Too Famous for the Runway? Pshh.

About a month before the onslaught of #NYFW shows, before designers were even close to finalizing (or starting) casting, quotes emerged from modern supers Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls, who purportedly weren't being cast due to their enormous fame.

The models were told no one would see the clothes if they were wearing them; the audience would be too captivated by the famous visages.

Well, as someone going to the shows, can I just say that Kloss and Smalls' fame has more to do with just their looks. These ladies are top models for a reason: they're good at modeling, which has more to it than lying around looking pretty. Taking on a role or character is a big part of it, which has a huge something to do with bringing a collection to life as well.

Audience members can, moreso than with other models, easily imagine a designer's collection in action, or see the life we'd lead wearing the clothes. Kloss embodies the backstory; she helps us understand the what we're seeing: the designer's vision and the clothes.

She's not alone, but her fame is for a reason, and it doesn't hurt designers' causes. Seeing someone famous and sans talent would be a different story, e.g. any Kardashian. Pick one.

So to the naysaying casting agents, I say "Pshhhh!" They're missing out if they're not accessing and appreciating what models like Kloss have to offer.

Image: Courtesy Prabal Gurung