In this exclusive interview for MMSCENE, David Gimeno, a 21-year-old Dentistry student from Valencia who has also ventured into social media and modeling, opens up about his multifaceted life. Having a background in Judo, where he competed internationally, and previous studies in Pharmacy and Oral Hygiene, David attributes his disciplined approach to balancing his studies and flourishing modeling career to the values instilled in him through sports. His journey into the fashion was largely influenced by his content creation and his French heritage, which exposed him to haute couture from a young age.
MMSCENE EXCLUSIVES
For this edition of MMSCENE PORTRAITS, David, represented by UNIKO Models, is photographed by Aina Martinez, with the styling done by Paola Gadsky.
Read the whole interview below:
Who is David Gimeno?
David Gimeno is a 21-year-old boy from Valencia who studies Dentistry and works in social networks and modeling. In his past, he competed in Judo at an international level and studied a degree in Pharmacy and another in Oral Hygiene. Personally, David is a very passionate person, who likes to spend time with the people he loves and enjoys making his family happy, always bringing a smile to their faces.
How do you think your upbringing and roots in Valencia have influenced your approach to modeling and fashion?
What has influenced me the most has been the people close to my life, who were related to this world, and they kept telling me to try. Also, being half French, I’ve constantly had the French fashion culture in mind and have always been very attracted to it, especially haute couture.
Balancing studies in odontology with a modeling career must be challenging. How do you manage your time between these two demanding paths?
It’s difficult to manage, but I always say that if you want to do it, you find the time. Since I was a child I’ve had to get used to combining studies and sport and that has taught me to manage this situation well. I would say the key is discipline and perseverance, even if there are times when you don’t feel like studying, you have to do it so you take advantage of the time.
Your rise to fame on TikTok and Instagram has been meteoric. What inspired you to start creating content on these platforms, and did you ever anticipate reaching such a vast audience?
What inspired me the most was the support of the people, from the very first moment I’ve felt a lot of affection on the social network and thanks to that, it motivated me to keep going. I never thought I would have so much support because I consider myself a pretty normal person and in the beginning it was more of a hobby.
Going viral and amassing 1.5M followers on TikTok and 238K on Instagram is no small feat. What do you think resonated with your audience, and how do you plan to keep engaging them?
To be honest, I think what set me apart was my appearance and the friendliness I transmit in my videos. My plan is to continue making content aimed at fashion and modeling since creating this type of content is what I really enjoy.
Who are your biggest inspirations or role models, and why?
At the moment I feel very inspired by Jacob Elordi because I think he is an interesting person, I love the way he dresses and he is a very good professional in front of the camera (and I really like his work).
The fashion industry is rapidly evolving, especially with the influence of social media. How do you plan to leverage your online presence to shape your career in modeling?
Nowadays the new way of advertising for brands is through social networks since it reaches all types of audiences. I want to take advantage of the fact that I have that influence to be able to work with the best brands.
Can you share a memorable experience or challenge you’ve faced in your journey as a model and influencer thus far?
My most memorable experience has been when I had to go to Qatar for a week by myself to create content for the World Judo Federation, it was a challenge as I didn’t know very well the language, it was the first time I traveled alone in a totally new world. Despite that, it has been one of my best experiences and I have very good memories.
For aspiring models and influencers who look up to you, what advice would you give them on pursuing their dreams while balancing education or other commitments?
I consider that giving advice is a very difficult and personal thing since everyone has their own situations, but if I had to give one, it would be to not pay attention to people who laugh at you or only make negative comments. If they do that it is because they would like to be in your shoes and it means that you are doing things right. So I would advise that if you have a dream, chase it to the end, or at least, don’t give up without trying.
What’s next for you?
My next goals are to finish my degree and make a place for myself in the world of modeling, but above all, my biggest goal is to enjoy the journey. I think we are in a moment where it’s difficult to be truly happy and we have the need to capture everything through a screen and we do not really enjoy what our own eyes see. So without a doubt my biggest goal is to enjoy every moment and be happy with the life I’m building up.
Judo has been a significant part of your life since you were just 4 years old, even leading you to compete internationally with the Spanish national team. How has your dedication to judo influenced your work ethic and discipline?
Judo has been a key point in my life. It is a sport that brings you many values such as respect, discipline, be cooperative and sincere… So I could say that thanks to judo I’m the person that I am today and it has helped me to develop. At the same time, playing a sport teaches you that the results are not immediate and you have to be consistent and work hard to get achieve them.
Achieving the status of Spanish Champion at 16 and earning bronze medals twice thereafter is incredibly impressive. Can you share how these experiences in competitive judo have shaped your approach to facing challenges and setbacks, both on the mat and in your personal life?
Personally, they were a bit difficult mentally because I was putting pressure on myself and that generated a lot of stress and anxiety because I didn’t know how to manage those emotions and I spent a year with a sports psychologist treating this problem. So thanks to those experiences I have learned to manage this type of situation, trying to see them from another point of view. Instead of facing it with stress and anxiety, face it from the desire and try to enjoy the process.
Photographer Aina Martinez – @ainamartinez.018
Stylist Paola Gadsky – @gadskystudio
Retouch Aina Martinez
Model David Gimeno at UNIKO Models – @lodivad
hottie!
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