Photo by Robert Fairer, courtesy of John Pfeiffer
For Modelinia, some of the joys of Fashion Week are spotting new faces and getting to know more about the models we already love. Modelinia chatted with casting director John Pfeiffer about his busy days and the new girls on the scene.
What does Fashion Week mean to you?
There is an early fall chill in the air and it most definitely feels like “back to school” time. I have seen several hundred girls over the last few days; many that I already know and many more new and first timers. There is great energy in the rooms that I have been holding these castings in, and I’ve been seeing a lot of camaraderie and exchanging of summer stories between the girls. It’s fun and exciting, everyone is fresh and enthusiastic and optimistic (myself included) and staying in the moment—not looking six weeks down the road to when we might all be feeling rundown and a little worse for the wear.
What traits draw you to a new girl? How important is it for new models to book your shows?
Obviously there is something very physical and visual that draws me to a model, as hard as that may be to define. In fact, there are too many definitions and variations for that physical beauty to possibly start to list down—and more new ones learned and realized every day. Separate from that, there is the all-important “it” factor. I know it’s such a cliché, but it’s true and exists and is real. All the great ones have it right from the get-go. It’s most closely associated and connected with personality—something that makes them unforgettable and definitely transcends mere physical beauty.
Being seen on the runway is very important for most models’ careers. You are being seen by a lot of editors, stylists, and photographers every time you walk down the catwalk—it’s kind of like doing a hyper-efficient go-see with a few hundred people in one shot. I have a lot of really great clients that do really great shows—and I get to book a lot of great girls to walk their runways!
