The Strange Celebrities: An Inawordfab Exclusive! Up Close and Personal with Supermodel Miguel Perdomo

He remembers it like it was yesterday. The day he earned that dangerously sexy cut in his right eyebrow, the cut that is now his trademark. His mom was washing dishes and a young Miguel Perdomo made the mistake of ignoring her numerous requests. "No!" he said, over and over. He was much too busy playing with his toy cars to stop and pay attention to her. Mommy quickly fixed that. After about the fifth time she had to call his name, she got him good, right upside his head, with a microwave plate. He definitely learned the lesson. "I listen to women," he says.

Sitting in the lobby of the Sofitel Times Square on a humid August evening, your girl Elle is listening intently as Sean John model Miguel Perdomo spills on everything from his upbringing to his career as a sought after model, which is headed full-tilt to superstardom. "I'm just loving life right now," he says, reflecting on a career that has served him well. Lucrative contracts, glamorous editorials, shows during Fashion Week, red carpets and flights overseas have become the norm. And it's just the beginning for the 26-year-old of Dominican descent. "I want to be sitcom actor. I want to be on TV for a long time and then transition into movies. I'd like to do a soap opera, a Spanish one. I'm definitely going to do that."

So how exactly did a native son of Paterson, New Jersey, who grew up in a household of 18 people sharing a 4 bedroom apartment, land on the path to becoming the next Boris Kodjoe? We can thank fellow Paterson native Chris Collins, who currently models for Ralph Lauren as a new version of Tyson Beckford, who kept telling him to try it out. He finally agreed to do a show for Phat Farm back in 1999. "When I saw how much I got paid, I was like, 'This is where I need to be.'"

Then came the work. Miguel began to study magazines like GQ, Cargo and Details monthly, to learn the art of posing, a practice he continues to this day. "I have to take his pose, and make it natural for me," he says. His advice to up and coming models is the same. "Look at fashion mags, do your homework, figure out which clothing line you're trying to link up with, what poses to do. Keep an eye on one of top models and see how they do it, and you'll learn." And Miguel is definitely one to watch.

Since setting out, he's worked with Azzure Denim, Bleu Magazine, Calvin Klein Underwear, and COOGI Jeans. But Sean John is definitely his bread and butter. After being personally presented to Mr. Combs himself, Miguel landed an editorial contract that continues to be mutually beneficial. "Other lines always approach us, but the more loyal you are, the more loyal they are to you. When I got [to Sean John] they showed me a lot of love, and still to this day, it's like I'm brand new. I would never leave that company. The day they choose to run with another model, that's fine with me. We've got to part ways sometime. But in the meantime, I love it." The only thing that Puff asks of him now? "Don't get in trouble."

That's not likely to happen. A peacekeeper by nature, Miguel relishes the role of caretaker of his family and enjoys time spent back home in the Dominican Republic, reconnecting with family members and mountain hiking. "The mountains over there are crazy. It takes 5 or 6 hours to get to the peak. Once you get to the top and look out at the country, the view is amazing."

But of course, life in his industry can be just as enjoyable. A lot of time is spent at the hottest parties in NYC, shaking hands and kissing cheeks, as well as "bugging out and having a good time." His gorgeous face and body are offset by a totally approachable and laid-back vibe, so even the few who don't immediately recognize him are drawn to him like flies to honey.

A single Scorpio, he's much too nice and entertains everyone who approaches him, which can have its detriments. "Sometimes I have to say I have a girlfriend. You speak to a girl, and she just don't get it and you have to try and calm her down," he explains. I have witnessed this firsthand, people. Women and gay men lose their mind around him, and even straight men want to know just what makes him tick. Trust, he has a hard time blending in. But what kind of women get Miguel's attention? Hoodchicks? Professionals? Models? "I like a hoodchick. I like professional women. But I don't like models. I like thick women. I'm Spanish, all you see is thick women."

[Ding ding ding! Good answer! Ummm, did it just get hotter in here? Breathing in through the nose, and out through the mouth. And I'm back.]

Unfortunately, consistent VIP status often includes open bar and numerous little noshes that are not included in the "Miguel Perdomo Diet." What's that you ask? "A lot of grilled chicken, a lot of apples, a lot of water, a lot of oatmeal. I OD on oatmeal and tuna. If you eat a lot of oatmeal in the morning, it tightens up your stomach. It makes the walls hard when you're doing your abs," he says.

[And now I'm officially schvitzing. Quick, change the subject!]

Is there the same pressure on male models to stay as thin as the women? According to Mr. Miguel, no. "With women it's more extreme. They have to stay between a 1 and a 0. That's insane. I know a lot of girls that eat and throw up. That's another reason I don't like models. Anyday, I'd rather have a plus size woman, or plus size model, than a skinny runway model."

[Seriously, am I dreaming this? Girl, stop. Focus! I know, think of the gays!]

Finish this sentence: As a heterosexual male in the industry… "It's very hard. I think me and one other dude are the only guys. Everyone else is… It is what it is, it doesn't bother me at all. If you're coming into this business, you should already know that," says Miguel. After all, fashion and gay men go hand in hand, and fashion is his business.

As an industry insider, Miguel definitely enjoys clothes, from sneakers to suits and dressing up. Her currently counts G-Star as his favorite clothing line but also enjoys a little bit of Dolce & Gabbana, although he says the pieces can be a little snug for his liking. Even with money banked, he keeps it close to pocket. "H&M is my house. It's affordable. I'm not a guy to be flossing, that's not me." His favorite sneakers are Y-3's, Adidas' collaboration with Yohji Yamamoto, but he doesn't actually own a pair. At $350 a pop, he just can't justify the price. "When you really think about it, it's like come on now, there are people in the world starving. You got a pair of sneakers? For what?"

A self proclaimed lover of both music and fashion, Miguel's favorite artists include Jay-Z, Nas, and old school favorites like A Tribe Called Quest and Black Moon. What about during a romantic evening at home? "I listen to a lot of Robin Thicke, that's one of my favorite albums. Best of Sade. Miles Davis, I like a lot of jazz. Curtis Mayfield, Donnie Hathaway. And Ledisi, she's dope."

So what's next for Mr. Perdomo? Besides constant shoots and non-stop training for the upcoming New York Fashion Week, he's also using his background in graphic arts for a collection of graffic tees featuring his original designs. Apparently, hustlin' is his middle name.

One last question: Is Barack going to win? "Oh hell yeah. This is a movement in history. Finally."