Just Us Two: Chris Colls & Alexandra Agoston

You could say that Chris Colls and Alexandra Agoston have come a long way. This is simply because the photographer and the top model both come from Australia. Colls first picked up a camera when he was 16, today he photographs for major clients such as Moncler, and we won't count the number of covers he has shot for "Vogue", there have simply been a lot of them. Alexandra Agoston, on the other hand, comes from Sydney and was on holiday with her parents in Paris, where she was discovered by a model scout. An impressive modelling career followed, and she was also considered Jean Paul Gaultier's muse. We caught the two of them together not in their sensational loft in New York, but in Paris - but read for yourself.

Mister Colls, Miss Agoston, where are we catching you right now?

Chris Colls: Paris! We have a shoot here for Saint Laurent.
Alexandra Agoston: We're also finalising our book, for which we photographed together.

Could you say a few words about yourself, Mr Colls?
Colls: I was born on a farm in Australia and became interested in photography very early on. I really couldn't think about anything else, and that has hardly changed to this day.

Did you also have role models?

Colls: As I said, I was still very young when I discovered my passion for photography, a teenager. I then discovered works by Richard Avedon, Edward Weston and Helmut Newton and was very impressed by these great talents.

Well, there are people who criticise the fact that everyone is now a photographer thanks to the spread of social media. Don't you see that as a curse?

Colls: No, I wouldn't say that, especially as, on the other hand, it has given many talented artists the opportunity to be recognised at all. In this respect, I think it's a positive development.

How would you describe your style?

Colls: Perhaps as intimate and minimalist.

Do you want to convey something to the viewer with your work or is art in the eye of the beholder?

Colls: I would answer the question by just saying what is very important to me and what you might see in my photos: I love real intimacy and strength.

What drives you?

Colls: Creativity! I'm really obsessed with it, it just gives me the biggest buzz.
Agoston: I'm very inspired by nature and the human form and am currently working on a series of abstract paintings and drawings. Expressing myself creatively is something that fills my life with meaning. And this connection between creativity and meaning is something I want to share with the people I love.

Now creativity is also monetised, which means it's often about business, it's very rational. How do you deal with that?

Colls: Oh, I'm actually quite relaxed about it and see it as a challenge. Incidentally, you shouldn't think that this rationality only applies to advertising photography, it's the same with stories that you photograph for magazines. But as I said, I have no problems with that, on the contrary.

What is important to you in your work?

Colls: I think the most important thing is not to see it as a job, but rather as a privilege to be able to work freely and be creative. A certain lightness is also part of working, but I would always emphasise that something great can come out of difficult situations. That's not just the case at work, it can also be transferred to our private lives.

How does your professional view as a photographer or model shape your aesthetic perception?

Agoston: Working as a model makes you very aware of two things: firstly, your own physicality in front of the camera and secondly, the energy of the space you're in. You have to work instinctively, constantly adapting to your surroundings, interpreting the concept of the shoot and the mood of the team you're working with. I feel very lucky to be able to work with so many incredible artists. And of course, my personal aesthetic is very much inspired by my career in the fashion industry. I worked with the designer Rei Kawakubo from Comme des Garçon right at the beginning, with John Galliano, who was at Dior at the time, and with Jean Paul Gaultier. Of course, it is an incredible privilege to be able to work with such people and to experience these talents during the design process. It was also their unwavering dedication to their vision that shaped my understanding of creativity.
Colls: I am someone who is always looking for something unknown and really looking at everything. I believe that my aesthetic perception, if you want to call it that, is constantly evolving.

How is this concept of aesthetics, or this perception, reflected in both of your private lives?

Agoston: I think we both have a strong sense of what we see creatively. We are inspired by each other's views and work, and our personal lives feel like a more intimate extension of that world.

How would you describe style and class?

Agoston: Style and class are first and foremost about having a strong sense of self, about being an independent spirit. In fashion terms, I would answer the question by saying that you have a small collection of perfect essentials hanging in your wardrobe that you wear again and again.

... and your personal style?
Colls: I would use the keywords simplicity and understatement.
Agoston: Well, it's a mixture of places I've lived: It's the streets of New York, it's a classic French ease, plus a relaxed Australian style. I also love wearing men's clothes. And once I find something that feels right and fits really well, I keep it forever.

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→ Read the full interview with Chris Colls & Alexandra Agoston exclusively in rampstyle #26!

→ Inspiration, innovations and timelessly beautiful design can be found in our digital design special for Milan Design Week 2026.