Lake City High grad becomes international male model

Phil Blank woke up early Monday morning, ate a semi-healthy breakfast and left his New York City apartment for an obligatory gym session.

Most 18-year-old men are inherently tight-bodied, but Blank is an atypical case. The former Lake City High School wide receiver has to maintain a physique worthy of casting calls from Gotham clothing lines, magazines and fashion shows. He gets about 20 a week.

When the blue eyes above Blank's high cheekbones aren't locked on to a camera lens, though, they're taking in the city's ample amenities.

"After work you have the freedom to do whatever you want," said Blank, a male model for Wilhelmina, a world-renowned talent agency. "You can skateboard, play basketball, visit Times Square, the Empire State Building. You name it."

Sharing a $13,000-per-month apartment with a group of other male models was something the lifelong Coeur d'Alene resident never fathomed a few months ago when planning to attend Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston while playing for the area's club football team.

A trip to Target in Hayden threw a wrench in those plans.

While browsing the retail chain last spring, Blank was taken aback when a man approached him to comment on his appearance.

"The dude came literally came across the store, and it kind of weirded me out," Blank said. "He ended up being a scout from MUSE Models in Portland, and he gave me his card. He said I had the potential to be an international supermodel."

The man was Dustin Dyck, a modeling scout of 26 years who stopped at Target for towels while taking his family on a family vacation to Silverwood.

Blank and his mother followed up with Dyck and later met him at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane. Once they realized the legitimacy of the operation, Blank altered his plans and signed a three-year contract with MUSE of Portland.

"He just had a really, really unique face." said Dyck, who noted Blank bypassed modeling in the Northwest. "When I see a face like that, I have to talk to him or her. He had a really wide-set eye, strong bone structure in his face, the right height. I knew immediately he was an international model."

The day after receiving his high school diploma, Blank was on a plane to New York City, where he would be signed by the NYC and London branches of Wilhelmina, a full-service representation and management agency for models, entertainers, artists, musicians, and athletes. He is also signed with Milan, Italy-based WhyNot modeling.

Since then, he has appeared in two editorial publications — Gay Letter and Risbel Magazine — and in fashion show presentations. Blank even appeared in one of the world's most prominent fashion shows, Botega Veneta, in Milan on an all-expense paid trip.

Blank said, pay-wise, editorial publications are on the low end and fragrance campaigns pay the most. Not even four months in the business, he hopes to land the latter in the near future.

"A lot of it is being lucky," Blank said. "I have been told I have the most unique look. I am kinda weirded out by that, but I know it also helps me."

Not as weirded out as his father, Lake City High School teacher and former longtime assistant football coach Russ Blank, was when he initially heard about the prospect of his youngest son becoming a model.

Considering how their son was initially approached at Target, Russ Blank, and his wife — Phil's mom, fellow LCHS teacher Shelly Blank — were very skeptical of the situation.

"Those things just don't happen," Russ said.

After seeing Phil's initial success, Dad sings a different tone.

"I had never looked at a fashion show page in my entire life, and now I am," Russ said with a laugh. "It's just pretty ironic, you know? He is having a pretty good time. But it's tough. It's tough to get a job and make money, but for the first three months in it he is doing pretty well."

Dyck believes his client has immense potential.

"He's working for arguably the best modeling agency in the world," Dyck said. " We just really see an exciting fashion career in his future."

Socially, Phil Blank has made a seamless transition from small-town Idaho to making friends from various backgrounds. He was initially daunted by NYC's metro system, but soon caught on.

He often tries to convey the beauty of Coeur d'Alene to his new group of friends who he says know Idaho solely for its potatoes. It has inspired him to not only use the modeling opportunity as a springboard into other ventures — namely acting and music — but to raise more awareness about his hometown.

"Coeur d'Alene is actually one of the most beautiful places I've ever been," Blank said. “I want to give back to Coeur d'Alene. It is pretty special to me as a person."