You’re probably already aware of Rick Genest, an iconic fashion figure and artist better known as Zombie Boy and Rico the Zombie. He was found lifeless near his home on August 1, 2018 at the age of 32.
Despite his fame, he felt more comfortable on the bangs of society and rejected traditional standards of beauty and success. So here’s Zombie Boy’s unspeakable truth! 🧐 🔥THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS🔥
1) Integral Skeleton Tattoo
Throughout his life, Rick Genest has overcome many obstacles. After being diagnosed with brain cancer as a teenager, this fashion icon dedicated his life to artistic expression. Her path to stardom was marked by a series of near-misses and good fortune. 🍀
Without knowing it, you may have already heard of him. In 2010, he was discovered by Lady Gaga’s stylist, Nicola Formichetti. He was even featured in the famous singer’s video for “Born This Way”! This exposure propelled him to international stardom overnight. 🌏 Zombie Boy was also the face of Jay-Z’s fashion brand, Rocawear. He landed a coveted campaign for L’Oréal and appeared alongside Keanu Reeves in 47 Ronin.
2) Cause of Zombie Boy’s Death
As of this writing, Rick Genest’s cause of death remains controversial. On Wednesday, August 1, 2018, he was found dead in Montreal, Canada, at the age of 32. It is known that he died after falling from the third-floor balcony of his girlfriend’s apartment, located in the Plateau-Mont-Royal district of Montreal. What’s not certain is whether the fall was accidental or intentional… 🤔
Initial reports spoke of an “apparent suicide”, prompting Lady Gaga (a former Genest collaborator) to tweet that she was “beyond devastated”. Gaga’s stylist Nicola Formichetti, who had used Genest as a model when he was creative director of Thierry Mugler, said he was “absolutely heartbroken” on the same social network. However, Rick’s family and his manager (Karim Leduc) rejected the idea of suicide.
Whatever the exact reason for Rick Genest’s death, Zombie Boy had already expressed the feeling that he wouldn’t live long in this world! ⚰️ In an interview for fashion magazine FIV, he was asked where he saw himself in 20 years’ time, and replied:
“Logic leads me to believe that I will have become worm food,” Rick Genest.
About five months before his death, controversial artist Marc Quinn had announced an ambitious project: a “3.5-metre bronze sculpture” depicting Zombie Boy. 😱 Today, this Rick Genest statue is real and can be admired at the entrance to the new Medicine Galleries at London’s Science Museum.
3) Between Tattoos and Cancer
A. Brain surgery 🧠
In his TEDx talk, Rick Genest revealed that he started losing consciousness as a teenager. He was then diagnosed with a brain tumor behind the optic nerve.
He had two options: surgery that would leave his face disfigured, or surgery that had only been successfully performed once in the world. Zombie Boy was destined to become a model. Without hesitation, he chose the risky surgery and survived. 👊 You might find it hard to believe, but according to the Daily Star, nearly 50% of his brain was removed!
B. Unique Tattoos
He said his operation made him realize how fragile life is and what kind of person he wanted to be. Shortly after his treatment, for his 16th birthday, the model received his first tattoo: the skull and crossbones of a pirate. ☠️
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He gradually added more tattoos until he met Frank Lewis, who helped him conceive the idea of a full body tattoo depicting a decomposing corpse. At the age of 21, Rick Genest had this skull tattooed on his face without the slightest apprehension. 💀 Psst: you can find all his tattoos on his Instagram account @zombieboyofficial!
“Everyone has their own concept of beauty” – “It’s not like I’m a real corpse. This is art. I’m a work in progress. I love being a freak. That’s my ambition,” Rick Genest.
4) Rick Genest’s nickname “Zombie Boy”
A. A Strict and Religious Family
As he mentioned in his TEDx talk, Genest admitted to always being an outcast. He grew up in a strict, religious family that didn’t allow him to participate in most school celebrations. 😕 He was even forbidden to carve pumpkins on Halloween, as his parents considered it a pagan ritual!
He found his place in the Gothic community during his high school years and eventually fell out with his father, prompting him to leave home. At the age of 17, he became a fugitive living in squats and on the streets of Montreal. 🇨🇦 It was then that he earned the nickname “Zombie” 🤩
B. An Atypical Nickname
Rick Genest revealed to the Evening Standard that his nickname was given to him by people on the streets because of his brain surgery. There’s also talk that it might have something to do with his taste in music.
He was officially dubbed “Zombie Boy” in 2008, when British magazine Bizarre discovered his photos on MySpace. The magazine subsequently contacted him for a photo shoot featuring his atypical appearance. According to the New York Times, the magazine printed the nickname “Zombie Boy” alongside the photos, and this followed him throughout his career.
5) Homeless life for the Model
Even after achieving fame, Rick Genest chose to maintain his nomadic lifestyle. In an interview, the star admitted to living out of a backpack, working various odd jobs and meeting interesting people…
He lived like a pirate or one of the lost boys from the Peter Pan story, which influenced him. He spoke to the Evening Standard about his five years on the streets, avoiding the authorities and enjoying the Montreal punk scene! 🤘
“It was great. We lived on the streets, slept on rooftops, hitchhiked from town to town, from party to party, he said. “We were young and we lived from day to day.”
To make a living, Genest had some unusual jobs! He traded cars for money and even took part in a traveling “blasphemous carnival”. As part of this performance, he had to lie on a bed of nails.
6) Complicated Entry into Fashion
A. Heavy fines
Rick Genest’s path to fame has been improbable. Without Lady Gaga’s stylist Nicola Formichetti, Zombie Boy might never have left Montreal. In fact, he apparently would have had trouble getting a passport due to the accumulation of hefty fines for sleeping on the streets when he was homeless. 💵
B. Getting off the Street
In an interview with Hint, Formichetti admitted to having long been a Genest fan. He discovered an image of the model on Google, then stumbled across it on Facebook. He then realized that her tattoos weren’t just make-up. As artistic director of French fashion house Mugler, Formichetti wanted Genest to be part of his first men’s collection. He paid Genest’s hefty fines to take him to Paris 🇫🇷 for the show.
After long and emotional discussions, Formichetti found Genest’s look and story very inspiring. He decided to transform his collection to reflect the model’s dark aesthetic.
7) Rick vs American Horror Story
Facing a massive and expensive lawsuit is probably one of the scariest things for the creators of the “American Horror Story” series. Unfortunately, it happened: actor Evan Peters’ makeup bore a striking resemblance to Genest’s copyrighted tattoos. Even casual fans of “American Horror Story” probably remember Evan Peters’ striking appearance in season 1 🔎
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox struck a deal with Genest to avoid legal action over his appearance, which would have cost the network hundreds of thousands of dollars for copyright infringement! 💰 The two parties reached an undisclosed agreement in October 2012.
8) An Atypical Appearance for Transport 🚌
Although Genest was a friend of Lady Gaga and attracted the attention of Vogue, he often faced negative reactions in public due to his disfigured appearance. Using public transport was particularly difficult for him.
“Not all cabs stop for me, even if their lights are on. Sometimes it’s hard to find a ride, said Genest. “I don’t use public transport because everyone looks at me and stares at my tattoos, he added.
Despite this, Genest said he only regretted one tattoo (though he didn’t specify which one). 🤔 After all, his polarizing appearance was the key to his success. He even planned to make more body modifications to enhance his macabre appearance! The model expressed a wish to have reptile-like teeth and green eye tattoos.
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