The Casting Diaries II

Our official model casting for the 2011 season is over!

We can't express enough how much we want to thank you all for coming to our casting call this Friday and last Sunday. The level of talent we saw this year left us all so overwhelmed that its going to be extremely difficult for us to narrow it down.

We will be announcing who made it past round one soon, so hold tight Potential New Models!

In the meantime, check out the highlights from our casting call or watch the video below.

The Casting Diaries

First a HUGE "Thank You" to all of the attendees at Sunday's casting.

We had about 200 guys and girls show up to neutral7 design. Applicants drove from as far as West Palm, Tampa and Savannah, GA - we truly appreciate your efforts.

(That, of course, also goes out to our locally based talent)

How many interns does it take to pitch a tent? Well, it depends on their height but after some struggling (and a little help from our stage manager, Brandon) we got things rolling and started processing our first slew of applicants.

Take a look at these beautiful people!

Some applicants got some great swag from our downtown salons, ChaoticVibes kept the crowd moving while Monster Energy made sure we were fueled all afternoon long.

For those who could not make it; here's what went down:

• After completing our application and getting the awesome, limited edition GFW button models applicants were sent indoors for photos: headshots, full lengths and profiles
• They were measured by a team of professional, but still giggly interns, masterfully led by Kristi who had the "inseams" measuring spot last year
• Then they walked our makeshift runway for local designer, Bobby K, and co-producer, Gwen

Check out some candids from the Casting Call powered by Monster Energy here and subscribe to GFW-TV on YouTube to see clips of this and all of our events.

Why else do you think Brandon has such a huge grin on his face? He knows our videos are amazing!

GFW takes over Gator Nights!

The GFW team took over campus one last time.....

Our team gave out our last batch of HOT cards to the students of UF Friday evening at Gator Nights before our casting call this Sunday.

We had so much fun meeting so many awesome people - check out these jugglers!

You guys were SUPER fantastic, check out your pictures from last night here!

We cannot wait to see you guys this Sunday at the casting call.

We took things to the streets...err, of campus that is!

The GFW team hit the Plaza of the Americas on UF's campus this week, hours before the Runway Workshop, to hand out some last minute hot cards.

Did you see us there? If not, take a look at what you missed.

We are SUPER excited to see and meet all of you at Model Casting this Sunday.

Don't forget you can fill our application online to save a bit of time - click here to download.

Be in the news!

Hi everyone,

Our fashion editor friend from The Gainesville Sun needs some help!

For a Gainesville Sun article, Lashonda Stinson Curry is looking for local guys who wear/love bowties and girls who like the look.

If you'd like to be interviewed for the story, find her at lscurry426@gmail.com or 374-5038 before Monday 24th!

Calling all Models!

Inexperienced or experienced, short or tall, big or small. We want to see YOU!

Just a reminder about our casting call THIS Sunday January 23rd.

We will be waiting for you at neutral7 - 2444 NE 1st Blvd, Suite 700 - from 1 to 5p.m.

Side note, have you been to our GFW-TV page lately, you can see awesome videos - like this one - take a look, we'd love your feedback!

See you on Sunday!

HOT Cards - Who has 'em?

We hit the streets of Gainesville like maniacs this Saturday night with HOT cards, stickers and our hot new interns to tell people about the 2011 Casting Call.

We had so much fun scanning 101 Downtown, Sharab, Spannk, Status, SpeakEasy and Bank for fun faces - we just might do it again. Keep an eye out for the hot pink mark, you never know when we're gonna pop up.

Thanks everyone for being such good sports and a special hello to the policeman that we covered in stickers in front of Volta.

See the full album here and don't forget Model Casting January 23rd at neutral 7!

GFW 2011 Model Casting

Every year we hold an open casting call for models. We encourage ALL to apply there are no special requirements other than being fabulous (and over the age of 18).

Download the model application here.

The casting process is simple:

1. You show up and complete a form, or turn in your already completed form
2. We measure you and take a headshot

Done! It's really that simple.

OK, OK so it's a bit more complex on our end but it's still pretty simple for you!

Check out this clip of last year's casting from our friends at INsite magazine.

See you on Sunday January 23rd from 1 - 5 p.m. at the neutral7 studio in Gainesville.

Calling All Hotties!

The Gainesville Fashion Week team is on the prowl for the next hottest thing.

Throughout the next two weeks, we will be scouring the city in search of those worthy of the GFW "Hot" Card- the exclusive hot-pink token signifying we think you have what it takes to be a model in this year’s runway shows. Whether it is at the local hot spots, out to dinner or on campus, we are always on the lookout. Once spotted, your picture will be taken with your Hot Card and uploaded into our Hot Card photo album on our Facebook page for all to envy.

