Dayton937

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Dayton Fashion Week

It’s Super Tuesday…Are You Ready To Vote?

By Leave a Comment

Super Tuesday is finally here and Dayton Fashion Week WANTS YOU to exercise your right to vote!  That’s right–our candidates stand firm in their beliefs on job creation (after all there’s only 1 position open and they each want it), environmental issues(they would love to walk for our eco-friendly designer), and they support small business(each of them are rallying up support for DFW!).  They have diverse backgrounds from a Broadway Actress, to a professional Ballroom Dancer, and yes we even have a career politician on the our ballot–but I’m not talking about the Republican Candidates or the Ohio Primaries–I’m talking about the 12 candidates that Dayton Fashion Week has selected to participate in the Cover Model Competition!  There’s no need to register to vote all you have to do is log onto Facebook starting March 6, 2012, go to the Dayton Fashion Week FB fan page, click on our photo album “2012 Cover Model Competition” and “Like” your favorite photo and that will count as your vote.  Unlike the Ohio Primaries you can vote for more than one candidate and on Tuesday April 24, 2012 the model with the most “Likes” of their photo will become the first model ever to grace the cover of Dayton Fashion Week Magazine along with other great prizes.  So without further ado, it is my pleasure to introduce to you the 2012 Candidates for Dayton Fashion Week’s Cover Model Competition–I’m Caressa Brown, and I approve this message!

 

Model: Kayla Essex

Model: Jessica Ennis

Model: Heather Bonifield Photographer: Barbara Mendez

Model: Lauren Hunter Photographer: JP Ball Photography

Model: Nyaina Robinson

Model: Catherine Baumgartner (Photo Credit: Roy Stephen)

Model: Lisa Golembiewski Photographer: Elite Photography

Model: Robin Mobley

Model: Elizabeth Weis Photographer: Digital Joint Production

Model: Chelsea Anderson

Model: December Brewster

Model: Ceili Fitzpatrick Photographer: DZQ Photography

Model: India Harris

Model: Meredith Rivera

Model: Enjae Leonard Photographer: Paul Ferrera

 

Model: Megan Krug

DFW’s Casting Call for Children: Cute and Adorable Kids Are Welcomed…No “Stage Moms” or “Talent Scouts” Allowed!

By Leave a Comment

This will probably be one of my bluntest blogs ever so lets get straight to the point–I hate the shows Toddlers & Tiaras, Dance Moms, and every other show that has to do with talentless parents forcing their children to live out their failed dreams on national television. With that being said–on March 10, 2012 Dayton Fashion Week will be hosting a casting call for children ages 4-14 at De’lish Café located at 139 N. Main St. in Downtown Dayton from 10a-1p. We are asking that participants bring at least one can good or non-perishable food item with them to the Casting Call for the Dayton Food Pantry—this is not required to be seen but it will be highly appreciated.

When we first thought about adding a children’s runway show to Dayton Fashion Week both Junda Morris-Kennedy(the CEO of DFW) and I cringed at the notion of having to deal with the parents—so much so that we actually decided against the show at one point and opted to do a Hair Show instead. But then we were introduced to Dayton based designer Cheree Cantrell and her kids clothing line Cupcake Couture which made me want to run out and have a baby so that they could wear her clothes! Long story short we decided against doing the Hair Show and on Thursday July 26, 2012 Dayton Fashion Week will present a Kids Fashion Collection Show featuring designs by Cupcake Couture and AM Victorious! Here are a few tips on how to prepare for this casting call.

Act Your Age

This is a kids casting call, I want to see kids acting like kids, dressing like kids, and looking like kids in there photos. Again the photos DO NOT need to be professional we will need a clear head shot and a body shot in their everyday clothes. This is open to children ages 4-14 the only requirement is if your child shows up with false eyelashes, “flippers” or false teeth, spray tans, more makeup than Tammy Faye Baker, hair bigger than Dolly Pardon’s, pant to their ankles like Lil Wayne,and dressed like Beyoncé—your child WILL NOT be allowed to participate in our casting call.

