The Telescope

Issue Date: 5/1/06

Fashion students hold model auditions for upcoming show

By Kristina Torres

Mirroring UPN's "America's Next Top Model," Palomar fashion students became judges during their own model search April 18.

Palomar's rendition of the hit show was an open audition organized by fashion students and the fashion department coordinator, Rita Campo Griggs. The auditions were open to female and male models, ages 16 and up.

The purpose of the audition was to choose 30 to 40 models to walk the runway during the fashion department's upcoming fashion show. The show, "60 Years of Style," will be held on May13 at 7 p.m. in the Student Center.

The fashion show will present clothing from the 40s all the way up to present time. Students who planned the audition are in the fashion show presentation class (FASH 126). The students were in charge of advertising, organizing the event, raising money and selecting the models.

Fashion show presentation student Shannon Johnson, who is majoring in fashion merchandising, said that it took a lot of work to get the audition together.

Johnson said that planning began in March, and the students were required to send out letters to models, modeling schools and modeling agencies to recruit participants.

During the audition, each model showed the judges their numbers for recognition, and then walked up and down a makeshift runway in Room FCS-1. Models were given scores from one to 10 by the student judges.

Students involved in the organization of the events will receive internship credit. Johnson said her colleagues considered the event more like a job than schoolwork.

"Some people in class feel they could go into a company and do this," she said. "It is like a job for them."

Several of the models who auditioned were from modeling schools such as Barbazon. It was obvious which models had experience. These models appeared confident during their ascension down the runway. Their pivots were precise and, their poses were similar.

But the judges weren't looking for experience or the stereotypical skinny-model look.

"What we're looking for are professional hangers," said Justin Cannon, a member of the modeling committee, which was responsible for scoring and selecting the models.

"It's more about highlighting what the designer is expressing in their clothing," Cannon said. Cannon said that he was "on the grind" everyday, looking for models in bars, coffeehouses and clubs.

Griggs said 52 models turned up for the event, but there were only 30 to 40 spots. The event attracted a diverse crowd.

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