Political science student Matthew Masterson has been a part of UCLA Fashion and Student Trends for four years.
It is a little ironic that Matthew Masterson almost lost his shoe during his first runway walk for the UCLA Fashion and Student Trends’ annual fashion show, considering that the fourth-year political science student is a professional male model.
“As soon as I rounded the corner, my shoe slipped a little bit, and I didn’t test the runway to see what it would feel like,” Masterson said. “I didn’t panic, but I made sure every step I took was really exact and really sure-footed so I wouldn’t slip again. No one noticed but I told myself to just keep walking.”
And Masterson kept walking for UCLA Fashion and Student Trends for four years, joining the club his freshman year with the support of a friend. Masterson said he was nervous about joining something he knew so little about.
“I can safely say that about four and a half years ago, if you had asked me if I would get involved in fashion, I would have said no way,” Masterson said.
It is not to say that Masterson is an amateur on the fashion circuit. Since his freshman year, Masterson has steadily maintained a career as a male model, from walking in shows for New York Fashion Week to shooting editorials for fashion publications such as Vogue Turkey and Women’s Wear Daily.
With the career came the inevitable “Zoolander” comparisons. Masterson’s fraternity brother in Sigma Phi Epsilon and roommate fourth-year theater student Jake Rude said that while many took the opportunity to joke about Masterson’s career, he saw that Masterson had the talent and capability to work hard at it.
“A lot of the frat guys poke fun at him, but it was all in good fun, and he’s very humble about it. I never made fun of him for it because I saw it as a great way to make a living. He’s really good at it,” Rude said.
From holding seven executive positions over the past four years in his fraternity to being the male model director for UCLA Fashion and Student Trends, Masterson immersed himself in multiple clubs across campus. Not only is he one of the founders of the UCLA Board Club, Masterson is also involved in the intramural volleyball, softball and water polo teams.
“There’s no particular reason why I like being involved in so many things other than my interests are very different and very varied. If I’m a part of something, I want to be part of something as much as I possibly can,” Masterson said.
Friend and fourth-year environmental science student Kris Holz, who is one of the founders of the UCLA Board Club with Masterson, said that despite Masterson’s busy schedule, he was crucial in helping the club’s recruitment of new members.
“I think the thing about Matt is that he’s not afraid to pursue something because it might be too hard. He’s just a devoted, outgoing, passionate guy,” Holz said. “I’ve never seen him show a whole lot of stress about anything or fall through on a commitment.”
Adding another job on his already full schedule, Masterson said that it was his outgoing nature, combined with his fashion experience, that led him to be involved in the launch of DormStormer.com, an apparel website discounted and geared specifically to college students. With this opportunity to delve into his entrepreneurial side at UCLA, Masterson started working on the site last January and has since seen the site expand to 20 other campuses.
While Masterson said he never thought he would be involved in fashion before entering UCLA, he will be working full-time for DormStormer.com after graduation and modeling on the side when the opportunity arises.
After wearing so many hats on campus and constantly balancing a packed schedule, Masterson said that all his activities at UCLA have shown him how deep his passions and goals can run, and his life after graduation will only be better because of it.