During this casting call not only will the kids be in the spotlight but we will also be watching the parents as well—Parents if you come in with a bad attitude–your child WILL NOT be allowed to participate in our casting call because we will be working closer with the parents then we will be with the children and we don’t have time to deal with problematic parents—so in the words of Prince– parents “act your age not your shoe size”. We want this to be a fun and playful environment both during the casting call and the actual runway production.

Safety First

All participants must have this signed release form http://​library.constantcontact.com/​download/get/file/​1101602765664-514/​DFW+model_agreement.pdf.(Please Disregard the height and all black attire requirement we did not have time to update this form from our adult casting call). All participants for the kids casting call MUST BE ACOMPANIED BY A PARENT OR A LEGAL GUARDIAN THAT IS AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE! There will be NO exceptions made to this rule. This is not us trying to be mean or single anyone out THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE!

Another safety issue that I must address is this—During our first casting call for adult models. We had several “scouts” for other “agencies” show up to our casting call unannounced and uninvited to do some recruiting. Not only does this show a lack of professionalism on their part by piggy backing off of our event but it also poses as a safety risk for participants. So to avoid this from happening again during this casting call we are not allowing spectators in the building—ONLY PARENTS/LEGAL GUARDIANS AND THE PARTICIPATING CHILD WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE BUILDING—no aunts, cousins, neighbors, and etc will be allowed. Parents if anyone approaches you outside of the building about signing up your child to an agency or gives you a card for you to call them about some great opportunity for your child to model please report this to us immediately. Last year I took my little sister Portia to the America’s Next Top Model Casting Call at The Greene and there was an Escort Service handing out cards to participants. Let’s face it there are some sick people in the world and We CAN NOT guarantee anything to you about these “scouts” but I will ask you to ask yourself this question. If this person is representing a reputable agency why do they need to lurk outside of another casting call to find talent? If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email us at [email protected].

Modeling…To Pay or Not to Pay–That is the Question

By 3 Comments

Ok I’m going to start this blog off with a long sigh—Inhale (hold it) now exhale! I‘ve been getting asked this question a lot lately and there is no easy answer and it’s probably the most confusing topic to discuss when it comes to the modeling and fashion industries and that question is—should a person have to pay to be a model? As mentioned in my previous blogs, I signed my first modeling contract at the age of 12 and I attended Bette Massie Modeling School in Centerville. Many people will say that modeling schools are a scam and you don’t need to attend them to break into the industry and for the most part that’s a true statement. However, I come short of calling modeling schools a complete scam because in my case, my mother sent me to modeling school to build self-confidence and it just happened to start my modeling career. Are there modeling schools out there that prey on the dreams of wanna be models who are out to make a quick buck? Absolutely and this is where I tell everyone to exercise extreme caution.

For instance, there is a “modeling agency” out of Cincinnati that sets up shop in the Dayton Mall and they “scout” mall shoppers as they walk by their booth. Well, last year my 12 year old niece AjA was “scouted” by this “agency”, and my sister(who wasn’t familiar with the industry) asked me to accompany them to an open house, before we went I had my sister to call the “agency” and ask if this was a modeling school or if there were any fees associated with being affiliated with them. They swore up and down that it wasn’t a school and it was free. So off we go to Cincinnati, we walk in and there are about 50 people sitting a room, the music is pumping, they have photos of models all over the place, then the president or owner of the “agency” comes in and gives this great speech about the agency and the work that their models have done. They then had all of the would-be models come up and walk in front of everyone and I’m thinking ok so far so good this just might be legit. They open the floor up for questions and my sister once again ask if there is a cost associated with being represented by the “agency” and once again they said no. Long story short we eventually had the opportunity to speak one on one with the “agent” in a private office. He went on and on about how beautiful and smart my niece was and how much potential she had and etc. He even tried to butter me up asking me if I had ever modeled before, I lied and said no, not wanting him to know that I knew how the industry works—then he dropped the bomb on us–he told us in order for my niece to be represented by them she would have to take a 6 month course on modeling (of course taught by them), the total cost of the class was something like $4,000 and my sister would have to come up with $1,500 in less than a week to hold my nieces spot in the class and the remaining balance would be due within 30-60 days or something crazy like that.

