WORDS, CREATIVE DIRECTION & FASHION MAISIE JANE DANIELS - PHOTOGRAPHY AKIRA TREES - GROOMING NAOMI HASHIDA - HAIR AYA KURAOKA
South African-born, London-based Joshua, aka King Caviar, is the emerging model who caught F Word's eye from the get-go. Wise before his years, Joshua is not only a pretty face but a character that you want to be around; he's uplifting, inquisitive, and has lived an incredibly interesting life.
F Word's editor-in-chief, Maisie Daniels, had the pleasure of getting to know all things Joshua after a fun day shooting with photographer Akira Trees in North London.
Maisie Daniels: Hey Joshua, how are you today?
Joshua: Hey Maisie, I'm so blessed, how are you?
M.D: I am very well thank you. Thanks for coming and shooting with us, we loved working with you. We hope you enjoyed the day!
J: Thank you for having me, you guys are lovely! And I feel the same, we definitely see eye to eye!
M.D: Let’s go back to your roots. You were born and raised in South Africa - how was that?
J: Yes, honestly South Africa is a beautiful place with a lot of vibrancy in its deeply rooted cultures and people, but at the same time, it was also a place of extreme poverty, so living on both sides of the spectrum at times, we learned to adapt. Overall I would say it's a place I would recommend you to visit, I feel very blessed to have been able to grow up there.
Joshua wears sunglasses GENTLE MONSTER; pullover GOLDSMITH VINTAGE; jeans DICKIES; belt SCOTCH&SODA; socks BURLINGTON; boots DR.MARTENS
M.D: How long have you been in London? And what is your favourite thing about the city?
J: I've been in London for around 6 years now, and I would definitely say the connectivity of meeting and learning from new people, plus it's my other home!
M.D: It appears that you’re not the only model in your family! Your Mum was the first black model to be signed in London. What an incredible story...
J: [Laughs] Yeah she was in fact, she is a beautiful woman and really glowed a frequency that I had never felt before. Projecting that it was a normal thing to be a metropolitan black woman and love yourself at the time.
M.D: You also mentioned your Dad is a photographer...
J: Oh yeah he is, a legend if I can say that [laughs]. That's how my parents met.
Joshua wears sunglasses GENTLE MONSTER; earring; RÄTHEL & WOLF; rings PARC; top, jumper & skirt GOLDSMITH VINTAGE; socks DICKIES; boots DR.MARTENS
M.D: How did you first get into modelling?
J: I used to chill in my dad's studio quite a bit and a lot of people started mentioning it. I was a really confused child and I guess insecure, but I thought I'd try it anyway! I kinda always had this belief that we could do anything and be anything we wanted as long as we loved it and put our minds to it but the society and city I grew up in always made it a lot harder to make dreams a reality.
M.D: What do your parents think about you modelling? Have they been able to give you any snippets of wisdom for working in this industry?
J: To be honest the best way I think I can answer this question is just to say, most of the time they taught me love and made me understand how important it was to be me, there were times when things were real down bad and we just had to keep it pushing and i think that motivated me to do the same in the industry.
M.D: Alongside modelling you also have a keen interest in music, can you tell us more about this venture?
J: I've always loved music to be fair, I remember times dancing in the kitchen with my Mama to some real soulful music and my father always contrasted that with rock 'n' roll. Then later down the line I was living in Cape Town with a friend that put me up, we were down bad but we used to just sing and rap to each other, listen to lyrics and music all day long, he also taught me so much about meditation. Definitely when my life changed, I have a project coming up later this and I can't wait for you to hear it!
Joshua wears pullover WEEKDAY; bag PUBLISHED BY; shirt JORDAN LUCA; kilt STYLIST'S OWN; boots DR.MARTENS; socks DICKIES
M.D: I look forward to hearing! Can you describe your music in three words?
J: An acquired taste.
M.D: You’re such an uplifting and energetic soul - what’s your secret?!
J: Love yourself, know that on this earth you don't have to prove anything to anyone but you, It also feels good to make other people feel good.
M.D: Dream modelling job, and why?
J: Yves Saint Lauren and Calvin Klein. YSL because its my one of my favourite brands, I like the elegance of it. And Calvin Klein because I love what they stand for and their campaigns are amazing.
M.D: Are there any changes that you would like to see in the modelling industry?
J: Give Black industry workers more senior positions I would say.
Joshua wears earring RÄTHEL & WOLF; vest GOLDSMITH VINTAGE; trousers XANDER ZHOU
M.D: Do you have a life motto that you live by?
J: I do. You're born alone, you die alone so live your life doing what you wanna do, in peace and happiness with the present moment, consciously.
M.D: Any advice for aspiring models?
J: Just be yourself.
M.D: What’s the one thing you couldn’t live without?
J: My laptop, music creation is super essential to good mental health [laughs]
M.D: A wish for the world?
J: That we start to work together and not against one another, we may come from different places, experience different things but hate is the ego's best friend and we gotta counteract the feelings that unity is too hard to accomplish.
M.D: And finally, what’s your favourite F-word?
J: Ooo this is tricky, there's one F-word that always comes to mind [laughs] but I'm gonna go with Fabulous.
