Aspiring Gainesville models and designers may get their big breaks at Gainesville Fashion Week’s model casting call on Saturday.
GFW director of social media Niko Pifferetti said Christine Harris, owner of Premiere Model Management, confirmed that her agency will be scouting for a fresh face at GFW.
Models from Premiere have been featured in high-fashion runway shows, including Versace.
The casting call, which will kick off GFW’s seventh season, will be held at GFW Headquarters, 2444 NE First Blvd., Suite 700.
The casting is open to designers from 10 a.m. to noon and to models from noon to 5 p.m.
Casting call applications for models and designers can be found on gainesvillefashionweek.com.
Pifferetti said they will be looking for models with pervasive personality — models whose styles show in their walks and poses.
Roberta Fiorito, GFW director of media relations, said this year’s theme is growth and emergence. The team is focused on expanding the public view of GFW, she said.
The theme is fitting as GFW has access to a larger audience this year. Jacksonville will not be hosting its fashion week this year, which opens up the North Central Florida market, Fiorito said.
Pifferetti and Fiorito said they have been scouting for models at UF on campus and around Gainesville and have reached out to design schools in search of emerging designers.
“We’ve cast the net wide looking for fresh talent,” Pifferetti said.
No modeling experience is necessary to attend the casting call. Pifferetti said for anyone who is apprehensive about walking in 6-inch heels, there will be runway walking clinics and coaching for models who are chosen for the show.
Veteran model Kirill Korytov, 26, was approached by GFW at one of its promotional events in late 2010. He had never modeled before but always thought about trying to get into the industry.
“They really gave me the push to get started,” Korytov said.
Since 2011, he has been in multiple GFW events and has appeared in print shoots and other fashion weeks around the state.
“I love the whole industry, but creative photo shoots and high fashion are the most fun for me,” he said.
Opposite of what people see on cutthroat reality shows, it’s a supportive environment, Korytov said.
“It’s a great group of people that I really enjoy working with,” Korytov said. “Everyone here is super nice and nonjudgmental.”
[A version of this story ran on page 7 on 1/30/2014 under the headline "Gainesville Fashion Week hosts casting call for new models"]
Gainesville Fashion Week model Tamima Mehrotra sits through hair and makeup before an early-season editorial photo shoot last month. Hair: Nicole Collazo. Makeup: Niko Pifferetti
