New York Fashion Week is the most raved about event during the fall, winter, spring, and summer seasons. This gives upcoming and experienced designers the opportunity to showcase their visions to the world through a runway show or a fashion presentation. I have been granted the opportunity to work my second season for NYFW as a casting director assistant for Gilleon Smith-Mercado. As an assistant it is my responsibility to create presentations of potential models for our clients' shows’, input models into our database for deliberations, create check-in lists of models for make-up artists and hairstylists for documentation, and direct models during rehearsal and the start of the shows. Although the fashion industry seems glamorous, which it is at times, there is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears put into the preparations for NYFW.

During the season, there are long working hours because there is so much work that needs to be done. After the models have been picked for a show, it is our responsibility to have them come in for a fitting to get their measurements and see what garments they will be wearing, which can be difficult because models have busy schedules and occasionally come late to fittings. Occasionally, there can be problems with models that a designer has picked because some of them are TRADE, models who receive designer clothing in exchange for their services, and others who cost money to booked for shows.

This season, I was able to help cast models for Berenik, Chromat, Anne Amour, and Pamplemousse. In an article featured on The Cut, Chromat was recognized for having the best models during fashion week; which is a huge accomplishment for Gilleon-Smith Casting!

Fashion week may be hectic and stressful but I cannot imagine having a better job than I have now.