Month: May 2021

Male Fitness Models, Photographers, Small Business

NYC Portrait Photographer: Eduardo Fermin

by Andre M.
NYC Portrait Photographer: Eduardo Fermin

Model Photo Shoots

Introduction

Eduardo Fermin is a men’s fashion and physique portrait photographer located in Manhattan, New York City.

According to Eduardo’s website, he is from Venezuela, where he studied cinematography and worked in a theater for ten years. Eduardo was first a cook and waiter in New York City. Interested in his new city, he began taking photos with a cell phone.

Eduardo’s Social Media Channels

Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube |

Portfolio

Eduardo has a portfolio of models for whom he has created photographs (headshots, studio, and fashion). Eduardo also creates landscape photographs.

I am a fan of his photos which have the City of New York as part of the background.

Model: Eric Guilmette
Model: Zach Reed.
Model: Matt Flowers.
Model: Bomani.
Model: Albert Robles in New York City.
Model: Vin Wick.

Photo Sessions

Josh Riquelme

Josh Riquelme, a fitness model from upstate New York, who moved to New York City, had a photo session with Eduardo.

See more photos on Eduardo’s website.

Chris Tinsley

Chris Tinsley is a male model based in California and New York.

Christian Rodriguez

Christian, a fitness model based in New York City, had a photo shoot with Eduardo. (Read more about falls from the fire escape in New York City.)

Christian, suffered multiple fractures after falling (nearly six stories) from a fire escape in New York City on September 11, 2021. (He has recovered from his injuries.)

Davide Zongoli, aka Acrodave

Davide Zongoli is a model and producer.

Fisher Stewart

Fisher Stewart is an actor based in New York City.

Webpage

Viktor Zetocha

Viktor Zetocha is a personal trainer and fitness model from the Czech Republic. He had some photoshoots while he visited the United States. One photoshoot was with Eduardo.

Petey Pythons Khanjian

Petey Pythons Khanjian is a bodybuilder and male fitness model.

Federico Godoy

Federico is a model from Argentina.

Logan Blake

Logan Blake is a college student and content creator. He had a photo session with Eduardo in Manhattan, New York City.

Blake Bartizal

Blake Bartizal, a personal trainer and a YouTuber, had a photo session with Eduardo in Miami, Florida. Blake holds an associate degree and a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science.

See more photos from this photo shoot on Eduardo’s website.

Model: Blake Bartizal
Model: Blake Bartizal

Braxton Van Alst

Braxton Van Alst is a forklift operator,Army Reservist, and model from Massachusetts. The Heights Agency is his modeling agency.

Frankie Lucarelli

Fashion model, actor, singer, and YouTuber Frankie Lucarelli has a photo session with Eduardo.

Darren Jacob

Darren Jacob is a fitness model from Austin, Texas. (His modeling agency, The Heights Agency.)

Nate Winter

Nate Winter is a fashion model. Nate’s photo session had the beautiful City of New York as the background.

Model: Nate Winter.
Model: Nate Winter.

Jake Hilburn

Jake Hilburn, a fashion model, had a photo session with Eduardo. In this set of photos, Eduardo used light and shadow to showcase Jake’s physique and face.

Briefs, Calvin Klein.

Savar Aktamov

Savar Aktamov, a male fitness model, had a photo shoot with Eduardo in New York City. See more photos of Savar on Eduardo’s website.

Totallyrico

The model named Totallyrico had a photo session with Eduardo. See more photos of Totallyrico on Eduardo’s website.

Philip Fusco

Philip Fusco, a longtime model, had a photo shoot with Eduardo. In a session that Men and Underwear Blog featured, Phil modeled Walking Jack underwear. (More photos of Phil are posted on Eduardo’s website.)

In an article with Fashionably Male blog, Phil discussed his Christmas-based photo shoot with Eduardo.

Phil posted a photo-shoot behind-the-scenes video on his YouTube channel.

Travis Maverick

Travis Maverick, a fitness model, went to New York for a photo shoot with Eduardo.

Travis Maverick. Briefs, Calvin Klein.

Carlos Gabriel Rodriguez

Carlos Gabriel Rodriguez is a model from Venezuela.

