While planning a trip to Los Angeles to meet with modeling agencies there, Benjamin Simic reached out to me for a shoot. With his curly blonde locks, he was the perfect casting choice for a beachy editorial in San Clemente. Benjamin may be born and bred in Kentucky, but he played the part of a sunny, laidback California boy so well.


We meandered around the narrow beach town streets and stucco buildings, shooting in the kind of golden sun only California can provide and eventually making our way down to the pier. Something I love about San Clemente is how relaxed it is; we often had local residents pass us by carrying surfboards, wearing their Rainbow flip-flops (a San Clemente original), and being generally unhurried and unworried. No one seemed to mind us posing on their stairs or in front of their carports.


I styled five looks for Benjamin with a mix of clothing from Dandy Del Mar, ASOS Man, and some California surf and skate staples from a friend's impeccably curated closet, including Volcom, Stance, and Vans.


Agency: Salt Agency

Model: Benjamin Simic

Photography & Styling: Natalie Michelle

Curly blonde male model wearing brown linen resort wear set from Dandy Del Mar, San Clemente beach fashion editorial

Linen Set: Dandy Del Mar

Black and white portrait of curly blonde male editorial model, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Curly blonde male model standing in front of palm trees wearing brown linen resort wear set, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Black and white portrait of curly blonde male editorial model, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Curly blonde male model in SoCal neighborhood wearing white Vissla top, San Clemente beach fashion editorial

Top: Vissla

Curly blonde male model sitting on Spanish tile steps in casual white Vissla button-down shirt, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Curly blonde male model wearing tie-dye top from Stance, San Clemente beach fashion editorial

Top: Stance / Bottoms: Volcom / Shoes: Vans

Curly blonde male model wearing yellow checkered Vans shoes with skateboard, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Curly blonde male model wearing yellow and white striped tee from Obey brand, San Clemente beach fashion editorial

Top: Obey / Bottoms: Vissla

Curly blonde male model holding skateboard on beach town street, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Black and white portrait of curly blonde male editorial model, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Curly blonde male model wearing yellow striped tee and olive corduroy pants in direct sunlight, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Curly blonde male model smiling in black and white portrait, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Curly blonde male model covering face in full sunlight at the beach, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Curly blonde male model wearing swim trunks and leaning on beach pier, California style fashion editorial

Swim Bottoms: ASOS Man

Curly blonde male model standing on beach with wind blowing in hair, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Curly blonde male model resting arms on pier in black and white photo, San Clemente beach fashion editorial
Black and white portrait of curly blonde male editorial model, San Clemente beach fashion editorial