Last summer, Louis Philippe de Gagoue photographed a male model as he lay in a pile of trash wearing nothing but a red Speedo, a tin foil hat and some Post-it notes. It was a personal project, but the effect was similar to a cover he shot for Vogue Netherlands a season prior (except then the model wore Miu Miu): excessive and glamorous, yet without glossy pretension. In just a few years, de Gagoue has transitioned from model to stylist, from blogger to signed fashion photographer. What drives his success, he says, is what also allows him to stroll around Paris wearing a tuxedo jacket and a pair of rubber gloves: confidence.

You initially gained a following through your personal style, but you’ve now shot for major titles including several countries’ editions of Vogue. Are you enjoyi...