hɪz mˈɑːdəlɪŋ kɚɹˈɪɹ bɪɡˈæn ɪnðə sˈʌmɚɹ ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks, wˌɛn hiː mˈɛt fətˈɑːɡɹəfɚ bɹˈuːs wˈɛbɚ ænd ʃˈɔːn pˈæɾɚsən, ɐ wˌɪlhəlmˈiːnə ˈeɪdʒənt, hˌuː tɹˈækt hˌɪm dˌaʊn ˈæftɚ spˈɑːɾɪŋ hɪz fˈoʊɾoʊ ɪn ɐn əbskjˈʊɹ pˌʌblɪkˈeɪʃən.
His modelling career began in the summer of 1996, when he met photographer Bruce Weber and Sean Patterson, a Wilhelmina agent, who tracked him down after spotting his photo in an obscure publication.