Following weeks of promotion and social media buzz, NBC’s Fashion Star season two casting landed in Dallas at Macy’s NorthPark Center last Sunday, July 15th. With auditions to start at noon, one hundred-plus hopeful local designers cialis super active began arriving at the mall as early as 9 a.m. Armed with portfolios, samples, and grande morning coffees, we spied several familiar faces in the crowd – but we’ll get to that in a bit. Background-wise, the pilot season of Fashion Star made headlines here in the Metroplex, mainly due to the antics of Lewisville’s Oscar Fierro. Cut very early in the competition, the diminutive, diva-like designer’s elimination followed his presentation of three questionable looks and a comment from mentor John Varvatos involving the word “hootchie”. Needless to say, the design talent pool in North Texas goes far beyond Fierro’s antics. Given his memorable – if brief – turn on the show, though, one can’t be surprised that Fashion Star would return to scout talent, and perhaps some more made-for-TV characters, here in our backyard.  

Eric Oliver, Jr., Yasmina Johnston, and Ashlee Brooks

  Among those spotted on Sunday, Pin Show alum Yasmina Johnston arrived at 10 a.m. sharp, toting some 10-plus pieces of her work. We also greeted Richard Eric Renteria of Etiquette Vintage Designs, recently featured in a DFW Style Daily Under The Radar editorial. Wearing a signature letterman sweater, he was quite excited at the prospect of this opportunity to grow his business. As the store opened, the crowd was moved inside to form yet another line in the Macy’s home furnishings department. Each designer was then invited, in turn, into a roped-off area for a brief interview and presentation of garments. Some even brought in parades of live models, creating something of a runway show vibe.  

Richard Eric Renteria, Etiquette Vintage Designs

  After the first round, some lucky hopefuls learned that the casting process had only just begun. Those who qualified for round two were given another set of instructions to follow, including a time and date to arrive at Dallas’ Hotel Palmer, where a second set of interviews with executives and producers would take place. Renteria, our own “discovery”, was among those who made the cut. As we await final casting news for season two of Fashion Star, we wish luck to all the designers still in the race.   (All photos, credit DFW Style Daily)