He then went on to tell us that after my niece completed the course she would have to be evaluated by the staff to see if she was good enough to signed to their “agency”. At this point I became highly agitated and questioned the “agent” on why they lied to us about everything. I then went on to tell him about my modeling experience and showed him a few of my pictures that I had saved on my phone from a recent photo shoot. I then asked him if I would have to take this course with my experience—I caught him completely off guard and he started to fumble over his words, and frantically look through papers sitting on his desk before telling me that he would have to check with the President of the “agency”. He made a quick call to the President of the “agency” to let them know about me and he then asked for my contact information and told me that the President would give me a call in a couple of days—Needless to say I never got that call.

Point #1 Survival of The Fittest– Don’t Become The Prey

This “agency” preys on those who don’t know anything about the industry—SO DO YOUR RESEARCH—Google is a very powerful tool and so is the Better Business Bureau. This “agency” only stays legal because they have been able to get a few models some paying jobs and they don’t make guarantees—which is all that is required by the state of Ohio to remain legit.
The Modeling Convention

From the age of 13 to 18 I didn’t do any modeling, over the years like most teenage girls, I started becoming fascinated with clothes and followed the industry and read every fashion magazine that I could get my hands on. I started working at General Motors right after I graduated from high school; we were allowed to bring in radios to listen too while we worked and that’s when I heard about an open call for Manhattan Model Search–Reminder, at this time the internet wasn’t as “worldwide” as it is today so I had no clue what to expect or how it all worked. I was 18, had braces and I attended their open call. They wowed everyone with an opening presentation (no mention of money), then they did one on one evaluations, they announced their call backs and I was selected for a call back. They give us all of this information about all of the top agencies that would be in attendance during a weekend convention that was to be held at a hotel in Columbus the hotel was about $109/night and the cost of the convention was something like $495. Long story short I paid the fee to attend, the weekend consisted of seminars and parties, all ending with the final event when you got to walk the runway and show your pictures to the scouts from some of the worlds most respected agencies. Truth be told, I had a blast, and that’s where I was scouted by Click Modeling Agency. They were recruiting for both their New York and Atlanta offices, they wanted me for their Atlanta office, however because I still had braces and I hadn’t done any modeling since I was 12 they wanted to sign me to development contract–which pretty much meant that they weren’t going to send me out to meet any clients just yet because I still had braces and they weren’t coming off any time soon. So they set me up with a few area photographers so that I could get more experience in front of the camera.

Point #2 The Middle Man isn’t Always a Bad Thing

In this case the middle man was legit–again do your research there are a lot of Model Searches in business from Manhattan Model Search, to New York Model Management, to Pro Scouts. I will caution you about this—a lot of these Scouting companies are also linked together they branch off or change names once they’ve receive negative feedback with the Better Business Bureau. There are some scouting companies that offer you these week long cruises and seminars that cost thousands of dollars I would advise against shelling out this kind of money for any scouting event, it would be cheaper to travel to the cities where the top agencies are located and attend one of their open calls for models. I will add that agencies benefit financially from these events because the scouting companies pay them to attend.

Small Market Agencies and Events

I was signed to Taxi Model Management in Cleveland, Ohio when I was about 22. Cleveland is a very small market which means they aren’t going to have these multi-million dollar contracts to keep them operational. There was no fee to be signed with the agency but if you didn’t have an updated portfolio it was your responsibility to pay for new photos, your comp cards and they had a group of photographers that they used. As standard with most agencies (yes even the larger and more respected agencies in the world) it’s in the contracts that you pay the agency 20% of any paid assignments that you land. Also, don’t be shocked if you are asked to become a member of the Screen Actors Guild or any other Actors Unions because the majority of commercials shot in Ohio are union members only so there is a monthly fee that you will be required to pay.

