Translation by Norma Hernández
River Viiperi "My girfriend's fame does not intimidate
me."
By Martin Bianchi /Madrid/ January
12, 2013
The Ibizan model that won over
the American heiress talks exclusively with ABC about his childhood, "top
model" career, and his dream of succeeding in film.
At 21 years old he is already one
of the most sought after models in the world. Labels like Ralph Lauren, Calvin
Klein, or H&M trust him to sell their products and big photographers like
Juergen Teller or Mario Testino have photographed him for the most prestigious
fashion magazines. However, River Delfin Canomanuel Viiperi (Ibiza, 1991) has
reached international recognition thanks to his high-profile relationship with
the even more high-profile American heiress Paris Hilton. Since their
relationship was made known, in September of 2012, Viiperi has become one of
the most sought after people by the "paparazzi".
"Media pressure? It is a
matter of getting used to it, although it is true that sometimes I wish I could
go to the beach peacefully", he tells ABC letting out a laugh. "But
it is a job and if you make it easy for the press the more space they will give
you", the innocent faced model with an Olympic athlete's body adds. He
also does not feel intimidated by his famous partner. "I do not judge
people for who they are or for what they have, but in the way they are and what
their values are. I met my girlfriend
under normal circumstances and we connected in an incredible way, her
fame is part of her job and I do not see why that should intimidate me",
he says.
With a Spanish father and a Finnish mother, Viiperi was born in Ibiza and at only
six months old he moved to Canarias.
After living several years in Finland and other European countries, he returned
to Spain and spent his adolescence in the Madrid neighborhood of Aravaca.
"I have traveled a lot since I was small, wherewith I do not miss Spain as
a country, but I do miss my family and friends...and homemade food and the ham,
I would not miss that", he says from Los Angeles, his place of residency
with Paris Hilton.
There, at the foot of the
Hollywood hills, he is planning his next step. "My dream has always been
to become an actor, it is one of my projects for 2013, but my next step is to
design clothes. I do not mean creating a brand, simply to design clothes for
me, I am tired of going shopping and never finding anything that I like",
he says.
Spectacular rising
What is certain is that the
future does not keep him awake. "As James Dean said, 'Dream as if you'll
live forever. Live as if you'll die today.'" The future does not worry me
at all, I have gone through life alone and I have gotten to where I am without
help", he admits. At 16 years old he decided to follow in his mother's
footsteps, model Rita Viiperi, promising to never look back. "I left
school and my studies for my career and I have never regretted it and I never
will. Another one of my motto's is 'Never regret anything because at one point it is was exactly what you wanted.'"
According to Models.com, one of
the reference websites for the fashion industry, Viiperi is one of the 50 best paid models in the world. "The legendary
Spanish charm is seen very strongly in River Viiperi, a young man with a
dynamic personality that captivates everyone", says the ranking in
Models.com, in which he occupies the 34th position. "Since his first job
for Heid Slimane to his recent role in the Calvin Klein CK One spot, his rise
has been simply spectacular."
But how difficult is it to stay
at the top of the industry? Viiperi says that the grand majority of the world
thinks his job is a "joke", and clarifies that it has its pros and
cons like any other profession. "The male fashion world is not that
competitive...that's what I think. I am always happy for friends that get a
couple of jobs. But I am sure that there are many people that think of it as a
competition although it is not."
The two lives of River
"There are no secrets to succeed
in this, simply work hard, be likeable, and give off good energy. People
appreciate personality. A tip my mother gave me that I will never forget is
when she would tell me "River, after your shower look into the mirror for
a little everyday and practice your facial expressions". Back then I found
it ridiculous, but I later grew to appreciate it", he says with a
contagious laugh.
Now, Viiperi offers his best pose
to whoever wishes to photograph him. He even offers up free personal photos of
him and Hilton through his Twitter account: Cooking Cocido Madrileño, backstage
at a fashion show, together in their trip to Aspen or traveling in a private
jet to Miami.
"I have spent a long time
alone and, whether you like it or not, when you feel alone you tend to look for
an outlet. Mine was social media. There is always a fan thinking of you and
wishing to write to you, so I like them to know that I appreciate their support
and what they want is to gossip", he admits. And how does he protects his personal
life from media hounding? "Well, I wouldn't know how to explain it but I
know that I have a private life that nobody knows about and I think that suffices."
Artículo original en español Entrevista con River Viiperi
Nota:
¿Alguien sabe la traducción de "Sentir se siente, sufrir no siempre"? No sé si esto es un refrán español.
Also if anybody has any corrections send them in and I'll take them into consideration. Thanks.
