Staples graduate Mel Stanger ’23 took one of the biggest steps in her modeling career this September: walking the runway at New York Fashion Week. From working with universally known designers to experiencing the intensity of one of the fashion industry’s most important events, Stanger has been through it all.

Participating in New York Fashion Week means representing some of the most talented names in fashion, and that’s exactly what Stanger did. Through these connections, Stanger was able to achieve some of the most desired opportunities in the fashion industry.

“I walked for Art Hearts Fashion, which is a bunch of designers that get together, and I walked for six or seven other designers,” Stanger said. “The week before Fashion Week, I was in New York, just walking for a bunch of different people, and seeing who would want to work with me, and then that’s how I ended up with them.”

Securing a spot modeling at New York Fashion Week is no small achievement, as one show only has around 40 models.

“So when you go to the casting, the casting people and designers have you walk back and forth for them and then you give them your comp card, which has pictures of you and your information on it, and they get back to you within a few days,” Stanger said.

Whether it’s finding the right agency, practicing her runway walk, or building a platform on social media, Stanger’s determination led to getting chosen to model at New York Fashion Week.

“I would go to my call time and they would put me in makeup, and then the designers who are there that day will end up asking you to come and try something on and then you get your hair done, and then you wait for a while until it’s your turn to walk,” Stanger said.

Working with some of the most talented and well-known designers in the industry, Stanger had the opportunity to find personal connections to some of the pieces she modeled.

“I walked for this one designer, and she put me in this red suit, and her whole thing is female empowerment, and I thought that was cool,” Stanger said.

Stanger’s childhood dreams were filled with runway visions and now they’ve become her reality. She credits some of her success to the lessons she learned while attending Staples. Whether developing her confidence or learning to manage a busy schedule, her time at Staples helped her grow into the successful person she is today.

“I think because the modeling industry is very particular and people can be very judgy about what you look like, Staples prepared me for that,” Stanger said. “My advice that I would give to someone [wanting to model] is you kind of need to let go of caring that much about what people think about what you look like.”

The fashion industry is known for its fast-paced and intense pressure, especially during fashion week.

“For me, I just have to romanticize it and remember how cool it is that that’s what I’m doing,” Stanger said. “It can get overwhelming, but as long as I’m grateful that I have that opportunity, it makes it so worth it for me.”

Stanger’s journey from Staples to New York Fashion Week is an inspiring reminder that dreams can come true with passion and persistence. Walking in such a high-profile event gave Stanger a new understanding of the fashion world.

“I think it’s cool to see that the clothing has a message and a meaning,” Stanger said.

As she continues to make strides in the modeling world, there’s no doubt this is the beginning of a promising career.

This story was originally published on Inklings on October 14, 2024.