Point #3 The Fashion Industry Is a Business

You can say what you want about it but the fashion industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and people are in it to make money. Nothing is free!! If you get signed to Ford Models in New York, they will put you up in what’s called a “models apartment” where you will live with other models signed to the agency. They will pay the rent and buy your food, pay for some pictures but guess what as soon as you get work as a model not only do you have to pay them back for the apartment, food, a photos but you have to pay your 20% to them as well. There’s no getting around it. Contestants on American Idol have to reimburse them for their stay in the mansion, they have to pay their own way to Hollywood and it’s the same for America’s Next Top Model.

Final Thoughts

I know that you are probably even more confused about this question than before I started answering it. I CAN NOT emphasize enough how important it is that you do your research before shelling out any money. The Tale-Tell sign for most scams is if they push things on you and demand an answer right then and there or if they ask for an obscene amount of money in a very short time frame. There’s a new trend of model websites where you pay a monthly fee for them to host your online portfolio for agencies and other industry professionals to view. There are legit magazines that travel the country looking for new talent; they often have a registration fee that ranges anywhere from $10 on up to be published or to be in a contest. Ask them what the fees are for and what all it covers for example does it cover getting you hair and makeup done? Will it cover your photos? Will you receive copies of your work and proper credit? These are the questions that you need to get into the habit of asking and as always trust your gut instinct it never fails.

Could the City of Dayton Become the Gem City for the Fashion Industry?

By Leave a Comment

Tameka Jones-Young

It’s been a busy couple of weeks here at Dayton Fashion Week and the dates have been set for the Kids Casting Call (10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 10 at De’Lish Cafe located at 139 N. Main St.) and the casting call to become a host covering the DFW for Inside Couture Television (10a.m. to 1 p.m. April 7 at SunWatch Indian Village, 2301 West River Road) which airs in Miami Florida.

New York Fashion week kicked off this week and a Dayton native will be gracing the runway of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York!  Tameka Jones-Young will rip the runway for Indonesian designer Farah Angsana. “Walking in Mercedes Benz Fashion Week has been a dream since I began my modeling career. I feel so fortunate to finally have the opportunity. I am beyond excited!” said the mother of 2 and graduate of Chaminade-Julienne. After taking part in a national search, Tameka is also the new face of Shinto Clinical – a new skincare line by fashion mogul and reality TV star Kimora Lee Simmons (ex-wife of music mogul Russell Simmons). You can watch Tameka live on the runway at FarahAngsana.com and on Style.com on Wednesday February 15 at 5pm. New York Fashion Week runs February 9-16 at Lincoln Center’s Darosch Park and features the Fall 2012 collections of some of the world’s top designers.

So what exactly is Fashion Week and why should the people of Dayton care that we are finally having one? In short, Fashion Week is an opportunity for designers to showcase their latest designs. We all know about the multi-million dollar showcases in New York, Milan, and Paris—they have the A List Celebrities sitting in the front rows of their shows and buyers from some of the top department stores and fashion lines in the world eagerly awaiting the next big fashion trends to hit the shelves and racks of their stores. But did you know that the City of Dayton has the potential to become prime real estate for the Fashion Industry. Yes, you read that right! The City of Dayton is sitting right in the middle of 2 of the most respected fashion brands in the country—Macy’s which is headquartered in Cincinnati and The Limited Brands which include Express and Victoria’s Secret (to name a few) is headquartered in Columbus. These companies spend millions of dollars every year to manufacture their clothing all over the world so why has the city of Dayton been overlooked as one of those locations to manufacture their clothing? As we all know when the auto industry collapsed a few years ago it left a huge gap in our local economy, unemployment skyrocketed, and it also left a lot of abandoned factories just sitting around waiting for someone to take notice of all of the gems around us. I’m not sure how much thought or energy has gone into trying to get the attention of Macy’s and the Limited Brands  from our city leaders or if they’ve ever considered the notion but it’s definitely something that Dayton Fashion Week team thought was worth mentioning–afterall it was Dayton’s close vicinity to Detroit, our railway system, and the easy accessibility to Interstate 75 and 70  that made us prime real estate for the auto industry.  Why not the fashion industry?

