By Claudienne Peterson
~ Model & More ~
Chuckling, smiling, enjoying life and very pleasant, the fun, spontaneous and down-to-earth model Patrick Marcelino is not just wonderful to have a conversation with, but conversation with him is also an enlightening experience. Not just a pretty face, he makes you think!
Where are you from?
I grew up in the Netherlands with a Dutch mom and a Brazilian father.
How old are you?
I am 27 years old.
How long have you been modelling?
I’ve been modelling since the age of 12, mainly for school books and commercial print; I also did some acting.
When did you start with high-end fashion and runway work?
Two years ago.
How did that happen?
I kind of fell into it when a model called Queenie one day asked if I wanted to walk in a show for the House of Byfield, followed by the Amsterdam Mercedes Benz Fashion Week… soon I was getting booked for New York Fashion Week. I had worked in the past with Zara, Nike and Jack & Jones and other such brands, but this was on another level! I gave up my house, my work… I gave up everything and went on to do a list of big shows, like last year’s Fashion Week in New York, where I opened for Johny Dar (London). Actor Joaquin Phoenix ended up purchasing the jeans I modelled.
Tell us about your very own clothing line.
Abioye clothing line started in Rotterdam three years ago. There is a message behind the brand as in the Yoruba language of Western Africa, where my grandmother’s people are from, “Abioye” means “born into royalty”. The message behind my clothing line is that everything is possible; just focus on the one thing that you would do. Look at my modelling career! I was told I’d have to cut the dreads; but I believed in myself and didn’t cut them, and I still made it! Method Man, Red Man, Erikah Badu, Kimani Marley and many Dutch celebrities like Ras Motivated, Akwasi and Churandy Martina have all worn Abioye Clothing.
What inspires your clothing line?
It is heavily influenced by Brazilian and African culture, but it is a blend that is also inspired by my travels. If there is a unique, cultural story to a type of fabric or print that is very hard to find, I will incorporate it into my line. I aim to inform and educate people through clothing, but also online, as everything is being documented; the story and the culture behind the clothing. Exclusive and authentic collections is what Abioye is really about, these are my designs. Simply put, it’s urban fashion for men and women, inspired by culture. The webshop will be available for online purchasing and viewing in May, which I’m really excited about.
How did you end up coming to St. Maarten?
I have a Dutch passport and after some time in the USA, I didn’t want to go back to the Netherlands right away, but I was looking for a Dutch country to visit. I happened to find a $98 plane ticket to St. Maarten and stayed for 11 months.
Tell us about your vlog.
I started my vlog three weeks ago. It’s about my life but includes many street workouts, using anything you can find to work out, because there is no excuse to not work out!
Are you a fitness fanatic?
I have always been very sporty as my mother has always had me in sports-clubs. As a child, I was the champion of North Holland in Judo and was also part of a junior baseball team. Capoeira has also been a part of my life. I love extreme sports, such as skating and surfing. I can’t live without that stuff.
Why did you decide to start vlogging?
I travel a lot, take photos and then they either go on Facebook or I send them to friends – that’s it – but I wanted to do more with my experiences, to show everybody, to share everything. I’m very much of a person who tries to inspire people.
It sounds as if you have a little bit of a life-coach in you!
The world is my life-coach; time is my life-coach; the people I meet are my life-coaches; life is the coach!
Have you done any modelling here on the island?
Yes, I’ve worked with a few photographers such as Cameron Hyman, Elvis Harrigan, Ricardo Benjamin and Sarina Gito. I walked in and coached some of the other models for a fashion show at the Blue Mall last year. It was my first time doing that and it happened right after I had come from New York. I miss modelling the way I did in the larger countries. I would like to do a lot more with modelling on the island. I’m always on the look-out for really creative artists and an overall good, reliable team to work with. I like when the organization I work for is reliable and organized.
Would you say you’re a man of many talents?
I’m a graphic designer, camera man, bartender – you can check me out at Lay Back Beach Bar & Grill at Walter Plantz. I make music; I rap; I play live percussion with DJ Franky Fresh and DJ Fabulous; I paint and draw. I’ve done some recordings with Caution Studios (Big Blacks) one song that’s out “Wha you Say” and am currently working on a Carnival song called “Ayou”.
As a model, have you ever observed or experienced eating disorders?
Yes, I have. I’ve seen girls pass-out at New York Fashion Week. They’ll say things like “I didn’t eat all day.” For me, there’s not really a diet, but I am actually currently changing the way I eat, slowly on my tempo; no more meat for me – I’m stepping away from that.
What inspired this change in the way you eat?
YouTube… Watching too much YouTube, animal cruelty, the plastic rice… I don’t eat processed foods anymore. Most of these kinds of products kill your strength, your soul, your mojo, in my opinion. Chemicals break down the body. I find my joy in eating something that’s not processed. Every product has sugar in it these days.
Why is it important to you to eat healthy?
It keeps the immune system in check. Besides getting rid of meat from my diet, I’ve gotten rid of other things such as dairy and refined sugars. I started smoking since I was 12, but I’ve now stopped smoking cigarettes. I stopped eating fast food; I also barely drink alcohol, because I just really don’t like the aftermath.
What are some of your favourite foods now that you’ve made these healthy adjustments?
I love provision; I love to eat it preferably with freshly caught fish. After my work-out every day, I have mashed potato with sweet potato, scalloped potatoes, yams and cassava. I eat a lot of those; I have a very fast metabolism.
Do you cook?
I love to cook. My favourite thing to make is soup, with of course every kind of provision in it.
As a male model living on the island, do you get approached by many of the women here?
I think St. Maarten is one of those places with the most beautiful women. They have a whole bunch of confidence and at the same time many have no confidence at all. I just wish they would just love their natural beauty – that is the beauty of a woman. I love women’s natural beauty.
Patrick Marcelino’s clothing line – Abioye clothing – can be found on Facebook: abioye clothing; Instagram: abioyeclothing; Tumblr: abioyeclothing. Also check out his modelling chops on www.patrickmarcelino.com
