Mar 24

Mar 24 PAPER MAGAZINE: Model Crush Monday: Meet Dashing British Model Brothers Peter, Roger and Joel Frampton

This article originally appeared in Paper Magazine on 09/21/15

(L-R): Peter, Roger and Joel Frampton. Scoll down for larger photos

This week's Model Crush Monday is a triple threat. Meet the brothers Frampton, all models (among other jobs and hobbies) and each more aquiline than the next. Sure, you could chalk it all up to genetics; four of the family's eight siblings make a living off of their dashing good looks, and those four sets of identical, Zeus-like jaw lines don't hurt, either. But beyond that, the brothers' drive for success is as striking as their washboard abs.

They spent their childhood on a farm in North Hampton before moving to London where, as teenagers, they each started getting into modeling, encouraging the others along. Now, they've got branding down to a science: Words like "Framptonian" and "the Frampton way" are casually slipped into conversation, and thanks to Roger's "Frampton Method" fitness routine, the brothers' muscle game ranges from long and lean to downright topographic.

They've also been bulking up their portfolios, as well. Between them they've racked up catwalk cred with runway work for Dolce & Gabbana, Lanvin, and Missoni, ad campaigns for Ralph Lauren and Antony Morato, and editorials in Esquire. And, this month, Roger can add "motivational speaker" to his CV: he'll be delivering a TED talk about exercise and training.

Masters at riffing off of one another at family dinners and photoshoots alike, their enthusiasm for their work, hobbies, and each other is as appealing as their bodies...of work. Now, someone please just get these guys a reality show already.

VITAL STATS:

PETER
Quick facts: 22, model and dancer.
Signature pose: Hands in pockets; neck craned forward; baby-face on fleek.

ROGER:
Quick facts: 31, model and runs his own fitness company.
Talent: Getting his bare abs into pretty much every shot he's in.

JOEL:
Quick facts: 36, model and entrepreneur.
Signature pose: The James Dean.

How did you each get started in modeling?

ROGER: I started modeling when I was nineteen, so it's been about twelve years now. I was scouted in a bar -- my older brother Freddie, who's not a model, had a bar in Chelsea and I was working there part-time.

PETER: A little before finding an agency, Roger started training with me, I got a little bigger, and then I started modeling about two years ago, so it all worked out really well. My brother Dave took me in to see some agencies, and SUPA ended up signing me on.

JOEL: I was nineteen when I started. I was going to college, and Dave, who's a year and a half older than me, had already started modeling. I noticed that he was going on all these trips abroad and having fun, and I wanted to get involved. He took me around to a number of agencies, and it was funny because apart from one agency, they were all interested in my brother; they kept asking "Hey, who's that guy with you? He's amazing." I finally did a test shoot and brought the pictures to Storm, and began modeling for four years. I had a twelve year break, and I only started modeling again last August with SUPA. Now my look has matured and I've moved into that commercial category. I'm definitely making much more money because I'm not just doing editorials and catwalk -- another area of the market has opened up.

t's pretty rare for any family to work so closely together, whether it's bartending, working out, or doing photoshoots together. What's it like to share a career with your brothers?

ROGER: It's great, we've always been really close as a family and we all worked at the bar together -- not Peter, he was a bit younger. It's not surprising [that we're all models] because we all share the same genetic look and that just landed on our laps so I can't really say that we worked for that, but it just fits what the modeling look is right now.

JOEL: It's incredible. Thanks mum, thanks dad! We've always been such a unit, so in that sense it's been really easy to go into that category of working together on a professional basis, as well. You can't help but feel super proud [of each other], even though sometimes you're up against the same job. I could be up for the same job as Roger and if I don't get the job the only person that I want to get the job is my brother. So I'll go to every casting and after I talk about myself, I'll talk about all of my brothers. For me, it's all about the Framptons; I will speak about us all 'til I'm blue in the face. By the end of the casting the client is like "Ok, can you leave now, you've spent twenty minutes here discussing your family, we get it, you've got brothers."

What's it like being on a shoot together?

JOEL: Sometimes a little bit manic. We're a jovial bunch, we like to wind each other up in a humorous way so it can be a bit out of control. I think maybe even the photographer and stylist feel a little bit over-awed by it -- what do you do with four brothers in a row who all want to have a bit of a laugh? I'm not saying we aren't taking it seriously, we also really understand the market.

Sounds like you guys need a TV show.

JOEL: I think we do. The other option is a band but unfortunately I'm the only one that can sing. I can play the guitar and piano, too; I'm the musical one in the family. The only way the band could work is if I go solo and three brothers behind me are miming.

How about tambourines?

JOEL: They could just take their tops off and stand behind me. Pete could do his shuffling dance, in the middle, Rog and Dave could just stand there, tops off, muscles out.

Besides in the imaginary band, what are your roles in the family?

