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Stephen Montoya
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Stephen Montoya
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Stephen Montoya
Full-time TCU student, model, and cosplay enthusiast, Faith McKinstry is living proof you can be successful even if you don’t fit a specific mold. Coming in at 5’6” McKinstry is just under the modeling industry standard of 5’8”, yet she has already been making the rounds in the Fort Worth modeling field despite this height preference. In fact, McKinstry just did her first fashion walk for the Fort Worth Fashion Week titled “The Future”. And if this title has anything to do with her eagerness to succeed, many of us might say we knew her when. But modeling is just part of what McKinstry does for fun and inspiration. She’s also really into cosplay and interior design, which is what she is majoring in at TCU. McKinstry's hope is to use the skills she is acquiring in design to help her gain the edge in the modeling field as well as a possible career in fashion.
Fort Worth Magazine recently caught with McKinstry to ask her about her entrance into the local modeling industry, her favorite cosplay character, and her penchant for interior design.
FW: How and when did you get involved with modeling?
FM: I started out over a year ago just really wanting to give it a try, because it was something in the back of my mind that I thought I would enjoy. So, I started out doing some shoots with local photographers to get a good portfolio going and then I applied to some agencies. I heard back from one and now I am working for them. This has always been a dream of mine since I was little. It was either this or singing or being a race car driver (laughs).
Eric Nwokocha
Designer - Kandace Pope
FW: What are you majoring here at TCU?
FM: I am an interior design major. I like how broad the degree is set up, so I can go into anything involving interior design or do something with fashion. Plus, I am modeling right now, which is in that same kind of area so there might be a tie in I haven’t discovered yet.
FW: What are some of the highlights of your modeling journey thus far?
FM: I would say about a week ago, I walked in a couple of the Fort Worth Fashion week runway shows. That was really fun; it was kind of like a dream come true because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I actually wasn’t sure I would be able to do this because of my height. So, when I got an email back stating that I had been accepted to walk, I was ecstatic. Getting to work with all of the other models, make-up artists, hairstylists, and the designers of the show was just really fun and something I was really happy I got to do.
FW: Why is height so important to an agency?
FM: I think height is so important to these agencies because it’s easier for an outfit to drape just right on a tall skinny model. It could have something to do with the amount of fabric as well. I know from walking the runway, it can be very specific about who wears what design based on their frame. For women its 5’8” for men it’s about 6’ even. The reason I was able to sign to an agency, is because they specialize in what is called a petite model, which are models 5’8” or shorter. My agency also specializes in taller models as well, but this agency is really good about height diversity and weight diversity. I really enjoy working with them, because they are willing to work with me and not try and project a certain image on me.
FW: Didn’t you have a run-in with Disney concerning a costume design?
FM: Back when I was a junior in high school, Disney 20th Century Fox reached out to me when a new movie called the “New Mutants” was coming out. They reached out to me and a few other cosplayers to dress up as one of the characters and kind of promote the movie. I cosplayed Illyana Rasputina, her superhero name is Magik. I had a lot a fun dressing up as her because she had a sword. I love cosplaying with props. I have a lot of superhero costumes and a lot of anime costumes. Those are like the two categories I have the most of. My favorite one is probably Scarlet Witch because my hair looks like hers without having to wear a wig. When I started cosplaying it was really great because I met my people, and they were super nice. That’s probably why I am still involved with it.
FW: How much practice did you put in to walk in Fort Worth Fashion Week?
Yohan Jung
Designer - Dr. Faith Nibbs
FM: I watched some videos to prepare and I knew a few poses but, the designer Phillip Maximilian had us line up and come out and walk in a line before the show for practice. He showed us where to go … then we would walk around the chairs and next to the wall and kind of turn where the runway was, walk down pose turn around again, pose and then walk off. He would tell us if we were going to fast or if we were going to slow, and how to pace ourselves. We had to make sure to go to the end of the runway and stop so people could take pictures of the clothes. It takes a whole lot more practice to walk in a show than people think. You have to decide on the fly what pose is right for an outfit and continue to make these split-second decisions for every change. The transition time on the runway is like three to five seconds, where you stop and hold a pose and change to the next one. There was one girl who had walked in New York Fashion Week, a week before this show and I asked her what poses would work for a few of my outfits. She was very helpful on what technique to try when walking. I mean I learned a lot just from that one show.
FW: Do you believe the skills you’re learning in interior design translate into the fashion world?
FM: I think a lot the skills from interior design transfer over into the fashion realm for sure. With interior design I’m learning about color and light theory, the design elements of a room, and what interior components go together. This all applies in fashion, because knowing the kind of fabrics to use together or how one-color affects how you perceive another color are good tools to have. I gravitate toward the dark academia kind of vibe in my style palette. I really like elements that involve brick or darker pastel colors, like greens or yellows. I mean, I’m still learning so who knows what I might be into later on? I gravitate toward residential design and love finding unique pieces that you can put in a room that brings out different elements of the room. I’m more of a fill-in-the-space kind of a person. I would like to work with the architect and build the space around whatever pieces they have set up in a home.
