Desire mia
Désiré Mia may have grown up in a small German city called Hannover, but that didn’t stop him from dreaming big. While still in high school, he found himself getting discovered after visiting a number of agencies, all of which said they wanted to represent him. After turning 18 and graduating, Mia signed to an agency and found himself on a flight to New York. Before he knew it, he would be walking runways and fronting huge household name campaigns. Fast forward to 2021 and Mia is a well-established model with a resume that continues to impress. Désiré with Heroes Models NYC gets photographed and styled by photography duo Anthony and Edwin; with Grooming by Whittany Robinson
Désiré wears Salvatore Ferragamo FW21
Désiré wears a Saint Laurent turtleneck accompanied by Moschino underwear.
Désiré wears a Saint Laurent top with Amiri shorts Provided by FWRD
Despite his natural good looks, Mia never pictured himself as being a model growing up. He imagined he would go into acting, filmmaking, or even become a professional soccer player. The idea of him pursuing modeling originally came about after a friend in school was busy traveling around the world for free because they had signed to an agency. Mia liked the sound of that lifestyle and thought to give it a go, a decision that has clearly proven to have paid off and one he very unlikely regrets. “I tend to get a lot of freedom, regarding time management,” he tells MOOD. “I’m also surrounded by determined and hard-working people, which always has been quite important for me.” With that being said, Mia seems confident that one day he will give filmmaking or acting a try to “see if they are what I think they are.”
The best models make everything look effortless and easy. However, that doesn’t mean everyone has an instant natural ability to do it. For Mia, he was already used to being in front of the camera prior to scoring himself fashion spreads. “I used to record myself a lot as a kid, doing random stuff or sports and reviewing the footage to see what I can improve. So standing in front of a camera wasn’t really new to me but there is definitely a learning curve in understanding what different photographers want to see and capture,” he explains.
“Role, utility, and class” are three words Mia would use to describe his sense of style. “It’s probably composition that I developed a passion for, rather than fashion but sometimes their art goes hand in hand. I’ve always been fascinated by the character enhancement that fashion can provoke, though.”
In the span of a few years, Mia has become the face of many huge campaigns that many dream of booking. We’re talking Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Hermès, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein, to name just a few. “I don’t go shopping that often but I do see myself at airports every now and then,” He reveals. “It’s pretty cool but I never know what to do then. For example, I will think, ‘Do I tell the staff or…?’” Mia laughs. After being associated with so many top-tier brands, I couldn’t help but wonder if there are any designers left on his bucket list that he is eager to work with next. “Probably Jacquemus,” he states. “His team and him are extraordinary and authentic.”
It comes as no surprise that Mia is a well-traveled man who has participated in photoshoots in various locations. But one place he’d love to do a shoot in is the Ivory Coast in one of the villages where some of his family lived.
Désiré wears Moschino
Désiré wears Moschino
In the span of a few years, Mia has become the face of many huge campaigns that many dream of booking. We’re talking Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Hermès, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein, to name just a few. “I don’t go shopping that often but I do see myself at airports every now and then,” He reveals. “It’s pretty cool but I never know what to do then. For example, I will think, ‘Do I tell the staff or…?’” Mia laughs. After being associated with so many top-tier brands, I couldn’t help but wonder if there are any designers left on his bucket list that he is eager to work with next. “Probably Jacquemus,” he states. “His team and him are extraordinary and authentic.”
It comes as no surprise that Mia is a well-traveled man who has participated in photoshoots in various locations. But one place he’d love to do a shoot in is the Ivory Coast in one of the villages where some of his family lived.
The global pandemic has enabled a lot of people to learn a new skill during quarantine. For Mia, he learned how to do his own makeup and used his time to put more effort into his social media. “Apart from that, luckily, nothing much has changed. But maybe that’s just because it’s been so long that I’ve gotten so used to the new rules and regulations,” he says. Luckily, there hasn’t been too much he has needed to adjust to other than “during the lockdown I got to know the importance of a good and long hug.”
What’s next for Mia? Probably a whole lot. However, he insists he can’t plan too far ahead. One thing he is in the beginning stages of is designing his own gear/uniform. “I’m more of a daily goals type of person but I’d love to have a stress-less family vacation by the end of the year,” he mentions.
Désiré wears tracksuit pants by Balenciaga Provided by FWRD accompanied by a martin asbjørn coat and Moschino underwear.
Désiré wears Dsquared2
