diversity issues

Daniel Vosovic Struggled to Find Fifteen Asian Models to Cast in His Show

Daniel Vosovic launched his first official collection yesterday at Drive-In Studios. He had every detail down: He created the earth-tone and marinelike prints using marble, copper, and oxidized iron as inspirations, and softening the look with silks and jersey fabrics. But when it came time to choose the models, Vosovic almost hit a speed bump. Wanting to cast only Asian models, the lack of diversity made things a tad difficult. “When we started to request show packages, honestly, I was appalled by the lack of options,” he said.

“I feel like we found fifteen amazing girls, but it was a freaking struggle. Some agencies just had no Asian girls. It just threw me for a curve. This is the first time I’m showing, and I feel like it was a huge awakening. You hear about it all the time, and then you’re in the position to request it, and I’m like ‘This is insane.’” Now he sees the modeling world differently. “It seems really funny that people have been casting all-white shows forever and that’s never discussed,” he said. “And it’s like ‘Why did you cast all white girls?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, that’s what the designer wanted.’”

See Daniel Vosovic’s full runway collection.

Daniel Vosovic Struggled to Find Fifteen Asian Models to Cast in His Show