Important Dates about Dayton Fashion Week and How to Break into Modeling

By Leave a Comment

As the Director of Operations for the City of Dayton’s first International Fashion Week, I can’t tell you enough just how grateful we are for the overwhelming show of support that we have received from the entire Miami Valley area. Plans are really coming together and we have an exciting line up of designers who have come on board to be a part of this ground breaking event for our city including Marlene Haute Couture, Bothdol Fashions, House of Jola, and Dayton’s very own kids line Cupcake Couture just to name a few! Before I go any further there are some important dates to remember that are rapidly approaching; on Wednesday February 1 at 8:15 and 8:45 be sure to tune in to FOX 45 in the Morning, where the Dayton Fashion Week team will make its debut–there will be a mini fashion show featuring the designs of Marlene Haute Couture. On Saturday February 25 from 10am-3pm Dayton Fashion Week will hold its first casting call for models—all models must bring with them this signed release form. To be clear, there will be separate casting calls for the Children’s Runway Show and to become one of the hosts for Inside Couture Television, the dates and locations for these casting calls will be announced soon. Finally, the deadline for designers to apply to be a part of Dayton Fashion week is Thursday March 1 all submissions must be sent via our website at daytonfashionweek.com.

Since the announcement was made about Dayton Fashion Week members of the DFW team have been bombarded with question about the industry and the most common question is “How do I become a model?” So here are a few pointers on how to jump start your modeling career–The first thing you need to know is what genre you fit into. There are several genres of modeling; High Fashion, Plus-Sized, Lifestyles, and Promotional are the most common. High Fashion Modeling is probably the most popular and well known form of the modeling industry—these are the models that you see sashaying up and down the runways for some of the world’s top designers and they are also seen in magazines like Vogue. These models are typically very thin and tall, females must be at least 5’10 and males 5’9. Plus-Sized models also fall under the High Fashion Models height restrictions, the only difference is size–Plus-Sized Model typically wears a size 6-12. Lifestyle models are generally used in photos showing a common life activity—for example– an ad photo for Tide in a magazine of a mother joyfully doing laundry. Promotional Models are used at various conventions showcasing products. A models height and size tend to be a lot less restrictive for both Lifestyle and Promotional Models.

Once you have determined what genre you fit into, now it’s time to take some pictures! As mentioned in one of my previous columns–DO NOT GO OUT AND SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON PROFESSIONAL PICTURES!! There are cheaper ways to get the pictures that you need to start your modeling career. There are thousands of photographers looking to fine tune their skills on websites like modelmayhem.com which is a networking site for models, designers, makeup artist, and photographers. It’s free to join and what’s even better—there are a lot of photographers who are willing to work with you free of charge also known as TFP if you have the look that they are looking for to build their portfolio. If you book a job via Model Mayhem it is very important that you discuss concepts, compensation, locations, ask for references, and ask if escorts are welcomed prior to arranging any meetings or shoots. Another cheap way to get the pictures that you need is to have a friend or a family member take the pictures for you please reference the criteria for photos in this past article about the casting call for DFW.

So now you know which genre you’re in, you have your pictures, and now it’s time to get discovered. This is where it’s important for you to start doing research on the various fashion markets in the U.S. New York is known for more High Fashion work, Chicago and Los Angeles do more Editorial, Atlanta’s market is geared towards Promotional and Lifestyles, and Miami does a mix of all 4 markets–there are also off seasons for each of these cities. You should also research the various agencies because not all agencies cater to each genre. Once you’ve picked the agency that you think best suites you, find out when they hold their open calls, which is pretty much a casting call. If you can’t afford to travel ask for a mailing address, website, or email address where you can send your photos. Please understand that agencies handle hundreds of phone calls and receive thousands of pictures every day, if an agency is interested in you they will contact you.

Hopefully these tips will help you in your pursuit to breaking into the industry. If you haven’t done so yet please “LIKE” our Facebook page. Can you think of a better way to launch your career than at Dayton Fashion Week?