ROGER: Pete is the baby of the family, everyone looks after him and takes care of him. He'll never be in trouble; seven people have his back. Girls would describe Peter as cute. He's definitely the sweet one, I'm the business-minded one. I'm always working, I'm up early.

PETER: I'm cute, I agree Roger. [Laughs] I'm going to say Roger is really responsible, he has everything in order, he always has a schedule. He's kind of like a dad, in a way. He taught me a lot, things you should learn from an older brother.

JOEL: I'm the different one. I've got long hair, edgy features. I'm the middle child, the one that shouts a lot and nobody notices. I'd quite happily say that I'm the loveable rogue. Roger is the active one, very focused on his body and health, calisthenics. He's also a business brain. Pete's a bit of a whiz kid -- give him a computer or a phone and he'll take it apart and put it back together. He's at the age where he's finding stuff out, that's why he can model, see the world a little bit, no rush as to getting into a career. It's something that he'll come to himself.

Describe your most awkward photoshoot experience.

PETER: It was for a casting, they were asking me to act like I had wings and run around with a girl, really happy. They took it ten times at least because I kept messing up. I thought it would just be like a regular casting, they'd take some pictures, ask how are you, blah, blah, blah. But, no. I didn't get the job; they didn't reply to me. It wasn't my thing anyway!

ROGER: I remember one of my first photoshoots, I had to shoot in the projects, in these big buildings in a dodgy neighborhood. It was an underwear shoot when I was 19. We pulled up in the bus and I was like "Really?" I remember all these kids shouting things like "Hey, sexy!" and I was like "If I can do this, I can do anything".

JOEL: I come with an open mind so I never get awkward moments; I'm so relaxed, any awkwardness will fizzle out quickly. I know this sounds big headed, but I don't do awkward.

Any vices -- junk food, pot, alcohol?

PETER: All of the above. I eat junk food, I smoke. I don't drink alcohol that much these days, compared to Roger.

ROGER: I probably have a couple of bottles of wine every weekend, and a few packs of donuts. I love donuts, I could eat like twelve in one go. I train six days of the week, after 5 o'clock like clockwork. Then Sunday: donuts, wine, chocolates, anything goes -- it's like a cheat day. Then I'll beat myself up for a couple days.

What do think of American accents?

JOEL: I love it, I think it's hilarious! I especially love deep Southern accents or a crisp New York accent.

ROGER: I think they're really cute! There's nothing wrong with a cheerleader or two. It's very...understandable. I like when I come over there and everyone thinks I'm from the Royal family, and they'll tell me I've got an accent. I'm like "No, no -- I don't have the accent." And then I pick up a little every time I'm in New York, I'm like "Eeeyy!" [Roger does a British Fonzie voice.]

You've all got some pretty major side projects going on. What do you want next in your careers?

PETER: I want to start traveling, because I haven't traveled much, modeling-wise. I would love to come to America, I've never been. I do a lot of dancing as well, to house music. It's called shuffling. I've been doing that for a year or so. There are a bunch of videos of me dancing on my Instagram. I would like to combine my dancing with my modeling in some crazy way.

ROGER: I started building up a specific style of training called the "Frampton Method" in 2011. It's basically a cross between gymnastics and yoga, just using your body weight, and I'm about to launch a YouTube channel about it. It started because I was trying to figure out what is the best size to be for men in the modeling industry, what size would get you the most work -- 38" chest, 32" waist -- so I became that size and used certain exercises and movements to stay that size. Peter used the same method and that's how we got our muscles.

JOEL: I'm still working on events. I scaled it back a little, but when I'm back in London, I want to grow that, I love that job. I want to continue modeling and traveling the world. I'd also like to think about some presenting. I've got a lot of ideas. I'm crazy about sports, so maybe I could interview sports stars, something unscripted, where you get an idea of the person's life. I'd go around to every soccer club and give the fans a grassroots feel for what goes on, but not in a stuffy way -- in a Frampton way, in a way that grabs people's attention...If someone takes this idea, I'm going to sue.

If you could do a sexy photoshoot with any model, male or female, who would it be?

ROGER: The Frampton brothers.. Obviously. [Laughs]

PETER: Anyone at all? Megan Fox.

JOEL: I think it would be pretty fantastic to shoot a Frampton story with an iconic supermodel in the middle. I'd most likely choose our very own Kate Moss.

Dating: Models only, or are you open to civilians, as well? Asking for a friend...

ROGER: [Laughs] My current girlfriend only.

PETER: Anyone -- I don't mind at all!

JOEL: I'm not open to dating either one, as I've an amazing girlfriend who I appreciate for her beauty and her brains.

What's the last book you read?

ROGER: Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker.

JOEL: I read a book called Baby Day. It's a cardboard pullout, I was reading it to my girlfriend's daughter. That would probably sum up how much I read books. Before that I read The Three Little Pigs.

PETER: Change Your Life in Seven Days by Paul McKenna

Does it work?

PETER: I haven't read all of it. I read a few of the days, though.