From the CSSHL to the world of male modelling

If you were to ask 20-year-old David Laurin what he would be doing following his Canadian Sport School Hockey League career, he may have answered pursuing an academic scholarship, playing in the Western Hockey League or working at the bank. You’d be surprised to learn that he’s taken a completely different path and entertaining the exciting world of international male modelling.

“It’s kind of funny for me to say still because I’ve only been doing it for the past 10 months, but I am a male model,” Laurin explains. “I do everything from runway modelling to magazine editorials to e-commerce for company websites. I have gotten a pretty good grasp of the industry and I’ve been having a blast while doing it!”

The Langley-native spent two years attending the Yale Hockey Academy. He was drafted by the Kelowna Rockets in the 10th round, 205th overall, during the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft. Laurin was a driving force and a consistent point producer during the 2014-15 season where he was a contributing factor to the Yale Elite 15 team capturing their second consecutive CSSHL Elite 15 Division Championship.

“My experience in the CSSHL was great. I loved being a part of the team at Yale. It was the second year of the program when I started. We had big shoes to fill because the older group won the championship the very first year. We had a lot on our backs, but it was great having the whole team work as a unit to achieve the same goal.”

Laurin said he loved going to a Hockey Canada Accredited School because he could play hockey and still focus on his education.

“Combining school and hockey was an incredible experience but it was so important that academics came first. It paved the path to keep my grades up if I wanted to continue to play the sport.”

The summer Laurin graduated from the Yale Hockey Academy, he underwent shoulder surgery and took a year off. He was working at Coast Capital Savings in Vancouver when he was scouted.

One evening after work, Laurin headed to Celebrities Nightclub to meet his girlfriend. Not even five minutes after arriving, a man and a female who said they worked for the Vancouver branch of League International Model Management, a prominent agency in the modelling industry, approached him. The man asked Laurin if he’d ever considered modelling.

Laurin jokes, “I thought he was kidding at first! Anyway, I gave him my number, and I woke up the next morning with a text with a link to the agency’s webpage. The man wanted to take my dad and me for coffee and chat. It turns out he was an agent. One thing led to another and everything spiralled pretty quick from there.”

Since February 2019, Laurin has been to six countries. He worked in Europe for three months in London, Milan and Paris and also spent time in New York. He recently wrapped up an e-commerce campaign in Montreal where he was shooting a product line for a website. Next Laurin plans to head back out to Milan for campaign season where he will meet the different brands and shoot for various billboards, advertisements and social media. During June and July, it picks up for the summer shows where he will do runway modelling for fashion week.
Laurin explains that modelling usually has a short lifespan, approximately three to four years, so he’s taking full advantage of this unique opportunity while he can.

“I’m fortunate that my parents are so supportive. My dad says when that I’m young, so I need to run with it,” Laurin gushes.

When Laurin’s modelling career wraps up, he plans on being an investment advisor.

“I want to make as much money as I can, have as much fun as I can and see as much of the world as I can. Also, when I meet people from all over the world, I let them know when I’m done, I want to be an investment advisor. I enjoy networking because you never know who a future client might be!”

Laurin said he was thankful for his time in the CSSHL and that he’s taken a lot of what he learned on and off the ice into his modelling career now.

“Collaboration is so important. You have to collaborate and work together as a team when you’re playing hockey similarly to when your modelling. You need your team of professionals to help make your photo shoot or runway a success. You need your team to help you achieve individual success. I learned to be vocal and honest if there is an issue, always be down to earth and respect everyone for who they are.”

As most hard-working student-athletes know, going to school while playing hockey is not just a walk in the park. Laurin says it’s important not to give up when things get difficult.

“It’s not always going to be easy. You will face diversity. Keep your head up and put everything else behind you. Don’t be afraid to take risks, nothing is set in stone, it’s never too late to change your path. You don’t have to follow the normal path and do what people think you should. No one at Yale would have seen me being a male model. Roll with it and if you see an opportunity, take it.”