TITAN Models Exclusive: Elyse de Feuvre's New Look

TITAN Models' veteran, Elyse de Feuvre (Winner of NEXT TOP MODEL, Cycle 1) is known in the industry for her exotic looks and long, blonde mane. Nowadays, she is sporting a new look that models rarely gamble with because of it's singular look and thus impeding booking limitations. Elyse sports a beautiful bald head. The alien-esque look not only heightens her natural beauty even more, in addition to rendering her a standout amidst the cookie cutter blondes in the industry, but also showcases a silent strength that lies within the model. Is Elyse's new look a manifestation of the ever changing trends within the industry? The pressures of re-inventment? Or could there be something more beyond this archaic look?

In an exclusive interview with TITAN Models, Elyse opens up about her new look, her life, and her future endeavors:

TITAN MODELS: First of all....WOW. Just WOW. We're speechless on this end over here! Your new look edges you out in such a light that you look like a completely different model!

ELYSE: Thank You! I definitely got a laugh at everyones response to the new look. I initially thought that you and everyone else might think I was pulling a Britney, or something of that nature. Loosing my head entirely.

TM: Definitely not a Britney at all! How did this new look come about? Are you seeking to instate a new trend perhaps?

E: Not at all, by any means. The look is a result of years in constant battle against my Alopecia (an Autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks its own hair follicles).

TM: Oh wow. We knew nothing about what you were going through, Elyse.

E: Yes, I preferred and kept it that way from many outside of my own family. It was very personal. Too personal to share and I simply possessed an unwillingness to appear weak, or rather expose my weakness, especially in this industry where models have to be on top of their game constantly.

TM: When were you diagnosed with Alopecia?

E: Around eleven. That's when I started noticing my hair fall out it significantly larger clumps. A few family members have the disorder as well, so we suspect it's hereditary and skips a few generations.

TM: Is there any medication out there that can help with this disorder?

E: There are, and I was on oral corticosteroids for a very long time. All throughout the NEXT TOP MODEL competition I was under constant medication. However, like all medications, they have side effects. I started suffering severe migraines, significant weight loss, and blotches on my skin. I lacked energy and was always down emotionally. It was awful, and twice as hard to deal with in the fashion industry. So after a few months off model duty, I came to the decision to completely shave my head and embrace the new me wholeheartedly.

TM: That's very touching, Elyse. And you're so brave to completely deter yourself from your hair which is quite often a sort of safety blanket for many men and women.

E: I was exactly that same way with my hair. I loved it, and still do. And I miss it terribly, of course. At the end of the day it was just hair. Dead cells. When I accepted that, then I could let go of it all. On another note, there's always wigs I could wear; a new look every day! Sounds awesome to me.

TM: Though it is undeniably a great and powerful look, especially with your personal backstory, do you think it will slow down your career in the fashion industry?

E: To some extent, yes. The look can only work for some designers and brands. I'm realistic about that. I wont be able to compete against other girls who have a head full of hair for, let's say, a Versace campaign. It's just not going to happen anytime soon. But what I still have is my personality and a new sense of myself and in life in general. I can bring that to the table.

TM: You certainly possess the right attitude to pull off this look then, Elyse. And with such an outlook on life, we're sure that you'll do a lot in and out of this industry.

E: I believe I can. I want to expand my horizons beyond modeling. I want to get into working behind the camera. The whole chemistry behind photographing is just so interesting to me. I find myself transfixed when I'm modeling, during the breaks in between, when the photographers and his or her crew are checking the lighting, angles, and adjusting the lenses. They're so overlooked by viewers but without them there is no magic within the photograph. I want to be part of that magic, after modeling is done and over for me. I want to live on through not only my models' work but also through the work behind the camera.