How Kevin Amato casts a fashion show
The fashion photographer and casting agent shares his fashion week process with the New York Times
What do you need to find faces fit for a cutting-edge fashion show? Pizza, cigarettes, and plenty of time on Instagram. That’s the takeaway wisdom from Kevin Amato’s recent piece for the New York Times.
The photographer and casting agent chooses the models for a number of notable New York runway shows, including VFiles, Band of Outsiders and Kith. And fprior to the current NY fashion week he shared his professional process with T: The New York Times Style Magazine.
Amato made his name circumventing the modeling agencies, by finding his subjects on the streets of New York and, more recently, via Instagram. This has made for a more diverse range of selection of face and body types, as well as quite a few eager kids, who feel their less-conventional looks might make it into an Amato show.
The piece details one of Kevin’s open calls, and includes incidental shots of his working practices - a bed covered in head shots, a half-empty pizza box, and a table strewn with cigarettes and alcohol – as well as plenty of striking young faces.
There’s Kevin's long-standing model, Alexis Jae, whom Amato first came across on the streets of lower Manhattan, as well as newer subjects the photographer plucked from the sidewalk or social media.
To see more of his photos, order a copy of Kevin’s new book, The Importants here.