Carlos Gabriel Rodriguez

Nick Norman

Nick Norman is a fitness enthusiast, lacrosse player, and fashion model based in New York City (like Josh Riquelme and Andrew Morrill). Nick had a photo session with Eduardo. (More photos are posted on Eduardo’s website.)

Nick Boisseau

Nick Boisseau, a fitness model, had a photo shoot with Eduardo. (More photos are posted on Eduardo’s website.)

Nick Boisseau

Baxter Linn

Baxter Linn is a cinematographer, actor, bodybuilder, and model who lives in New England.

Matt Ortel

Matt Ortel, a personal trainer living in New York, had a photo session with Eduardo.

Model: Matt Ortel

Caleb

Caleb is a male model based in Florida, United States.

Eduardo and NYC Street Photography

Eduardo also composes his model photos using the beautiful City of New York as a backdrop. One location is at Times Square. (Note: I wrote a previous blog about Calvin Klein’s underwear billboards in this area.)

Declan Doyle
Andres Miguel Escobar at Times Square.
Magic Matty
Alex Smith

Eric Guilmette

Eric Guilmette, a fashion model and fitness coach who lives in California, posed for Eduardo in New York.

Bathtub Photo Shoots

One of Eduardo’s signature photo styles is a model in a tub filled with white liquid. The white background creates brilliant images.

Model: Nick Boisseau
Model Zach Reed.

Conclusion

Eduardo’s photos are great and I wish him and his models great success. Have you enjoyed the models in this post? Is there another photo shoot that I missed? Please let me know in the comment section on through e-mail.

Calvin Klein, E-commerce shops, mens underwear, underwear

Mens Essentials-Basic, Everyday Underwear Brands

by Andre M.
Mens Essentials-Basic, Everyday Underwear Brands

The desire today is to express one’s individuality through clothing. This desire extends to underwear. Many brands focus on creating basic, everyday men’s underwear, sold in department stores and online. It can get confusing to know that these brands are available, so I have tried to collect the brands into one post for your convenience.

The basic forms of men’s underwear are briefs, trunks, boxer briefs, and boxer shorts. (Read a separate blog post on the styles and types of men’s underwear for more information.)

Brands

Sold in Physical Stores (and Online)

PVH Corporation: Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger

Although Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger are separate brands, these brands have the same owner, PVH Corporation.

Calvin Klein started in New York in 1968. According to the PVH Corp. website, the Calvin Klein brand had US$9.4 billion in retail sales (2019). PVH Corp. acquired Calvin Klein in 2003.

Calvin Klein underwear ads were forward. (I did a blog post on Calvin Klein’s relationship in Times Square, New York City.)

Kyle Hynick by Jade Young
Fitness model Kyle Hynick from Canada poses in front of an electronic billboard in public for a photoshoot with Photographer Jade Young.
Kyle Hynick in pre-pandemic Times Square, NYC. Photographer: Jade Young.

Calvin Klein is sold to all men with all kinds of body types. Typical colors are black, white, and blue. There are reds and oranges in the lineup.

Model; Raul Uscanga, fisicoculturista / bodybuilder. Photographer; Rik Ibarrola.
Model: Derek Yates. Photographer: Carlos “Trey” Salazar.
Model: Shane Crommer. Boxer Briefs, Calvin Klein.
Model: Josh Riquelme. Photographer: Peter Rock
Model: Nick Sandell. Photographer: Michael Hallenbeck.
Model Ricardo Orozco wears Calvin Klein briefs.
Model: Andrés Aburto. Photographer: Rik Ibarrola.
Model: Andrei Gutiérrez, a mens physique competitor and engineering student in Mexico.
Nico Zetta, Argentina. Photo by Mano Martinez.
Model: Clark Reid. Photographer: Carlos “Trey” Salazar.

Model: Matthew Summer.

The Tommy Hilfiger brand started in 1985. It started as a department store brand. PVH Corp. acquired the brand in 2013.

Notably, Tommy Hilfiger brand has professional tennis player Rafael Nadal as a model for its clothing. The brand had US$9.2 billion in retail sales (2019).