Check our page frequently to see which of your friends have already received their Hot Card!

Are you hot enough for the paparazzi?

Visit gainesvillefashionweek.com for more information.

Hola from Los Angeles

Last season we brought you the scoop from London, this year we're taking things to Los Angeles.

Remember Simone? She covered GFW last year and has since moved to LA to make waves in the fashion, entertainment and beauty industries. We still think of Simone as our hometown girl and had the chance to catch up with her this week.

Photo by Tyler Jones, Exile Photography

Simone, our newest guest blogger, will be giving us the scoop from Hollywood and it ties in perfectly with this year's theme. Want to know about her LA takeover? Start reading:

Four Months of Fur

I wish I had more time to wear my cognac-colored rabbit fur. I guess if I move to NYC or somewhere frigid I’ll get more wear out of it, but here in Southern California I get about a three or four month window.

Vintage cognac colored fur with hood, $100

Even if I only get to wear it once, this golden vintage find was worth every penny. Not only is it in keeping with the Fall/Winter 2010 plush fur trend, it’s also a perfect pairing with this season's neutral palette. A good fur is a staple item you can cherish for years and several Fall/Winter seasons to come.

Thankfully, I spent New Years in a local ski town and got plenty of usage out of my new fur. But alas, winter is coming to a close and a bright spring is in the not too distant future, so this isn’t as much about buying a fur as it is taking advantage of your local thrift and vintage.

Don’t be afraid of thrifting and wearing second hand clothing. A couple things to keep in mind when searching for the perfect vintage find:

1. Exhaust all options, from Goodwill to an old lady consignment shop…just do it up
2. Inspect the garment through and through! If it has imperfections, you won’t wear it
3. Peruse the racks thoroughly...because you never know what’s hiding behind an obstructive 80’s disaster
4. Try it on, and try it on a lot since you probably won’t be able to return it
5. It’s vintage, so go for a bold accent piece you can pair with staples you already have at home. But then again, agood staple is always a solid, and safe, choice.

If you're worried about staying current, you can absolutely find trendy pieces relevant to this season's stipulations. But, the best part about thrifting is the uniqueness of an item that no one else will have, unlike the dime a dozen garments from Forever21 or H&M. Whether its a fur or a retro frock, vintage is a head-turner, and will keep you looking fabulous for at least the next four months.

With love from LA!

Simone

Follow her on Twitter @Tastemakehers

** For fabulous free products, fashion tips and the best in LA living, check out my blog The Tastemakehers: Discover & Indulge. Right now, were giving away makeup from h.wood.beauty, a favorite of Katy Perry, Lindsay Lohan and Rihanna!

Vintage 1980's A-line velvet dress with sheer neckline, $25

Vintage authentic leather satchel, $14

GFW Walking Class in 2 weeks

Need to know how to work it? We can help!

Gainesville Fashion Week has hosted a walking clinic in previous years and will be hosting this year's clinic on Wendesday January 19th at 7p.m.

The class will be held in downtown Gainesville at Sharab Lounge and open to all interested participants.

This takes place just DAYS before the Model Casting Call that will be held at neutral7 design on Sunday January 23rd.

Don't forget you can download the model application online now!

Photo by Tyler Jones of Exile Photgraphy

Welcome one and all to GFW2011

This weekend we "officially" kicked off our Gainesville Fashion Week calendar and welcomed our newest talent to the team.

We managed to squeeze in some fun during a week-long series of meetings on Saturday night at the INsite Magazine Launch Party. The magazine published their 28 Most Interesting People edition (on newsstands now) and we took the opportunity to celebrate a long-time media sponsor and mingle with our new batch of interns.



We put an open call for talent at the end of 2010 and received an overwhelming response. However, from the 200 plus applicants, we narrowed things down to a select mix of twelve PR, Advertising, Business & Event Management and Marketing majors from the University of Florida and Santa Fe College.

We'd like to welcome the interns to the team, and if you see them out come say, "hello!".

• Carolina Prieto
• Sarah Jackson
• Alina Torres
• Aditya Pamidi
• Julian Andrew
• Brittany Jones
• Kristine Straker
• Jacqueline Echagarruga-Irimia
• Alexa Carlin
• Kasi Martin
• Samantha Albright
• Meshi Shoshana

MODEL CASTING CALL - SUNDAY JANUARY 23RD - 1 - 5p.m. - neutral7 STUDIO - APPLY!