The Ugly Side of a Beauty Based Industry

By Leave a Comment

Hi my name is Caressa Brown, I have acne prone skin, stretch marks on my hips, I pluck unwanted hairs from my chin and neck and I was 28 years old the first time that I felt pretty without a hair weave or straight hair. When I was a kid I had bugged eyes, bucked teeth, dark gums, and would go home crying every day after getting picked on by classmates for being so tall and skinny–they called me names like Skeletor, Jimney Cricket, and Nappy-Go-Happy to name a few. I didn’t get into modeling because I thought I was cute;  in fact it was quite the opposite— at the age of 11 with my self-esteem 6 feet below the basement my mom enrolled me in Betty Massie Modeling School in Centerville with the hopes that I would learn some skills that would boost my self-esteem and confidence. After that first class the instructor told my mom that she wasn’t going to charge me to attend because I had the potential to be signed in a larger market or a major agency and at the age of 12, I signed my first professional modeling contract.

At the time it was the norm for agencies to only have one black model if any–and it was a rarity for any agency to have two– if they did, the models were instantly pitted against each other. So there I was – an insecure 12 year old model, the only black face at casting calls, and I wasn’t getting booked for any jobs. Seeing the affect that it had on me my parents put my career on hold until I was in high school, when ironically, I was scouted and signed on the spot by the President of Click Modeling Agency and the very first “plus-sized” model signed to the Click.

I said all of that to say this – I know that there was some disappointment based on the size restrictions for Dayton Fashion Week and I was immediately called out for it—one person questioned how could our city’s very first International Fashion Week put such size restrictions on models.  After all this is the city that brought you Toccara Jones – a “plus-sized” model who appeared on America’s Next Top Model.  And this is the Midwest where the vast majority of people don’t come close to fitting into those sizes—and I couldn’t agree more. I’ll be the first to tell you that it pained me to add those restrictions so much so that I reduced the height requirement from 5’10 to 5’8 and I raised the dress size from a 2 to a 4.

Before I go any further please understand that I would love to have women of all shapes and sizes rocking the runway of DFW–but the sad truth is, when it comes to finding designers of “plus size” clothing–pardon the pun but it’s slim pickings and when you add the fact that DFW is an inaugural event it becomes even more difficult.  As of right now we have not had any designers of “plus-size” clothing to sign up–but it’s my hope to find local boutiques that cater to women of all sizes to step up and participate.  So I encourage everyone REGARDLESS of your size to come on out to De’Lish Café and give it your best shot.

When I was offered the opportunity to write this column by DMM Publisher Bill Pote, he admitted that he didn’t know much about the fashion or modeling industries and he requested that I helped to educate readers about the industry and share some of my experiences. So without further ado—

Lesson #1 – Image is Everything

This can be a cruel and vicious industry– and if you don’t fit into that image you will be chewed up and spit out. As mentioned when I started modeling I was the only black model at all of the casting calls—when I returned to modeling the first photshoots I booked were for my comp cards. I spoke with the photographer over the phone the night before, he asked me my race, and I told him that I was black. I arrived and I was immediately ripped to shreds for not being “black enough”–for an hour the photographer fussed at me because my nose wasn’t wide enough, my lips weren’t full enough, I had golden undertones in my skin, my eyes looked Asian, my cheek bones were too high, and he demanded to know my family history. I told him that I was black, Blackfoot, Cherokee, and Irish. Then he snapped at me “that’s how you need to identify yourself from now on” and then he went on to tell me that I’ll never get cast as a black model.

Lesson # 2 – The Skinny on Skinny Models

There are several reasons why models are so thin: 1) It’s very expensive to start and maintain a clothing line and the less you spend on fabric the better–hence the sample size 2 that is often seen on the runway. 2) Most designers want their clothing to appear on the runway as if it’s hanging on a hanger which means no curves. 3) Somewhere a standard of beauty was set saying that the thinner you are the more attractive.  The good news is that there has been a movement to ban super skinny models on the runway, but the bad news is—it came from governments and the industry fought against it claiming that they were being used as a scapegoat for eating disorders.

