entertainmentMarch 4, 2013

Southeast Missouri State University senior Lauren Phillips and sophomore Dennise Hernton traveled to New York City to participate in New York Fashion Week.

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Southeast Missouri State University senior Lauren Phillips and sophomore Dennise Hernton traveled to New York City to participate in New York Fashion Week. Phillips and Hernton were both there Feb. 7-12.

"It was amazing. I've been to New York before, but actually seeing the fashion side of it and being so close to Mercedes Benz Fashion show -- it was so amazing," Phillips said. "There were CoverGirl casting calls and just so much going on all around us. It was so good for networking."

Hernton and Phillips are both freelance models but are associated with a modeling group called Cynique Evoule. The group does fashion shows all around the St. Louis area as well as participates in Atlanta Fashion week and now New York Fashion Week.

"We've done several shows in St. Louis, two at the St. Louis City Museum as well as at the Opera House in St. Louis," Phillips said.

Dennise Hernton participated in New York Fashion Week. Photo by David Kilper of Arkitography
Dennise Hernton participated in New York Fashion Week. Photo by David Kilper of Arkitography

Both Hernton and Phillips have been to New York before, but this is the first time they have participated in New York Fashion Week and have been so connected to the fashion.

"It was crazy. I've done fashion shows before, but I had never been in the real setting before. The fashion show was on the rooftop of the Empire Hotel, which is in Lincoln Square, right next to where Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is," Hernton said. "It was fun. I saw a lot of people, and I met a lot of people."

Herton walked for three designers from Chicago during the course of the week, Alex Carter, Elizabeth Smith and Garic Stephens. Phillips also walked for Carter and Smith.

The models have different plans in regards to their future. Phillips hopes to land a job at a magazine, and she uses her modeling group as networking to get her foot in the door and get in contact with bloggers and people who work at magazine agencies. She said she is modeling for fun.

Hernton is in the process of finding an agency to sign with. She recently went to a casting call for West Model Management. Her hope is to be signed so that she can get more publicity.

She would like to do runway modeling as well as editorial modeling, but being 5'7'' she has been told she is too short, and the preferred height is 5'9'' or taller.

"Commercial modeling is always an option," Hernton said. "I really don't mind it. If I get paid, that's fine."

Being an up and coming model has its perks of being able to travel and wear all types of different clothes, but being a model and a student can sometimes be a challenge.

"It's so hard," Hernton said. "The lady who I work for, she has practices every Sunday, so all last semester I was going home [to St. Louis] every Sunday and sometimes she would just shoot an email to be back at rehearsal Friday, so I would have to drop everything to go to rehearsal. It's just really hard. I'm trying to get back into the groove of things after coming back from New York."

Lauren Phillips. Submitted photo
Lauren Phillips. Submitted photo

With Phillips being a senior, it is also hard preparing to graduate soon while at the same time having a fast-paced career.

"Aw man, it's wearing on me," Phillips said. "I work full time, I go to school full time and the days that I do have off I'm modeling. It's a lot, but I kind of like the fast pace. I'm always doing something, hardly sleeping. I would rather prepare myself for that now than be surprised later."

Trying to balance is hard for both, but they do offer advice to anyone trying to make it in modeling.

"Research casting calls, just go. You never know what they will like and what they won't like," Phillips said. "Don't be afraid. Never be afraid because you might have a unique look that they like, and you will never know until you try. Don't be afraid to get out there."

Hernton said that models trying to get started in the fashion world should be aware of scams and try not to fall into traps.

"Don't pay anything," Hernton said. "You don't ever have to pay to be a model. If the agency wants you but they are trying to make you pay this enormous amount of money to be in their agency, don't do it. You're going to have to pay some money to get pictures, but you should never have to pay a lump sum of money just to be with their agency. My other advice is just to stick with it, it's so easy just to say, 'Forget it, I give up,' but just network and get out there."

Phillips is majoring in advertising and will graduate in May. She plans to move to either New York or California to try to get an internship and begin in her career.

Hernton is in her second year majoring in fashion merchandising. After she graduates she wants to possibly relocate to Chicago because she has dreams of becoming a stylist.

"I just want to be in fashion." Hernton said. "I love it."

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