There were a lot of models waiting patiently in rows at the David Jones casting yesterday, watching others take what could potentially be a career making stroll in front of David Jones' representatives, including renowned stylist Kelvin Harries. They were all there for the chance at being selected for an appearance at David Jones' Autumn/Winter season launch in Sydney. "I've lost count of the number of models we've seen!" Harries laughs at around 11.30am. "Let's put it this way, we've been going at this pace since 10am, and there are still more to get through." He tells me as he watches models take their turn on the casting catwalk at a rate of about one a minute. "This is one of the biggest castings we've ever had in Melbourne, it's bigger than the one we'll have in Sydney even."
Amongst all these models, there have been some standout turns. "I'm really impressed with Ben from Viviens," Harries shares. "He hasn't walked before but I think he has this really amazing, very international look. Then for the girls there are new faces too… Sahara (of FRM models) is beautiful, and she has an amazing body, while Claire Q has this fantastic grace, she carries herself with a very natural elegance."
It is elegance that they're after at this casting. "The launch is going to be a very intimate, salon style presentation so we're looking for models who can really connect with the audience and carry themselves in a way that represents the David Jones brand," Harries explains. While many runway shows cast according to a look of the season, picking out blondes, or redheads, or whatever type of girl happens to be in trend at the time, David Jones take a different tack. Unlike many shows where the policy with new girls is the younger, the better, David Jones always seeks out models with a bit more maturity. They never cast girls under the age of 18. "It's more in line with our customer to have seasoned, sophisticated girls, we have to draw on girls with the experience to deliver. Ultimately we want the best the country has to offer. "
18 in model years is not exactly young, yet David Jones is known for being a bit of a star-maker when it comes to their casting selections. "I remember when Abbey Lee, and Alexandra Auguston came through us, they were just babies, just starting out," Harries reminisces. And what is it exactly that makes the David Jones show such potential career-maker? "Well, editorially speaking, all the top editors come to our season launch, so the models are in front of all the people they need to be for potential casting in magazine spreads." Timing also plays a key factor. The David Jones launch takes place right around the time stylists and designers are beginning to think about casting for Fashion Week, so a stellar turn on the DJs runway can be just what an emerging girl needs to push her over the line when it comes to booking RAFW shows.
It's not just the girls that are out in force either. "The Melbourne casting always has a really high ratio of boys to girls," Harries says. "I'm not sure what it is about Melbourne, but there just seem to be a lot of boys here."
There is a perception in the industry that, when it comes to models, Sydney has a lot more to offer than Melbourne, but Harries dismisses this idea as unfair. "There are a lot of Melbourne models who relocate to Sydney. It's a matter of scale, the industry there is much larger, there are more opportunities to work, so people move there for modelling. But I've been extremely impressed with what Melbourne has to offer."
Walking in a David Jones show doesn't just put models in front of the right people, it also allows them to share a runway with some of the Australian modelling industry's biggest names. Last season, when Miranda Kerr, the face of David Jones, was heavily pregnant and unable to appear, the brand flew back Australian supers, from the previously mentioned Abbey Lee Kershaw and haute couture favourite Alexandra Auguston, to Catherine McNeil , Stephanie Carta and Nicole Trunfio. Emerging models with large amounts of buzz like Samantha Harris and Ajak Deng also walked. Being featured in a show with so much star power tends to result in a little glow catching on, even for relative unknowns.
Eventually, as potential new stars, and a few David Jones veterans strut past, I ask Harries the question every model watcher is wondering, will a post-baby Miranda Kerr be making it for the next launch? "I don't know, I haven't been told yet. Obviously I'd love to have her!" Harries tells me. What about some other names we might know? He smiles. "I have a list, certainly, but I think I'll keep that one to myself for now."
Lead image: Miranda Kerr with Colette Dinnigan and other David Jones models at the Summer 2009 parade.