Lesson #3 – If You Wanna be on Top—You’ll Need a Strong Support System

I can’t even begin to imagine where I’d be or what my mind set would be like if I didn’t have strong, active and supportive parents in my life. My education always came first, so during those years of low self-esteem I gained inner confidence based on my academic performances.  I was an honor student, a volunteer, a Who’s Who Among American High School Students, etc.  By the time I was in my 20’s and I had contract offers from the top modeling agency in the world Elite, I didn’t feel the pressure to fit into any industry standard because I was focused on college. When people come to me about getting involved in modeling I tell them how important it is to have a support system in place.  I don’t mean having a “yes man” – you need to have someone willing to tell you when you are wrong, pick you up when you are down, and be your voice when yours is lost.

Lesson #4 – True Beauty Starts from the Inside

I know it’s cliché but it’s the truth – if you don’t like what you see in the mirror there’s no amount of makeup that can cover that up. I started this article talking about my insecurities – the majority of which I have overcome by not allowing them to define me as a person. I set my own standards and I don’t waste my time comparing myself to anyone. I look myself in the mirror everyday literally and figuratively speaking, and if I don’t like what I see I adjust my mind set and slowly but surely I work on those things until they are no longer an issue for me… no cosmetics or designer clothing needed.

Casting Call for Dayton Fashion Week to be held at De’Lish Cafe

By Leave a Comment

Kyle Haggerty

“I know talent when I see it. You either have it or you don’t. It’s that simple.” Those are the words of MTV’s Made coach, runway coach extraordinaire and Executive Producer of Dayton Fashion Week Kyle Haggerty—and on February 25, 2012 you will get your chance to prove if you have what it takes to rip the runway at the official Casting Call for DFW! It will take place at De’Lish Cafe –located at 139 N. Main Street in Downtown Dayton from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Models must arrive by 10:00 a.m. and have two recent photos; one full body shot and one head shot with your measurements and contact information on the back of each. Models with previous experience should bring your current portfolio.

Female models must be at least 5’8 without heels and wear a women’s size 0-4. Male models must be at least 5’10 and wear a suite size 40-44. Few exceptions will be made. Models must be at least 15 years of age–participants under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian present–Mature models are welcomed. If you don’t fit into the height and size restrictions fret not because you still have two other opportunities to participate in DFW via the Dayton Fashion Week Magazine Cover Model Search and you can audition to be one of the local hosts to cover DFW for Inside Couture Television which airs in Miami Florida for NBC affiliate Channel 6. Information regarding these two casting calls will be announced at a later date.

If you’re wondering what to expect during this casting call, it’s simple–for starters, you will be auditioning in front of me, along with the CEO and Founder of Dayton Fashion Week Junda Morris-Kennedy, the Director of Makeup Angelica Ross, and there may be a surprise judge in the building (but you didn’t hear that from me). Be prepared to walk the runway and answer a few questions about yourself. Our job is to pick the best models and send their information to the designers who will make the final decision on who gets to walk for them.

As far as preparation for casting calls is concerned, I can honestly say that in my 20 years in the industry I’ve seen it all and I’ve made a lot of mistakes in preparing for them. However, I’ve learned from my mistakes and I’m going to share a few pointers with you so that you will arrive ready to shine!

(photo by Blush Boudoir)

Tip #1 Your Pictures

I CAN NOT EMPHASIS THIS ENOUGH–PROFESSIONAL PICTURES ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR THIS CASTING CALL–or any casting calls for that matter! Your pictures should be simple–ladies you should be wearing little to no makeup, your hair should be pulled back. Men you should be clean shaven.

Your head shot should be a close up photo of your face. Smiling is optional but if you choose not to smile in your photo please take the advice of Tyra and smile with your eyes–we don’t want to see any mug shots! This pic should also be taken with you looking straight into the camera.

The full body shot should include a head to toe view of you. Do not go out and buy a new outfit–your clothing should be simple no logos, bright colors, or wild and crazy prints; this applies to both male and female models. Your outfit should be fitted but flattering to your body type. Shoes are optional. You should be standing. Its ok to be a little creative for this shot; by this I mean you can have your hands to your side, one or both hands on your hips, you can tilt your head for a profile shot of your face, and etc…but no over the top posing. The same rules for your appearance in your photos should be applied during the casting call as well.

