Jethro Cave

Born in 1991, Jethro Cave is the son of Australia's most famous rock star, Nick Cave. Scouted at 14 by a modeling agency, the young Cave began his international career at 16 during Sydney's fashion week. It would be fair to say that his career has been largely possible thanks to his father's notoriety.

Recent photos of him taken by Hedi Slimane and friends have projected his modeling career. Without a doubt one of the most admired photographers on the planet, Slimane concentrated on Cave's androgyny, playing his rocker side against his feminine one. Several weeks after the photos were published, Cave became a veritable "it" boy, entered into the category of promising male models and posed for Dazed & Confused.

As famous for his work on the catwalks as for his bad-boy escapades, Cave, barely 17, has already caused numerous headaches for his agency due to, among other dramas, destroyed luxury suites. There is also a list of models who refuse to work with him because of his violent temper, his unpredictability, and drug problems. Certain photographers failed to take photos of him because he arrived at the sessions completely trashed.

His own agency has hesitated several times to renew him. In fact, if he seems to be one of the most promising models of his generation, he is also one of the most expensive. Called "Mister Destroyer" by some, he brags about being blacklisted by bars and hotels and being the reason for many brawls. The members of his agency hesitate to have him travel long distances for fear of his raging temper and his inclination to provoke.

His haircut has become his trademark, eccentric and inimitable. He refuses to change it for modeling, demonstrating again his love for provocation. His daily style is relatively well illustrated in Slimane's photos. Another eccentric detail: he loves the sweaters with childlike motifs, e.g. kittens, knitted for him by his grandmother.

Cave can be counted among a new wave of male models: all very young, enigmatic by their violence and atypical style (a mix of punk and rock), exerting a total fascination on certain photographers and editors-in-chief of big fashion magazines. In this category can also be counted Cole Mohr, Ash Stymest and Luke Worrell. The photographer Joost Vandebrug has become a sort of specialist of this category, shooting them in their element, in the street by daylight.

During the 2009/2010 Fashion Week, he was the most interesting model and showed for Gareth Pugh, Balenciaga, Rick Owens and others. He may frighten many, but this trait has also made him one of the most remarkable models this year. Up to you to either find his degeneration charming, to be won over by his androgyny and mystery, or on the contrary, to detest all that makes him fascinating and troubling. The only thing we can all do is pray that he does not fall victim to an overdose.