Steven Dehler is the blond-haired, blue-eyed model with a super-finely-sculpted physique familiar from a range of magazine covers and photo shoots, especially for underwear brands such as Timoteo, Freedom Reigns and Marco Marco. He also appeared in the steamy car wash Andrew Christian video.
It’s hard to miss Steven Dehler if you’re in West Hollywood (WeHo) because if he’s not modelling then he’s generally go-go dancing at The Abbey, one of the best-known gay clubs in the world. It’s not uncommon for the likes of Elton John and Lady Gaga to pop in whenever they’re in town.
THEGAYUK caught up with Steven and found that even in his native Los Angeles, known for its glamour and body beautiful, he stands out from the crowd with his good looks, graceful movement and natural charisma. Steven’s an intelligent guy with many talents – he’s a classically trained pianist – but he’s focussed on his modelling career. As we grab a coffee, Steven, fresh from the gym and glowing beautifully, tells us he’s recently been busy expanding his portfolio and working with a range of photographers. “You change your image just a little bit and all of a sudden everyone wants to shoot with you!”
We ask what he looks for in a photographer. “I just want to do something that’s different. I can only do so many photoshoots at the beach.”
The underwear labels he models for are identifiably gay brands, and we ask if being gay has influenced his career in any way. “When I first started modelling they told me not to tell anyone I was gay because they want you to be accessible to everyone and not shut off a female market,” Steven recalls. “Now, it’s a bit different. A lot has happened in the gay community in the last few years, so it’s certainly not a hindrance in the way it might have been ten years ago. Being gay has helped for modelling for gay-oriented things. Male underwear modelling has picked up a lot.”
With thoughts of Steven in underwear now pressing, it’s hard to retain our professional cool, but we ask him if it’s a drag having to maintain his Olympian god-like physique. “It’s a lifestyle,” says Steven. “I work out all year round because it keeps me healthy and sane. I go to the gym, put in my headphones and zone out during my workout. I don’t see it as a chore: I see it as my break from reality.”
Given his dedication to his profession, we ask if Steven had always intended to model. “No, actually in High School I was very awkward – super skinny with a really bad complexion and completely dorky.” We find this difficult to believe, but Steven elaborates. “When I was in my late teens I met my best friend. She was a model from the age of fourteen. She suggested I get into it and I was like, ‘You’re crazy!’ But then we did a photo shoot together in Palm Springs. After college, I came back to LA and picked it up again.”
So how did he develop his confidence? “Dancing helped with the quality of shots. At first, you don’t know how to move, but with modelling, you’re always moving, and that takes a while to get comfortable doing.”