Tommy Hilfiger brand underwear comes in solid colors or with printed designs.

Josh Riquelme by NYC Photographer Eduardo Fermin.
Model: Josh Riquelme. Photographer: Rob Anthony.
Model: Fraser Wilson.
Model: Chase Higgenz. Photographer: Eduardo Fermin, NYC.
Model: Josh Riquelme. Photographer: Rob Anthony.

Photos of Josh Riquelme by Photographer Peter Rock.

Kito Shelby, Argentina

Kito Shelby is a football player, model, and personal trainer who lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America.

Lacoste

Lacoste is a France-based brand that is closely associated with tennis. However, its clothing has fans among the general public as well.

Actor KJ Apa is the brand ambassador.

Model and Actor: KJ Apa.
Model and Actor: KJ Apa.
Ricardo Orozco

Moschino

Moschino is a clothing brand based in Italy. The brand sells briefs and boxer briefs at a higher price point.

Model: Derek Yates. Photographer: Carlos “Trey” Salazar.
Model: Ethan O’Pry. Photographer: Victor Ozuna.
Carlos Effort by Carlos “Trey” Salazar
Model: Dawson M. Photographer: Carlos “Trey” Salazar.

Bang and Strike

Bang and Strike started in 2006 as a retailer of men’s underwear. In 2019, the organization decided to focus on selling its stock of men’s basic underwear.

The focus of the brand is “to create a brand that had a familiar yet modern feel and that was uncomplicated, clean cut and aspirational. Underwear for guys that appreciate low key style.”

Trent Ulloa by Carlos “Trey” Salazar. Boxers, Bang and Strike.
Model: Charlie Matthews.

Stance

Stance started in 2009 with selling socks with vibrant colors and designs. Later, the brand offered boxer briefs and other clothing for sale. The brand offers two types of boxer briefs, one with an internal pouch (the “Wholester) and the boxer brief. The brand calls the fabric used to make its boxer briefs the “butter blend,” 66 percent modal, 26 percent lyocell, and 8 percent elastane.

Hanesbrands, Inc

Hanesbrands, Inc., owns three brands: Hanes, Champion, and Bonds (in Australia). The company started in 1901. The company notes that it manufactures 70 percent of the clothes it sells. The brand offers boxer briefs, boxer shorts, and briefs.

Jockey

Jockey started in 1876 and is based in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The brand’s underwear is sold in major department stores. The brand has a wide selection of underwear, from boxer briefs to thongs.

Fruit of the Loom

The Fruit of the Loom brand started in 1851. The company focused on producing textiles in Rhode Island. Later, the brand made underwear and other clothing. The company protected the brand name under trademark in 1871. The Berkshire Hathaway Group acquired the brand in 2002.

Muchachomalo

Muchachomalo is a brand based in the Netherlands. The brand name translates to “bad boy” in Spanish. The idea for the brand is to place art based on life and feelings on the underwear, suggesting that the bad boy wears underwear to be shown. The brand has solid colors for sale.

The brand sells boxer briefs and trunks for men.

E-Commerce

Bang!

Bang! is a clothing brand based in Miami, Florida. The brand offers vibrant colors and designs in its underwear and activewear, and swimwear.

Photo by Carlos “Trey” Salazar.

Model: Javier.

Walking Jack

Walking Jack is an underwear brand based in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 2018. I wrote previous blog articles about Walking Jack:

The goal of the brand is to improve the fabric, fit, and feel of basic, everyday underwear. The underwear is made in Portugal.

The pouch is contoured to fit the male anatomy perfectly. It offers support and room exactly where every man needs it most.

Almost all our seams are flat lock to avoid any friction or irritation against your skin.

It took years of research, effort, and hard work to create the garments you buy from us.

We source the best materials, fabrics, and manufacturers so we can offer our customers nothing but the best.

We are present in every part of the production and look after every detail.”

Walking Jack website

The brand has underwear styles in black, white, blue. Printed designs are also available.

Model: Gabriele Serrago. Photographer: LouisC Photography.
Model Juan Pablo wears Walking Jack’s Bluebird collection
Model: Phil Fusco. Photographer: Eduardo Fermin.

