Montreal may not sound like the end of the Earth but when you’re trying to organise a photoshoot with Teddy Torres, one of the hottest porn stars on the planet, you’d be surprised. After trying to lock down a photographer in Montreal for months, we’d almost given up hope. Until one day we saw Teddy tweeting from our hometown of Barcelona. So we reached out, then raided our own wardrobe for some ‘statement pieces’ and arranged the shoot for his last night in town…
Teddy Torres
Hey Teddy, how was the shoot for Loverboy?
Yes, it was incredible, full of emotion. We did the shooting in the evening of the Barcelona attacks. The first reaction and even the first words that I had with the photographer were moving. We thought first about the victims and then we talked at length about what Barcelona represents for us – a multi-cultural city open to the world full of love.
Which was your favourite outfit?
The fur coat. The idea of posing naked with the coat – the mixture of style (macho-harness-girly) and especially the professionalism of the photographer – Christoffer really knew how to find the right shot.
You live in Montreal, right? How’s that?
Yes, I live in Montreal. It’s true that we’re far away from everything and I often miss the atmosphere of Europe. But Montreal is the perfect mix between European and North American life. The people in Quebec are extremely nice and the four seasons we get are gorgeous. I invite you all to visit Canada.
Now we know you as porn star now. But what were you doing before that?
I was and still am hairdresser. Before I worked in a Paris lounge called ‘Rock hair.’
Oh, so do you think you will stay in porn or hair?
To be honest I have never thought of making a career in porn. If tomorrow that stopped for me, it would not be a problem. I would rather do it as a hobby. If it became more fun than everything else, then I would just focus on that, but until then I’ll carry on.
Are you exclusive with anyone?
I have not signed an exclusivity contract yet and I don’t think I will. I prefer remaining free to work for whoever I want.
So what does the future hold for Teddy Torres?
The future for Teddy Torres will be full of commitment to my values. I wish to continue travelling a lot and satisfying my curiosity of the world.
Lastly we are named after the iconic Mariah song, ‘Loverboy.’ What is your favourite Mariah song?
To be honest Mariah Carey is not one of my idols. But after this magical vacation in Barcelona, a song will remain in my heart and especially burn in the heart of my vacation ‘Loverboy’ (my viking ) . This song is ‘We Belong Together.’ This song is so special for him, that it has a magical sense for me now, ‘we belong together my viking’ see u soon, in my dreams.
Photographer: Christoffer Wiklöw
How long have you been taking photos?
I’ve been taking photos for almost twelve years. I started studying creative photography in 2005, then had a detour into photojournalism and journalism. But I’ve been focusing on fashion photography for almost two years now.
How would you describe your style?
My style is all about creating characters and sets that transcends reality – I want it to look like a fantasy. It’s usually very minimalistic, clean, seductive and very expressive in one way or another. I want the viewer to see the pictures and finish the story in their own fantasy.
Do you have people who have influenced you over the years?
Herb Ritts with his sleek, minimalistic and timeless style has been a great inspiration to me. Then of course Guy Bourdin. Also Mert and Marcus with their colourful style. All these three have made me the photographer I am today. For my private work I’ve been inspired by Cindy Sherman a lot and the way she has explored with characters in self-portraits throughout her career.
How did you approach the shoot with Teddy for Loverboy?
In my head I kept having ‘A Red Light District Fantasy’ as the title of the photoshoot. I wanted it raw – but stylish, seductive and powerful. The stylists (Lars Ginnerup and Editor-in-Chief Michael Turnbull) pulled together some interesting pieces. It all added to the feeling of the viewer having an exclusive glimpse into the intimate world of Teddy.
Any stories from your shoot with Teddy?
Well, I was in Barcelona preparing for the shoot when suddenly there was the terror attack. But we wouldn’t let the terrorists win over what we believe in: a free, democratic society that is tolerant and inclusive!
We are named after the iconic Mariah song ‘Loverboy’. What’s your favourite Mariah song?
My favourite is ‘Candy Bling‘ because it was my lullaby-song on repeat when I was living in Tokyo in a super cramped room that was shaking every time the metro would pass by under it, and a song I would listen to while walking through a quiet Tokyo at nighttime.
Then every Christmas a never-ending favourite is of course the ‘Oh Santa! All I Want For Christmas Is You‘ (the holiday mashup, not the old one)!
To further stalk Teddy Torres follow him on Twitter or Instagram.
For more of Christoffer’s work see his site http://christofferwiklow.com or hunt him down on Instagram.
