Danny Fuller is known for catching walloping waves and carving through the most precarious barrels. His sun-streaked tousled hair and surfer vernacular screams beach bum. This professional surfer from Hanalei, Kauai might seemingly clash with the elegance and polish that embodies Chanel, but, the brand’s proven with its latest fragrance campaign that it too can be adventurous and earthy. We caught up with the new face of Chanel on Thursday night at the launch party for the Allure Homme Sport Eau EXTRÊME fragrance. Amid a tiki bar and coconut cocktails, Danny told us all about how to get his surfer boy look year round, his dabbling in arts and photography, and what makes Chanel’s new cologne so extreme.

BeautyStat: First of all, tell me how you first got involved with Chanel.

Danny Fuller: Well, there’s always a photo of inspiration that brands send around, and actually the photo that they were sending around for this big Chanel fragrance campaign was a photo of me. And one of the casting directors that I knew had noted
this and told them, ‘You know, this guy’s actually alive and he looks just like this, and maybe you should choose him.’

BeautyStat: So, they were specifically looking for a surfer?

DF: Not necessarily specifically, but I think that they may have thought this photograph was maybe from twenty years ago or something. So I called my agency about it, because I only do very specific things in modeling. I’ve been involved with modeling for the past 10 years. But I’m more about being very active as a professional surfer and still am. That is my number one thing. And I’m very selective of what I can actually do because it’s a fine balance of being available or not. And modeling is more for the right things, and this couldn’t have been better.

Christiana and Fuller

BeautyStat: Had you ever worn anything Chanel before?

DF: I had actually never worn anything Chanel, but I’ve always been fascinated with the brand just because of their history and what they’ve done. Since I’ve been in New York for 10 years, I’m obviously very familiar with the brand. And Chanel No. 5 is actually my grandma’s favorite fragrance. As soon as I got the contract she was like, ‘Oh, can you get me some Chanel No. 5?’

BeautyStat: Why do you like this new Allure Sport EXTRÊME fragrance to begin with? Why do you think you make a good fit for it?

DF: Well, actually for me it’s very refreshing. It actually has hints of mint and mandarin — this raw scent of citrus and herbs in it. It is something that is very uplifting and energizing at the same time. So, for me, just anything that can have that refreshing, energizing appeal to it is really nice.

BeautyStat: What do you think makes this fragrance particularly “extreme”?

DF: I think an extreme male would wear this fragrance because there’s something familiar about it since it embodies all these natural scents, and that’s ideally who your 21st century modern man is. It’s very close with Mother Nature. It’s going back to the basics and keeping it raw and organic, and very fresh and appealing at the same time. Right now we’re so far ahead of ourselves. We might have to start looking back to the past for inspiration in the present.

BeautyStat: Tell me a little more about your beauty routine besides fragrance. Is there anything in terms of skin care or hair care that you use?

DF: Skin care? I use whatever my fiancé gives me supermodel, natch>. And she actually takes very good care of me. But actually, since I’ve been with the campaign, I’ve used their UV Essential Multi-Protection Daily UV Care SPF 50 ($52.00) and it has surprisingly given me unbelievable results, especially with my exposure to the sun. I’m actually hiding from the sun at times because I have so much exposure to it. So I’ve had very good results of that taking care of my skin and relieving me of my sunburn.

BeautyStat: What kind of sunscreen do you use besides Chanel?

DF: In the past I’ve used Shiseido products. I’ve had very good results with that. And I didn’t even know that Chanel had this UV Essential Multi-Protection Daily UV Care SPF 50, but I’ve had amazing results with that as well. It’s not a heavy oil-based product — and I love it.

BeautyStat: So, is there anything that you use product-wise to complete your beach bum look?

DF: The only time that I do anything to complete it is when I’m in New York City and I’m deprived of the ocean. When I wash my hair here it goes completely flat, so I use that little Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray ($24.00) stuff that I steal from my fiance. Or Kiehl’s Silk Groom Serum ($18.00) is nice when I like to get the dreads out of my hair.

BeautyStat: What do you do outside of surfing and fashion? What are your interests otherwise?

DF: I love creating art and photography. www.danielfullerphotography.com> It’s something that I’ve been so fortunate to do through surfing and fashion, that I’ve been exposed to so many different artists. And they’ve been almost like personal professors in a sense. I’m very passionate about art and photography. And my next stage is I’m actually presenting a few paintings. Right now there’s no set in stone time or date or where or when, but I’m at a point where I’m focusing on creating this diverse body of work for this exhibition. I’m going into a gallery. And I’m at this point where I’ve had several shows here in New York and L.A. — it’s just really about focusing on the work right now.

BeautyStat: You’re only thirty, but you’ve already accomplished so much in your life in terms of surfing, modeling, and even art. What has been the peak of your career so far?

DF: Really, everything that I’ve achieved in and succeeded in is something that I’ve always had goals of doing surfing-wise. And fashion was something that never really was necessarily a goal in life. It’s something that’s actually a great opportunity and I feel very blessed to have this opportunity. But surfing is something I’ve strived to do my entire life. I surf big waves for a living and there are a few more goals out there that I’d really like to achieve, primarily like… you know… I’d love to win the Billabong Pipeline Masters, which is the most prestigious big-wave surfing competition and is my forte. I’ve been so fortunate with the life I’ve been served and the exposure to different cultures in life out there. It’s all about just trying to be thankful for what you got because we’re still breathing.

– Christiana Molina

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