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Our friend Cheech has undergone something of a transformation in the last few years. During the short amount of time I spent with her two years ago, style ecstasy came in the form of rare kicks and an amazing t-shirt. But when she told me she’d started to get into pinup modelling, I wasn’t surprised because Miss Sanchez is an experienced art director, and what better canvas to ply with beauty than one’s own? After a year of devising photo shoots, Cheech ballsily entered Miss Pinup Victoria, coming home with first place in the Miss Illustrated category–and if I were her competition I’d be scared, since you’ll be going tattoo-to-tattoo against her in the national finals in March! You might know Cheech’s work from a few other places, our very own C.O.P. Magazine or the Girls Got Kicks Book for example. Along with furniture design, advertising and interior decoration, it’s only a fraction of what she’s working on (and good at). Like an exceptionally well-written television program, I’m constantly hanging to see what she’s got for us next. So I asked…
So, pinup modelling is a relatively new pursuit for you. Please tell us where and how it all began…
My involvement in pinup began about 12 months ago. As an avid sneaker collector, I was asked by Sneaker Freaker magazine to be part of Best of the Best 2010. This involved submitting a photo of myself along with a story about the shoes I chose as my best sneakers of 2010. Although I’m an art director and stylist and spend a lot of time making other people look good for the camera – the prospect of having my photo taken and published had me shaking in my Infrared Structures. It so happened that the shoes I chose, the HAL x Reebok GL6000s, had a slightly retro feel. And this gave me the opportunity to try something I’d wanted to do for a long time – a pinup-style photoshoot. I organized a shoot with Melbourne pinup photographer Helen McClean, and the rest as they say, is history.
What is the main appeal of pinup modelling for you?
Pin up offers women of all shapes, ages and sizes the chance to feel beautiful and confident without the restraints of what modern society and the media tells women they should look like.
You seem to have come in and changed the game a bit by using your previous advertising/art direction experience and applying it to the art of pin-up modelling/photography. Tell us what goes through your mind when planning a shoot and how you’ve been inspired for past shoots.
Planning shoots and outfits is a lot of fun. For years I’ve been planning, styling and directing shoots in a commerical, but planning a pinup shoot for myself is a whole different ball game! I specifically like cheesecake pin up (traditional 40s/50s style) and although I’ve done a few conceptual shoots, I’ll be concentrating specifically on cheesecake in the future. I take a lot of inspiration from the work of original pinup artists such as Gil Elvgren, old movies, golden Hollywood stars and pretty much anything else I come across – much the same way I do with all my other work.
Which photographers do you work with, and how have you inspired each other?
My favorite pinup photographer to work with so far has been Helen McClean. She is a wonderful director and has a great eye – not to mention a big help in getting me to relax in front of the camera (we laugh the whole way through!). Early next year I’m set to shoot with Vestige Photography (USA) with styling by one of my favorite pin up models, Lindy Sue Walters.
Which pin-up models do you admire most, and why? Any names we should be on the look out for?
I’m a huge fan of pinup model Lindy Sue Walters, as well as Shelby Loveland and Nikki Napalm. In terms of Australian models, I’m loving the Miss Pinup Australia girls – they are amazing. The recently crowned Miss Va Va Voom Pinup NSW 2011, Miss Lorry Loraine is a doll with hair to dye for (pardon the pun!) and Miss Va Va Voom Pinup VIC 2011 Miss Elsie Van Elke whose posing routines blew me away are standouts. I can’t wait to see these two beauties battle it out in the Miss Pinup Australia final in March!
Pin-up photography and modelling has a rather set look and style. How are you going to continue to push it in a way that is new and inventive?
I’m pretty determined that any pinup work I do in the future is going to remain true to the traditional cheesecake style. Being an illustrated pinup, I have a bit of room to make my work more extreme, but I prefer the classic look to modern styles of alternative modeling. In terms of inspiration, I’ll be digging deeper and looking for ideas that other people haven’t thought of yet!
Let’s talk about the competition: what was the vibe like at the Ferntree Gully Hotel during the finals of Miss Pin-Up Victoria?
The Miss Pinup VIC state final at Ferntree Gully hotel was quite an experience! For someone like myself who hadn’t gotten up on stage since my high school musical 17 or so years ago, the idea of getting up on stage in your underwear can be pretty overwhelming – but the VIC girls were so supportive of each other, it made for an amazing vibe backstage.
What are you being judged on in a competition like Miss Pin-Up Australia? How are their standards of beauty different from more mainstream modelling?
Personality is the number one factor, besides posing. You are judged across five categories: daywear, swimwear, underwear, evening wear and talent. You are required to do a themed series of about 15 poses for each category – and that’s where you can really let your personality shine through. Each pose needs to be held for 4 seconds – just like when you have your photo taken by a photographer! And the illustrated girls are judged on one extra thing – tattoos of course!
Is there a demand for girls who are talented at pin-up modeling?
Like any type of modeling, there’s always a demand if there is something to advertise!
What was the concept for your costumes, makeup and routine?
Sandy and Rizzo from Grease, Trader Vic’s tiki bars, the film South Pacific, Jane Russell and the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and strong woman Joan Rhodes all influenced my outfits and routines for the Victorian state finals.
How nerve-wracking was it? Or did you feel strangely at ease?
Having almost no stage experience, getting on stage was pretty nerve wracking! But there is a certain amount of excitement that goes along with it. The knowledge that there are another 30 or so ladies right there with you, feeling the same thing, with as much courage as you to get up there and do something they probably thought they couldn’t, really helps. And the feel-good-about-yourself rush afterwards is totally worth it, win or lose!
Is there much competition? How do the girls relate to each other?
Miss Pinup Australia has been the most inspiring and confidence boosting experience I’ve ever had. The whole process of entering, planning and preparing has been fantastic, and the friends I’ve made are, besides the confidence I’ve gained, are some of the most beautiful, smart, wonderful people I’ve ever met. There is competition of course, but we’re all very supportive of each other.
Is there a “type” that this kind of competition attracts?
It’s surprising just how many different women (and men!) entered in Miss Pinup Australia are! From younger girls just out of high school to Mums, BMX riding tomboys to women who live the ’50s lifestyle everyday. Miss Pinup Australia welcomes all women.
How do you find the hair did, nails did, make-up did aspect of pin-up modelling? Is it exhausting or exciting? Has it carried over into how you dress in real life?
I’ve always been the type of girl to get my nails and hair done, but not quite this extreme! My hair is like a wild mop, so I find that the most difficult to do myself and thankfully I’ve had a lot of help from my amazing hair stylist Christine Brown. It can take up to 3 hours to do my hair including hot rollers and victory rolls – which can definitely be exhausting. Makeup I can do myself to a certain extent, but it’s never quite as good as the professional makeup artists do – but I’m learning. It carries over into my real life sometimes, but I love the transformation that takes place when I get the works done.
Do you feel like a different person when you’re in all that gear–does it bring out a kind of alter-ego?
My alter ego, Cheech Sanchez, wears quite a few hats, from sneakerhead to pinup, and there is a certain amount of creative license that Cheech Sanchez allows me to have. Cheech is the hype-version of myself.
Photography: Helen McClean http://www.helenmclean.com.au
Concept, Hair & Makeup: Cheech Sanchez http://www.cheechsanchez.com
Cheech Sanchez is the current Miss Illustrated Pinup Victoria 2011, and will be competing in the Miss Pinup Australia Grand Final in March 2012.
Miss Pinup Australia Website
Cheech Sanchez Website
Very cool pictures and love the empowerment that seems to come with the pin up style.
GO CHEECHY! Its your year baby! xox