A pure Ile-de-France product, Christian BENDE was born in Mantes-La Jolie in the Yvelines. Life then took him between the 14th arrondissement of Paris and the department of Val d’Oise. He doesn’t have the chance to know his father and he had to build himself. Indeed, his mother worked hard to support him and his other siblings.

Life is difficult for Christian. He has no frame of reference, he is quite agitated and does a lot of stupid things. It was at the age of 8 that he was placed in boarding school. For about ten years he visited several foster homes. He now measures the chance he had to go to a home because he was educated by competent people. He discovered fashion at the age of 17 following encounters with women, who made him aware of himself and above all, who made him feel confident about who he really was.

His first photo session is a total discovery for him and it is from this session that Christian’s click comes! He wants to make it his job! He will give himself the means to touch his ambition with his finger. He begins to take care of his body and image. After his night shift in the bakery, he goes to the gym to perfect his naturally present muscles.

He goes to the gym several times a week, completing these sessions with street workout. Quite a job! He has no problem recognizing that it was women who motivated him to enter the fashion world. They saw in him his photogenic side and he appreciated that. After 7 years of a difficult journey, he began to understand the industry of fashion. He came in knowing nothing, without any experience and now he knows the ins and outs, he has his network and he can navigate (almost) like a fish in the water. He notices significant changes in the fashion world.

Indeed, according to Christian, at the time, mixing of cultures was just beginning to be a key element for brands. He notices today that it is something really integrated and that it is now the norm to see mixed couples and other mixed heritage people. Before, he was only offered roles as a security guard or body guard for security services, for example. Today, the character she is asked to play, either in photos or videos, are more diverse.

Even if deep down he thinks that things have not really changed regarding the vision of the coloured population in France, he lives this evolution in a very positive way and especially as the beginning of a new some thing that he does not yet know how to define. But he explains that brands have no choice but to go in the direction of history and that mixing of cultures is the future. A man of passion, he gives himself fully to the activities he undertakes.

When he is in his bakery at 4am, he is 100% there and knows no other way than to give the best of himself. When he is on stage or at a photo shoot, he is gutsy and does his best to be closer to excellence. He is proud of his self-taught career to date.

He has managed to makehis place in this world by himself and by his determination. His ambition today is to be a professional model and showcase for the brands he loves. He obviously remains open to the fashion and film market because he knows how to do many things that can please the different actors in the world of beauty and moving images more generally. Although he does not have the standard size in France, he knows that opportunities will arise and that he will have his chance when the time comes. He take sactors like Omar Sy or singers like Kery James as an example. Each in their preferred fields has seen their respective career stake off and their notoriety grow over the years.