Adam Smith

Adam Smith is a brand based in New York City. The creator is Yasemin De Mirci, who created underwear based on discussions with men explaining what they wanted in underwear.

The brand has several collections, each with its targeted style. In the Basic Collection, the brand offers boxer shorts, boxer trunks, briefs, and trunks.

Model: Jose Manuel Gonzalez Fernandez. Photographer: Adrian C. Martin.

Ballistic Menswear

I wrote a previous post about this Canada-based brand. The brand sells boxer briefs and briefs.

Unsimply Stitched

Unsimply Stitched is a brand based in Los Angeles, California.

The brand offers boxer briefs with a wide selection of designs. (The company sells socks as well.)

How often to change underwear?

Daily. Underwear and socks should be washed after each wearing.

How often should guys replace underwear?

Deyan Dimitrov, CEO of Laundryheap, has some top tips on when to replace items – not just for cleanliness, but also to get the best out of them.

He told Metro.co.uk: ‘Generally speaking, and this applies to any garment, how often you replace your underwear will depend on how many pieces you have in your rotation, how well made they are.

‘How well you care for them is also key. Don’t throw items away simply because you’ve read that they need replacing every year. You’ll save yourself a lot more money in the long run.’

Avoiding Fashion Waste: Recycling Used Underwear

The World Economic Forum encourages the recycling of washed, used underwear to address the issue of textile waste.

“What do you do with your unwanted underwear? Chances are you throw them away.

Now a clothing company in Philadelphia, US, says it’s time to stop casting our undergarments aside. About 5 million kilogrammes of unwanted underwear ends up in landfill sites across the US every day, according to The Big Favorite.

It says it’s bringing circularity to underwear – “the one category remaining that can’t be donated or resold” – by encouraging customers to return their old undies to the company for recycling instead of throwing them away.”

Conclusion

The market for men’s underwear is huge, with many brands available for purchase. Do you have a favorite brand? Write about it in the comments.

E-commerce shops, Male Fitness Models, Personal Trainers, Photography, Small Business

Mens Workout Clothes, NYC: Athletegy’s Andrew Morrill

by Andre M.
Mens Workout Clothes, NYC: Athletegy’s Andrew Morrill
Andrew C. Morrill, Co-Founder Athletegy New York. Andrew exercises outdoors, stretching pre-workout. He wears Athletegy workout clothing.

Andrew’s Social Media: Instagram | Twitter | Website | Athletegy

Table of Contents

Introduction

Andrew C. Morrill is a Texan who lives in New York City. Andrew was based in Hong Kong and London, United Kingdom for a few years. He had been in the modeling industry for over a decade.

Andrew is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) certified Personal Trainer.

Andrew Morrill at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in Manhattan, NYC. Andrew explains in his post that he is a cancer survivor.

Athletegy New York

Andrew is a co-owner of a New York-based athletic clothing brand, Athletegy New York.

Andrew works out outside in New York City.

Sign up for Athletegy updates at https://athletegy.com/.

The brand name is a combination of athlete and strategy. Athletegy products combine hard-working, durable fabrics with no-fuss workout style.

Yahoo News interviewed Andrew and brand co-owner Michael Tedesco.

Model: Nick Topel.
Model: J. Taggrey.
Model: Mike Tedesco, co-owner of Athletegy
Andrew stretches before his workout.
Model: Dom Calvani.

Athletegy: A Review of My Order

My Order

I reviewed the Athletegy website while updating another blog post. I decided to purchase a pair of shorts and a t-shirt for a review. The sizing for the Quad Short runs from small to extra-large. I could not determine which size would fit me. I sent a question to the customer service about this. I received a reply from Andrew. 

After reading Andrew’s email, I decided to try on the extra-large. I would guess the extra large would fit waists measuring 36-40 inches. I note that there is the brand offers a 14-day try-on period, so you could buy two sizes and return the one that does not fit. Also, I selected the large size for the Ace Tee.

The price for the clothing is on the high side (58 U.S. dollars for the Quad Short and the same price for the Ace Tee). The price is comparable to the pricing of other high-end workout shorts and t-shirts. 

