Oakland, CA - "The first thing that popped into my head was Zoolander." That was the reaction of Rory Sutherland of the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis, after first hearing that he was going to be a model in the Fashion Edition of the Los Angeles Times Magazine West. The Fashion Edition will appear on newsstands in the Sunday, April 15 edition of the Los Angeles Times.

"I wasn't quite sure what to expect," the Australian noted. "The photo shoot was bigger than I thought it would be, and definitely professionally run. It was a daunting kind of process because I'm not used to that kind of exposure."

With the magazine having a one million copy circulation and a two million person readership, it will be very wide exposure. The Fashion Edition is put out quarterly by the Los Angeles Times Magazine West. This edition featured five pro athletes wearing clothes inspired by their sports.

"The shoot highlighted several high-end designers, including Dolce & Gabbana, as well as a number of Southern California Surf and Skate designers," said Elizabeth Khuri, Assistant Style Editor for Los Angeles Times Magazine West.

The outfits were a mix of every-day and eclectic. "It was cool to wear all these different clothes," Sutherland said, "though there were a couple of things that probably weren't what I would normally wear."

The photo shoot was done by renowned Los Angeles-based photographer Matthew Welch. In addition to his celebrity portraits, Welch may be best known for his commercial work, including the colorful and near-ubiquitous Apple iPod images that grace billboards and print ads around the world.

Sutherland became involved in the project after the Los Angeles Times Magazine West contacted Andy Lee, communications director at USA Cycling, looking for a Southern California-based pro cyclist to participate. Lee, in turn, contacted Health Net Presented by Maxxis, which suggested the Redlands-based rider for the shoot.

Sutherland said his first experience in the commercial photography world was a good one. "It's something you don't get to do very much in our sport," he said. "It was cool to see L.A. like that, and to see that side of the marketing business. It was just fun."

Look for the Fashion Edition of the Los Angeles Times Magazine West in the Los Angeles Times, this Sunday, April 15.