us how she has nevertheless made her dream of becoming a model come true.
The fashion industry is tough. Anyone who wants to make it as a model not only has to elbow their way through the competition, they also have to make sacrifices. An extra gram on the scales separates the top from the flops. If you're not thin enough, you're sent home. Despite her dream figure, that's exactly what happened to Charline Muse when she approached Parisian modelling agencies. «Call us when you've lost ten kilos,» was just one of the horrible comments. Instead of letting it put her off, she took matters into her own hands – literally. And it worked. The French beauty with wavy locks now works as a model and illustrator in Paris.
On your website, you describe yourself as «a malicious cat, living on the Parisian roofs». What do you mean by that?
Charline Muse: I'm not a crazy cat lady, if that's what you're getting at (laughs). I grew up with cats and it's shaped who I am. They're now a totem for me.
Six years ago, I got to know and love fashion and nude photographer Martial Lenoir. We were a couple for a while and he gave me a photoshoot on the rooftops of Paris for my birthday where I posed as Catwoman. It was an exciting experience for me as my first professional shoot. In my favourite photo, I'm alone, but there are hundreds of onlookers staring out of the windows in the background. It's not every day you see a half-naked woman posing on a roof.
What happened then?
The shots came out so well that we made a whole cat-themed series, «Wondercat». I was bound Shibari-style and posed with hairless cats. Those animals are unbelievable: they're incredibly sweet when you hold them, but their fear-inducing look is also daunting.
When you say Shibari, do you mean the Japanese rope bodage?
Yes, I'm a fan of the art form. The binding technique turns you into a human sculpture. When I'm bound, I float for a moment. This enables me to control my body's every movement. I practise Shibari as a model. It's a performance for me. When I'm bound, I hang on the ropes for three to six seconds. I can't do any more, or I'd cut off circulation. Because everything has to happen really quickly, I think about the poses before the shoot. We took 20 shots in two days for this series. It was one of my favourite shoots.
How did your modelling career gain momentum?
I was set on modelling from the age of 20. As I wasn't skinny enough for the catwalk, the modelling agencies sent me home, saying «we'll take you on when you've lost ten kilos». I was really disappointed, but I couldn't do anything about it. I was thin, but not thin enough to fit into designer clothes.
At the age of 26, I spent all summer working with amateur photographers. They were just starting out, so they were really friendly and passionate about their work.
How do you mean?
On a Vogue shoot, you're treated like an object. Everyone on the set has an ego. The magazine has a schedule that's tightly coordinated from A to Z and there's no time for interpersonal communication. I usually leave a set with new contacts, but that wasn't the case with my Vogue shoot. The atmosphere on set was accordingly tense.
I interrupted you back there…
Hmmm… (thinking). After the summer I was talking about, I continued to model on the side. My main job is as an illustrator. Last autumn, I got to know Martial Lenoir on Facebook, who I did my first nude shoot with. Although I had earned money as a nude model during my graphic design studies, suddenly seeing yourself naked in photos is something totally different. They're just not comparable. Martial was incredibly nice and professional, so I immediately felt comfortable. We became a couple a few months later. I'm really thankful to him. We've worked together a lot. He showed me how to pose properly and how to interact with and talk to photographers.
You now mainly work as a hand model. How did that come about?
I often used my hands to pose during the summer I mentioned. Everyone told me that they were beautiful. As hand models are rare and in demand as a result, I created a casting file for my hands. But beautiful hands alone aren't enough. You also have to know how to use them in a natural way. I obviously have the gift (laughs). If you're holding an object, you have to showcase it, but that's a lot harder than it sounds when you can only use your hands and you're being stared at by a 20-strong team.
What happened next?
I sent the photos to a load of agencies and got positive feedback. A week later, I was at a casting call for Vogue with six other girls. I got the job. My dream came true. Persistence pays off. That was followed by shoots for luxury brands like Dior, Chanel and Cartier.
A year later I had my first video shoot, which wasn't so easy. Everything has to be right because you can't edit videos with Photoshop. You also have to virtually tell a story with your hands. This is where my piano skills come to the fore. Sometimes I also work as a hand double. I once stood in for the hands of a famous Chinese actress for the cosmetics brand Clarins.
What part of your job do you particularly enjoy?
I love a challenge. I normally do simple things on a shoot like holding perfume bottles or jewellery, which can get a bit boring sometimes. I was really able to perform at a video shoot for beauty label Lancôme because the products moved. I had to hold them in the photo from above for the whole day. It was exhausting, but being able to collaborate was fun.
Can you give our community some tips for dry hands in these times of heavy disinfection?
I regularly use organic products and oils like olive oil. Before an important shoot or if my hands are particularly dry, I apply coconut oil with a brush, massage it into the skin and leave it to work for around an hour. Afterwards, my hands are super soft. Having beautiful hands is a real full-time job (laughs).
How do you mean?
My hands are my capital. I wear gloves when I do the washing up. I wear long-sleeved tops when it's sunny. Visible veins, freckles and wounds are a no-no. Fingers have to be long and proportional with well-kept nails. I can't sunbathe or I'd have to change category (skin tone). Sunbathing leaves a white space between your fingers and that's frowned upon too.
So you never go to the beach?
I do, but not often. When I'm on the beach, I use sunscreen with an extra high sun protection factor, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sit under an umbrella. Once I went to a festival in full protective clothing and stayed in the shade as it was 32 degrees. Everything had to be covered. I even wore long gloves. People stared at me in bewilderment (loud, infectious laughter). If I didn't make all this effort and rocked up to a set with tanned skin or freckles on my forearms or hands, I could well be sent home. It's pretty exhausting in the long run. But I love my job. If I wasn't so passionate, I wouldn't put myself through it.
When I’m not exploring the depths of the sea as an open water diver, I enjoy plunging into the world of fashion. On the streets of Paris, Milan and New York is where I keep my eyes peeled for the latest trends. And I’ll show you how to take them from the catwalk to your everyday life.
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