Tip #2 Be Prepared To Stand

Ladies please BRING a pair of 3” heels to walk in—emphasis on BRING! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shown up to casting calls or Go-See’s wearing heels and ended up having to stand for hours. By the time it was my turn to be seen by the casting agent—I could barely walk and let me tell you– hobbling down the runway with a grimaced look on your face is not a good look on anyone and it’s not going to land you any jobs! So it’s ok to arrive in some flat comfortable shoes. If you’ve never worn heels before practice makes perfect–start practicing your catwalk in the shoes that you plan on wearing for the casting call now. Guys, you have no clue just how good you have it; the only thing that we ask of you is to not wear gym shoes when it’s your turn to walk!

Tip #3 Diva’s and Divo’s Need Not Apply

Attractive and talented models get turned down for jobs every day because they have poor attitudes or they’re not coachable. I’ve attended casting calls where the client or casting agent was right in the waiting room with the other models and never said a word to anyone about whom they were; they mingled, sat back and observed. Sadly, I’ve seen some models be really rude and unaware of whom they were speaking too–needless to say they weren’t cast. Please don’t be this person!

Tip #4 Be Yourself

We can tell the real from the fake–and we want to see your real personality. You might not be right for the runway but you never know what opportunities may come your way as a result of this casting call. Finally, don’t worry about the next person, February 25, 2012 is all about you and we can’t wait to meet you! If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected].

Introducing Dayton Fashion Week

By Leave a Comment

So what do you get when you combine the love for fashion with the love for the City of Dayton…?  You get city’s first ever Dayton Fashion Week!  In July 2012, the City of Dayton will be in the international spotlight by playing host to internationally known designers and models – and DaytonMostMetro.com will be bringing you the exclusive!  My name is Caressa Brown, and I am the Director of Operations for Dayton Fashion Week.  First, a bit about myself: I am a 20 year veteran of the modeling industry, signing my first professional contract at the age of 12.  Since then I’ve had contract offers with Click (Atlanta) and smaller markets, I’ve been a regional semi-finalist in the International Elite Model Look Competition, and after taking some time off I’ve been freelancing as a model for the past couple of years. Outside of the modeling industry, I am a graduate of Wright State University and a Community Voices Producer for 91.3 FM WYSO.

Dayton Fashion Week is being headed up by industry insider Junda Morris Kennedy who recently relocated to the Dayton area when her husband was transferred to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Junda has been an organizer and event planner for several well respected international Fashion Weeks including British Columbia, Baltimore, Miami, and the granddaddy of them all – the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York!  Upon her arrival to the Miami Valley, Junda quickly recognized Dayton’s potential and has a deep respect for our city’s artistic and innovative past and present with the hopes of making Dayton a future fashion capital!  And the future is looking really bright for Dayton Fashion Week, with sponsors like Milani Cosmetics, Buckeye Vodka, DaytonMostMetro.com, Elite Hair Academy, Beaute Box, and De’Lish Cafe coming on board!

Not only will Dayton Fashion Week be highlighting international designers, five will be making their international debuts during the 2012 London Fashion Week!  We will be hosting several industry related seminars and we’ll be bringing in other industry insiders like international runway coach Kyle Haggerty and the Director of New York Couture Week and designer Andres Aquino.   Dayton Fashion Week will be featured on Inside Couture TV ( based out of Miami, FL) and they will be looking for a local host to cover DFW for them so you’ll definitely want to check back soon for more details about the upcoming casting calls which will be held at De’Lish Café starting in February.

As a lifelong Daytonian, I can’t begin to tell you just how excited I am to be a part of this groundbreaking event for our city and I am honored to have this opportunity to bring you the exclusives every week, so check back regularly as I highlight the latest updates for DFW, shine the spotlight on the latest fashion trends, educate on the ins and outs of the modeling industry, and so much more! For more details on how you can become a part of Dayton Fashion Week check out our official website, “Like” us on Facebook and you can follow us on Twitter.