Danny Schwarz

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ON THE COVER Model & Athlete Danny Schwarz wears Shadowbox Wraps Nike Pro Combat Compression Shorts Nike Shorts

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DANNY

SCHWARZ Gary Lupton Paul Lamb GROOMING Luis Guillermo PHOTOGRAPHER'S ASSISTANT Seth Binsted PHOTOGRAPHER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

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2(X)IST Cotton Stretch No-Show Trunk Shadowbox Wrap

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ON DANNY LEF T: 2(X)IST Tank Nike Pro Tights TLF Apparel Shorts RIGHT: Nike Pro Tights

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Nike Runnin Pants

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DANNY SCHWARZ A MAN OF METROPOLIS EXCLUSIVE

Danny Schwarz was born in South London, having grown up in a rough part of London, fighting was a daily occurrence for Danny and he learned early on he needed to learn how to defend himself.

Following college he spent some years DJ’ing up and down the country and working part-time jobs, where he got the opportunity to model and quickly found himself moving to New York where he worked very well reaching number 4 in the world on the Forbes list and models. com. Danny Schwarz shot campaigns

for Armani, D&G, Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfigure to name a few.

A few magazine covers and coveted shows later he is still going strong in the industry. We sat down with the model, actor, athlete and DJ to talk more about his career.

Tell us what got you into sport/boxing and briefly describe a week in the life of your fitness/ workout schedule.

Boxing came into my life at an early age.

I grew up in a rough part of South Lon-

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don from a broken, dysfunctional home.

Fighting, whether I liked it or not became a regular part of life for me. Not being one to back down, I got beat up, a lot!

Not only that, I was mugged at knife point 7 or 8 times, had a glass bottle smashed over my head and just received countless beatings. I lost what little confidence I did have and felt very isolated and alone during those years. I joined a local boxing club which helped to slowly rebuild my confidence. After some time I found myself walking around with my head held high. Just knowing I had boxing in my

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back pocket really helped to shape me as a young man.

I met a few agencies and to my surprise had my pick of who to be with. I joined Premier models in London and everything With that new found confidence I was able to pull myself out of happened extremely quickly. Within a month or so I was booked certain circles, away from gangs and really I began to see the exclusively for the Calvin Klein show in Milan which was my oppressive people I surrounded myself with for what they really first real paid job. I was thrust into this new world and from their were. I owe everything to the sport, without it, I would not have things skyrocketed. Over the next few seasons I booked a lot achieved the things I have and wouldn’t be where I am today. of campaigns including Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein, Missoni, Tommy Hilfiger to name a few. I My life took many different twists and turns over the years but I had billboards all over the world, including in Times Square and finally came back to boxing a few years ago here in New York. the buses I once used to ride to school in London were now I found a local club called Brotherhood Boxing and from there I littered with my face. I did a lot of eye opening editorials, travgot the itch to start teaching and share the incredible values and elled around the world and worked with some really amazingly discipline I gained from the sport. I approached Shadowbox, an talented people. Photographers such as Stephen Meisel, Mario incredible studio with two locations in New York, one in flatiron Testino, Bruce Webber (don’t worry I’m good, I can box rememand one in Dumbo. At Shadowbox we teach real boxing by real ber) Terry Richardson, so many. I reached number four on the boxers in a group setting designed to inspire confidence, fitness Forbes worlds most successful male models and Models.com. and the art of boxing. It suits me to an absolute T. I love to teach I’ve continued working steadily since but more importantly the and give back to a sport I owe so much. lessons the job has given me are priceless. It took a street kid, growing up hustling, fighting, stealing cars, almost facing prison As far as my workout schedule is concerned, I generally try to out of that void and opened my eyes to the world. It showed me listen to my body and what it needs, especially if it’s telling me I what was possible and expanded the horizon of what I once need a couch day! I personally think the best way to approach fit- thought was my worth. ness is to remove the vanity aspect of training and instead find a sport or discipline that you love. Make that your central focus and The fashion industry has changed a lot since you got startdriving force then you support that with other things to help you ed, just like men so do our bodies. How have you adapted to be better at said sport. For example, you learn how to fence and your body, look changing and the needs of the industry? notice your cardio needs work, so you add running to your week.

