Dominique Vinant is a casting director who has shaped the faces of fashion for decades. Her work has a unique touch—she seeks out personalities and energies, rather than just the latest, biggest, or most conventionally beautiful faces. This approach has made her a vital part of shaping the distinct aesthetics of designers like Martine Sitbon, Ann Demeulemeester, Martin Margiela, and Yohji Yamamoto, each of whom sought to create a cohesive universe on their runways that reflected their own communities and perspectives on the world.
Vinant’s journey into fashion was serendipitous, driven by instinct and the people she met along the way. Starting in PR as Alexander de Betak’s assistant and later opening the first Karla Otto office in Paris, she stumbled into casting by chance. She met Margiela early in her career, even walking for him as a young model, and later worked with him extensively. This experience instilled in her a profound understanding of the importance of finding models who could not only embody the clothes but also convey a specific energy, a sense of individuality that was in sync with the designer’s vision.
In the latest issue of Study magazine, a publication dedicated to exploring the work of creative individuals, Vinant’s casting Polaroids take center stage. They evoke a sense of intimacy, like glimpses into a museum’s collection. Each model’s gaze draws you in, inviting you to contemplate not just their beauty but also the story they convey, the emotions they evoke. Vinant’s work, as she explains, is inherently emotional, a process of connecting people through the medium of fashion. She describes casting as a way to bring together personalities and create a narrative on the runway.
Vinant took a step back from casting for a few years, finding the industry’s relentless focus on numbers and influence draining. However, she’s now back, working with Yohji Yamamoto for his womenswear shows, a full-circle moment after starting with him in the early 1990s. She sees a stark difference in the industry today, a shift away from the emotional, artistic connection that once defined her work and towards a more business-driven approach. Yet, she finds solace in the continued discovery of new faces, which reminds her of the joy and creativity that lie at the heart of fashion.
Vinant’s story is a powerful reminder that the magic of fashion lies not just in the clothes, but in the human stories woven into their creation. Her casting Polaroids, a testament to her intuition and eye for individuality, stand as a timeless archive of the diverse faces and stories that have shaped fashion’s soul.
