There are fashion shows and then there are Fashion Shows. If we’re talking about New York Fashion Week shows, which are wrapping up on Thursday, then there are FASHION SHOWS too.

Karoline Kurkova

You are unlikely to walk out of your house in Middle America, into the local modeling agency, and onto a runway in New York Fashion Week a month later (though I’m sure it has happened once or twice!). You may, however, walk into your agency in Kansas City or Denver, and then onto the catwalk in a department store the following week. From there, if your career blossoms and you hit a bigger market, you may work your way into a less competitive Fashion Week—like Miami’s, or if you’re in Europe, Dusseldorf‘s rather than Milan’s.

The castings for the big Fashion Weeks—New York, Paris, Milan—are extremely competitive. Often there is a posse of top editorial girls who monopolize the runways, but up-and-coming designers do book less expensive (sometimes free) new faces. The best way to work your way into the elite runway posse is:

1. Work on your walk. If you’re with an agency in New York, they likely have access to one of the well known runway coaches. Or have an experienced model mentor you and show you how it’s done (see the Model Alliance mentoring program). If you are in East Podunk, disregard any fancy turns and moves a modeling school may teach you. You simply need to know how to walk and pivot—and look like Karolina Kurkova while doing it.

2. Get experience. Do any fashion shows you can get.

3. Seek representation with a reputable agency.

4. Be lucky.

The story of how I first landed on a New York Fashion Week runway is in my book. It was all about LUCK. (I’ll let you know when you’ll be able to read that story!)

New York Fashion Week 1994

Stay tuned for a belly dancing performance that blows away any fashion show. It’s not every day Unmata comes to Connecticut!

Also, a lot of people have been asking about “agencies” that charge their talent to be a part of their “agency.” Look for a post on Modeling Scams coming soon.

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