Chameleonic as few, Cristina Tosio is one of the most internationally recognized Spanish models. Her passion for fashion is only comparable to that felt for the music, an area that she is also professionally engaged as a DJ thanks to the duo Crush Djs. We chatted with her about her relationship with these two worlds, which knows how to combine perfectly.
Her blond hair and green eyes have conquered the lens of photographers as recognized as Peter Lindbergh, Ellen Von Umwerth, Patrick Demarchelier or Greg Lotus. She has been the face of campaigns for firms as Trussardi, Moncler, Thierry Mugler, Maje or Les Copains, and has modeled for Lanvin, Alberta Ferreti, Bluemarine and Isabel Marant .
Cristina Tosio is a versatile model, because she shows her sweet and angelic face and she can also turn into a tomboy girl, role in which says she feels very comfortable. She has fun when they dress her up, have her hair done and can get into the skin of the character, but also radiates creativity and enjoys photography and postproduction. “The artistic part is what I love about fashion,“ says convinced.
After starring in the publishing Fighting for Power with Jaume de Laiguana, Cristina Tosio poses again for Horse Magazine, this time in front of the camera of the New Yorker photographer Greg Swales. We take this opportunity to interview her and talk about fashion and music, the two worlds that combines professionally in her daily life.
HORSE: You have said in some occasion that you started in fashion for fun. What would you say was the work that marked a turning point in your career?
CRISTINA TOSIO: I think that was when I made a whole Jalouse, in which I was in 48 pages alone. I went with the team of the magazine to the fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, New York and London, sometimes parading and other sitting in front row. When it came out it was a boom and a brutal launch for my career. In addition, it was a super fun experience.
HORSE: This summer you have left your blog where you showed your outfits. What is your opinion about the phenomenon blogger and the relationship with firms?
CRISTINA TOSIO: I think there are very good bloggers, but it is a world that is in excess. Many times just for having followers people think that they dress well and in fact it looks like a costume. They see that someone puts something weird and seems cool on that person, and suddenly everyone starts to dress like that. For example, Adidas flip-flops with white socks, you can be funny but not to make it fashionable. You have to be stylish.
HORSE: What are your favorite fashion designers?
CRISTINA TOSIO: Balmain and Saint Laurent.
HORSE: And when you dress up in your daily life?
CRISTINA TOSIO: I always have a vintage Levi’s, both short and long, and sneakers that rock, such as Adidas Gazelle, I think they are super cool. I like tiny bags with chain that are not too heavy as Chanel Boy, but I have a leather bag of Loewe that is the most comfortable in the world and I have not taken it off in three years. A round sunglass is also an accessory that I love, I have some of Céline and the typical little old ones like the Beatles style of Ray Ban.
HORSE: How would you define your style?
CRISTINA TOSIO: Sport but always with a touch to lift it, without being too wasted. Casual chic, but I also like a little edgy.
HORSE: In terms of beauty, what brands and products are not missing in your toiletry bag?
CRISTINA TOSIO: I am very prone to products sold in pharmacies, rather than high marks. I like a lot the Pierre Fabre laboratory and everything it does for hair, skin and hydration: René Furterer, Ducray, A-Derma, Klorane…
I’m not really much of using makeup in my day to day, I just curl my tab (applying before with my fingers a little Biopel or Eight Hour Cream) and I wear a moisturizer with color on the lips of Chanel or Apivita.
HORSE: For years, you combine your facet of model with the DJ one with your friend Katy Sainz in Crush djs. You started for fun also?
CRISTINA TOSIO: Of course, I love music and we are friends since we were 15. In fact, when we left school we always taught each other the records we did. When Katy started playing, I got into the cab with her and said “put this song”. Then she told me she wanted to do a duet and find a girl. As I did not have the technical side, because we also have a musical taste very similar, I joined the school of DJs Inted and I learned to play.
It is very compatible with fashion and especially we make fashion events. We have our own party, Black Heart, the account on Instagram it is all in black and white very Saint Laurent and Balmain. We throw like three parties a year at night in places that are not clubs: the Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, El Molino in Barcelona… In vimeo @blackheartparty there are videos where you can see the concept. In the last one in Madrid Yves Saint Laurent and its lipstick Vinyl sponsored us.