Maybe your central discipline is climbing which needs good grip It has changed a lot and is constantly evolving or devolving destrength and a strong core so you add calisthenics. You box and pending how you want to look at it. The influence of instagram you need to strengthen your neck and wrists, you add resistance is growing ever stronger and being the right look for a brand is training to those areas. As time goes on and you get better and no longer enough. You have to have the draw and pull of followbetter at your chosen skill, you’ll inevitably find new flaws and ers too. The whole thing makes me quite uncomfortable if I’m then new ways to keep improving. Having that central base skill honest, but I do see the advantages. It’s a powerful tool which gives everything you do purpose and the pleasure you get from puts power in the hands of the people. I guess I’m just curious seeing improvement and growth can’t be beaten. to see how it plays out. I try to develop a relationship with it which feels sincere and honest but it’s a struggle for me. As for So fitness came first, then came modeling. What was your my shape and size, over the years I’ve come to realize you can’t start like, tell us about your big break and do you rememplease everyone. You’re too big for this brand or too small for ber that first paid shoot, who was the photog, who was the another. Your agents tell you to do one thing and clients tell you client? something else. Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one and if you listen to them all you’ll go crazy. I just try to keep a Modeling came into my life when at the time I was DJ’ing and healthy lifestyle and mindset, what will be will be. trying to start my own label. It was a difficult industry to be in and I found myself struggling financially despite picking up part You are also an actor, so it helps you are fit, and handtime work where I could. One job involved teaching myself how some, but tell us the top 3 skills you have had to work on to to write computer code and work as a programmer. Turns out I’m develop your acting chops? Any projects coming up we can pretty good at that but a life sitting on my ass in front of a screen see you in Fall/Winter 2019? just wasn’t for me.

I began studying the art of acting about eight years ago here in My girlfriend at the time was in Bali pursuing her dream of being New York, attending schools such as Stella Adler, HB Studios, a marine biologist & scuba diver which left me feeling rejected Michael Howard and now AMAW where I am to this day. In and massively insecure. I knew I was losing her and really want- the beginning I had no intentions of becoming an actor. I saw ed to do something special with my life. In the past I’d shrugged studying the craft as a kind of therapy, a way to challenge the off any suggestion of modeling, perhaps due to insecurity, but in ego and unlock a truer self. It’s weird, I now feel more myself that moment the possibility out weighed the thought of rejection. on stage or in front of a camera than I do in my real life. Acting teaches you trust your instincts and not question your reaction MANOFMETROPOLIS.COM

or emotion in response to a given set of circumstances and Words to live by? situation. You begin to find a tranquility in alignment, whereas in real life it’s expected that you stuff that shit down, bottle it and “Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disapburry it deep inside, especially for men I feel. pointed.” - Alexander Pope For someone that suffers from anxiety it’s been a challenging journey but an amazing one which has helped me to overcome a lot of issues. I finally received my green card last year so I’m making a start on more acting work in the US. I just shot an episode of Elementary with Lucy Lu and Johnny Lee Miller which was a great learning experience working with pro’s. Along with a slew of independent films and a couple of plays, so let's see where this one takes me.

We know, life is not all about 6-packs and fashion shows, where do you draw inspiration from and how do you find ways to reenergize yourself?

It’s not?? Well that’s soul destroying, what could possibly be left! Kidding of course. I draw inspiration from anywhere and everything but mostly I’m fascinated by people who seem immune to caring what other people think. They live their lives free of the constraints of expectation and their life choices aren’t dictated by the judgement of others. It’s a super power we all have the potential to unlock. Life to me seems to be all about growing up quick, becoming an “adult”, fitting with the mould. All I’ve ever wanted is to get back to being a kid, free from expectation and conformity. I’ve done some pretty extreme things to tap into this including Ayahuasca ceremonies and other ceremonious medicines of that nature. I practice meditation and read a lot of books on the subject of spiritual awareness. I’m beginning to notice a pattern with everything I do, all of which, in some way, seems to be an effort to un-tap some deeper truth.

We have seen a lot of cross over talent from fitness or sport into movies, or rather modeling to movies like "the Rock" or Ashton Kutcher. Is there a blueprint or someone out there you admire, maybe an entrepreneur or actor you see yourself following their pathway from when you started all this at 14?

I find inspiration in a lot of the people I encounter, whether it be a writer, actor, singer, fighter, mother, doctor, lawyer. There is no one way to achieve your hearts desire, no blueprint. I’d say avoid the beaten path and find your own way, guided by a trust in your instincts. We’re all expected to live a certain way, be a certain person but n truth, in an ever evolving civilization we are just making up as we go a long. If you can free yourself from the shackles of this reality there in lies the path to true happiness. I believe once you detach from being driven solely by outcome and instead realize the journey is all that matters, everything you do in life is a win. If you can get to that space, you can get anywhere.alitem ent.

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Everlast Boxing Gloves Shadox Box Tank

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