i-stylis: July 2012

It was fun watching the photo shoot with Nacho Figueras for Lifestyle Mirror and even more fun seeing which shots made the final cut. It also never occurred to me that photographer Candy Kennedy (that's her photo above) would shoot him in black and white. It was a grey day in the Hamptons so it worked well with the moody sky.

When ever anyone mentions Nacho Figueras, they always talk about how hot he is but after you meet him, it's clear that he is much more than a pretty face. First, he came to the shoot alone. He didn't arrive with an entourage and doesn't even have a publicist. Which is funny since he is the unofficial publicist for the sport of polo. He greeted everyone first and couldn't have been more polite. When he was walking out to the barn with a few of us, he held the door like a gentleman. He wasn't afraid to speak up though when he thought a certain shot wasn't appropriate for a husband and father of three. He also cracked jokes about it to lighten the mood.

Everyone on the shoot agreed that it was amazing to watch him ride a horse with one hand. Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras grew up riding horse in his native Argentina since he was eight years old so it's no wonder that it looks so easy for him. It was photographer Bruce Weber who started his modeling career and eventual work with Ralph Lauren. Polo is an expensive sport and the modeling work helps pay for the numerous ponies that he uses in each match. Horse can gallop up to 45 mph and run two miles in a chukker so it's necessary to switch them to rest. I also learned that the horses manes are braided down so it doesn't get caught in the polo mallet. They will only spend two months in Bridgehampton before following the polo circuit to the next destination.

Nacho not only brings attention to the sport of polo but also gives back. He is very involved with Work to Ride, a non-profit organization that offers horse riding and even polo to disadvantaged youths. There is a lot of grooming and responsibility that comes with riding a horse and as I mentioned earlier, relaxation, that keeps them on the straight and narrow path.

The shoot had to end by 6:30pm so Nacho could ride his horses. He didn't just leave though. He made sure he thanked everyone on the shoot. His impeccable manners and immense talent are what I will remember from the Lifestyle Mirror shoot and what I will tell people the next time they only talk about his looks.