HORSE: When did you start DJ playing?
CRISTINA TOSIO: together 3 or 4 years ago, she been in this world 7.
HORSE: How do you see the current relationship between fashion and music?
CRISTINA TOSIO: they go together. What would the music do without fashion and fashion without music? In a fashion show there is always music, with a later after show in which a DJ plays. What rock band does not dressed super cool? The Rolling Stones were always very trendy, The Beatles and all the authentic. Even Bob Marley with his style…
HORSE: All counterculture movements from 50 have relied on aesthetics and music. With which decade you identify the most for fashion and music?
CRISTINA TOSIO: In fashion, who does not like the supermodels of the ’90s? Kate Moss, Helena Christensen … I have done a thousand times the role of Brigitte Bardot and I love the styles of the time, the 60s and 70s. However, I also really like the military look with guy attitude, because I have grown being a tomboy and everything very masculine is good for me.
In music where there is a Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd or John Lennon nothing else matters, I think we have lost a lot regarding singer-songwriters. Before, musicians created or composed, they gave you goosebumps. Today I put the radio on and I do not feel like listening to music.
HORSE: Why do you think the DJs of the moment are increasingly in the fashion world?
CRISTINA TOSIO: Things have changed a lot, magazines, customers… The fashion world has lost a lot economically, has diversified much with bloggers and everything else. People, through networks no longer have a normal job; everyone believes that just because of having followers they can play, they can be a celebrity or stylist… There are very talented people for these things and they do very well, but how many girls bloggers with many followers have played as DJs in an event putting a playlist… Yes, they do promotion and a few more people go, but the musical level of the party is not the same. At the end, if the customer is smart and understands music, next time he will hire a DJ with flow and good taste.
HORSE: What is for you a good dj?
CRISTINA TOSIO: For me a great DJ would be Armin Van Buuren. A good dj plays music that takes you to the top, which gives you an amazing feeling, which goes through the veins and with which you feel like dancing. Classy music, elegant but cool, with flow. I do not like loud music as EDM or reggaeton, I like it to be a little clean and all that is techno, tech-house, deep and melodic deep passionate me.
HORSE: Do you want to focus more and more on your DJ part?
CRISTINA TOSIO: Fashion is what I like and is the most important for me, but I want to continue combining it and improve every day like dj within our circle, which are the exclusive or private parties, fashion parties and Black Heart. We are working on this with our Web and a new profile on Instagram.
Producing for now remains a little behind but we want also. What we have clear is that we do not want to be the Nervo and be tucked in a private jet from Las Vegas to Miami, from Miami to Ibiza … I do not want that life.
HORSE: Horse Magazine has a particular and unique vision of luxury. What is luxury for you?
CRISTINA TOSIO: Luxury for me has nothing to do with fashion or music, nor to have yachts or seven million in the bank account. The luxury is to be healthy, a great family, people you want and be happy.
HORSE: As a connoisseur of the magazine, what is it that attracts you to Horse?
CRISTINA TOSIO: I love working with the Horse’s team. Publishers is what I like, because the styles are brutal and inspire you a lot. Make editorially looks very complicated and I think the truth is that Horse takes the gold medal in that.
HORSE: We also often talk about travel and special experiences. For your work you have travelled to many places, what trip you recommend to our readers?
CRISTINA TOSIO: I loved Tulum when I went the first time and the second, but it has already crowded a lot. Maldives to do nothing with your couple it seems brutal; I loved the trip in seaplane flying over the reefs and island. Now I have a pending destination that has not yet been overcrowded and that is Holbox. It is in Mexico and is a small island where I wanted to open a restaurant with my partner. In summer you can see the whale shark and you can swim with it.
HORSE: What do you usually do in your spare time?
CRISTINA TOSIO: Lately I practice much sport and watch many series.
HORSE: Your color and your favorite movie?
CRISTINA TOSIA: My color is blue and I am more of series than films. I am hooked to many and, furthermore, I enjoy watching the series from the video store. I am watching Shameless, Peaky Blinders and Homeland, and I have already finished Breaking Bad and Broadwalk Empire.
Traductor: Raquel Sánchez
