Super Bowl mania may have swept over most of New York yesterday, but for hundreds of models dashing around the city for castings, the only thing on their minds was the “Super Bowl” of the modeling industry: New York Fashion Week, which is charging toward all of us full-speed ahead. However, that didn’t stop casting director Andrew Weir of ACW Worldwide from being graciously accommodating to the die-hard sports model fans who showed up at his massive casting call on Sunday. “We scheduled for the boys to come early because we know they all wanted to watch the game,” he said at the Library at the Hudson Hotel, where Andrew held the call for shows including Lacoste, Y-3, Zac Posen, Rebecca Taylor, and G-Star.
“We hold this casting each season because it will give us an idea of who is out there,” says Andrew. “We want to see everyone so that it lets us do our jobs for the next six months.” With so many fresh faces flowing into the city, Andrew is determined to not only see the cream of the crop, but always enthusiastic about seeing the new, fresh discoveries. “There are so many scouts looking everywhere now around the globe, exploring territories where there aren’t even trains to find some of these new girls.”
Over 500 boys and girls from every major agency turned out and walked for Andrew, hailing from all corners of the world: Australia, Russia, Poland, Canada, China, Brazil, and Americans from California, Florida, Kansas, and Texas. A model from Kansas commented, “I’ve only been signed by Major for a few weeks, so this is my first time to New York.” When Andrew saw her he said to his team, “Oh! This was the gorgeous girl they e-mailed us about on Friday!”
Top female runway stars like Ali Stephens, Tao Okamoto, Lindsay Ellingson, Liu Wen, Siri Tollerød, Lisanne De Jong, and more showed up. Arlenis Sosa stopped by with male model beau Rene Rodriguez in tow, and canoodled while Andrew chatted with them, who laughed and shouted, “I don’t need to see this one walk—she’s already a star!”
“I just got back from Paris shooting an editorial,” said Arlenis. “It’s top secret, and it’s going to blow everyone away!” Marilyn newbie R’el Dade, who had a stellar first season for Fall, squealed to us, “One of my favorite shows I got to walk in last season was Y-3 (which Andrew casted). I hope I get to do it again. I also can’t wait to go to Paris!” Seasoned pro Ali Stephens was one of the lucky few who got to bypass the weaving line and divulged how she decompresses. “I try to go back home to Utah once a month and literally do nothing and see my family and friends.” Tasha Tilberg, with shorn hair and cool nose ring intact, decided it was time for her to return to the runway after a hiatus. After living in L.A. for a while, she wanted to be bicoastal because she missed New York. “It’s a much different business now than it was before. There are so many new girls. I know I am older and these girls are really young, but I wanted to do shows again because I miss the energy of the city.” Read the rest of this entry »