In addition, I have been a follower of Andrew’s social media, so I expect that (1) I am helping a small business with owners with whom I am familiar and (2) that I can communicate with them about purchase-related issues.

Clothing

ClothingFabric Composition
Quad Short (five-inch inseam and has a liner)88 percent polyester, 12 percent Spandex
Ace Tee81 percent polyester, 14 percent cotton, 5 percent elastane

The website is built with Shopify so I did not experience any website or payment problems.

I paid for the purchase and received it within three days (the standard U.S. Postal Service delivery time between New York and Maryland). 

Fabrics for Workout Clothes
FabricBenefitsDisadvantages
PolyesterLightweight, wrinkle-resistant, durable, sweat resistantRetains odors, bacteria can grow on the fabric
SpandexElastic (permits full range of motion)Can lose elasticity if tumble dried.
CottonWashable, does not hold odorsAbsorbs sweat.
Source: midwestworld.com; Cnet.

The Unboxing

The package arrived in a compostable black bag. 

Inside is a white bag that contains the clothing that I ordered (wrapped in white tissue paper), a postcard (with a thank-you message from Andrew and Michael (a nice touch that is appreciated). As discussed earlier, there is a return label if the clothes do not fit.

The t-shirt fits well. The fabric is soft to the touch and is lightweight. 

The shorts are mid-thigh on me. There is also a mesh material toward the top of the back of the shorts. I am guessing this feature is to allow better air circulation for runners. The shorts’ inner stitching and overall construction are neat and well done, as expected for the price point.

I used them for a home workout, which included deadlifts and dumbbell squats—the clothes allowed for a full range of motion during the training.

Takeaway

The clothes are well made and perform as advertised. In addition, you get to communicate with the owners who thank you for your business (a sadly rare business behavior). The price point is higher; however, the clothing should have a long life with high-quality and durable materials. 

The brand explained that the brand will be adding more products for sale. I review them to see if I see other items I would buy.

Photos of Andrew

New haircut, March 2021
New haircut, November 2021
Photo by Gregory Vaughan.

Andrew’s Social Media: Instagram | Twitter | Website | Athletegy

Interviews

Andrew has had several interviews over his career. Several of them have been with the Fashionably Male blog. Andrew also interviewed with the Men and Underwear blog.

Several other blogs that Andrew spoke with—

Andrew mentions in his interviews that fans compliment him on his pectorals and thighs. (See other blog posts on leg-day shorts and 5-inch inseam shorts)

Interview with Willpower Magazine

Andrew spoke with Willpower Magazine for an interview. Andrew discusses his start in fitness with school sports. Andrew started weight training in college. Over time, Andrew worked with a number of personal trainers; he felt he learned the exercises best when he taught himself.

Andrew Morrill weight trains outside.
Andrew training outside. (See blog post on five-inch inseam shorts.)

Andrew’s notable muscle group is his thighs. He explained in the interview that he initially did not like having big thighs.

As a young man, I hated my muscular legs because they made it difficult to fit into clothes.  It’s funny because now I think they are my best physical asset.  ​

A lot of body development is accepting who and what you are and recognizing your own assets.

Andrew Morrill in Willpower Magazine

Read the rest of Andrew’s interview where he discusses his preparation for the NASM personal trainer exam and his workout and nutrition for maintaining his physique.

YouTube

Andrew did an interview with Flash Avenue Studio in London, UK.

Podcast

Andrew was interviewed by the Two Smart Dumbbells podcast.

https://vimeo.com/121109431

Vintage Clothing

Andrew wore a color block jacket from Christian Dior. Fans loved the jacket and wanted to buy one. However, it is a vintage item made in the 1990s.

Andrew’s Social Media: Instagram | Twitter | Website | Athletegy

Photo Shoots

Lapidus Studio

Andrew had a photo shoot with Lapidus Studio in New York.

Robert Riese

Andrew had a photo shoot with Photographer Robert Riese.

Conclusion

Andrew has had a long career as a model and personal trainer. I hope that the clothing brand will add additional success. Also, congratulations on being a cancer survivor!

Any of Andrew’s photos are your favorite? Perhaps, you have tried his gym clothes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.