Ocean City girls walk fashion runways in New York, Paris
OCEAN CITY — Ten-year-old Lucia likes to feel “like a little fashionista.” Thirteen-year-old Francesca already has that cool, detached look down pat.
They are model children.
While that term may well apply to how they behave as students at Ocean City Intermediate School, the Schaffer sisters are models in the noun variation of the word, having walked the fashion runways in New York and Paris.
The Ocean City girls, in fifth and seventh grade, respectively, modeled for designer Drisha Closet at September’s New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week, plan to be back for the same fashion weeks in February and would like to add Milan to their roster of shows. (So would their mom, Erica Schaffer.)
The girls were drawn into the fashion world by Francesca’s friend, Giselle Ardelean, who modeled at New York’s Fashion Week.
“I saw all of her pictures and we were talking about it and my mom was like, ‘Maybe we can sign Frankie up.’ I said, ‘Oh, yeah, I would love to do that,’” she said. “Once I went to New York and walked the runway, I was like, ‘I have to keep doing this.’ So now I’ve continued it ever since.”
She has been at New York’s Fashion Week three times. Her sister Lucia’s been there twice, drawn into modeling by her big sister and a simple calculation by their mother.
“My mom was like, ‘If I’m taking one person to New York and Paris and all that stuff, I might as well take her sister.’ So I got into it, too. It’s really fun,” Lucia said.
She enjoys trying on all the different outfits and modeling for the people and the cameras.
“I get to feel like a little fashionista,” Lucia said, laughing. “When I walk down the runway, everyone is staring at me and I feel so famous. Thanks for looking at me. I feel so honored. And when I get to the very top, all the photographers, I love to pose for them.”
“I just love meeting new people from all over the country or even the world that I get to walk with,” Frankie said. “I love how I feel confident and it’s my time to shine and everyone is watching me. And I always thought the dresses and gowns and all the outfits that the designers worked so hard on are amazing.”
The Ocean City girls say the older models treat them well.
“They’re very sweet and comforting backstage, especially when I’m lost. They’ll all help me,” Frankie said. “I don’t think it matters with height. Everyone just treats everyone the same. It’s fun. They’re very friendly.”
“A lot of the older models think I’m cute and I love that,” Lucia added. “The younger models, I become friends with them because I’m the same age and they’re really nice and friendly. So I kind of get along with everyone.”
Modeling at fashion weeks is fast-paced … and not.
Lucia said, “Everything is like, ‘Go up here! Get changed! Go down!”
“And then it’s always so late,” Frankie added. “It’s never on time, so what’s the point of rushing you?”
“It’s a lot of rush, rush, rush and wait,” their mother said.
Getting started
The daughters of Erica and Kevin Schaffer were hooked quickly, not just on fashion modeling.
“We dipped our toes and that was it,” their mother said. “(Frankie) was in love, wanted to keep doing it. We went to a modeling school, secured two agents. That’s how the television, the movies started coming in.
“When I had one in, I was like, ‘I’m driving one, I’m driving two. Luckily Lucy was on board with that. They became ambassadors for Drisha Closet, so they were able to walk many shows for her. We just did Paris, we’re going back in February and do more work with (that designer) again. It’s fun for me, it’s fun for them.”
Erica said she can’t envision her daughters being that 5’9” model size since she is only 5’2”. Frankie, a fledgling teen, is trying to will herself to model height because she’d love to keep doing this when she gets older.
“I’m hoping to if I grow taller. I’m only like 5 foot. I’m hoping I can reach 5’7”, she said.
Her sister is already circumspect and planning ahead.
“For me, I want to keep doing it, but I want to get to 15 or 16 and may want to take a little break. I have a bunch of years ahead of me,” Lucia said, laughing.
Their mom notes Lucia “has been very successful with the hand modeling, Frankie has done a lot of print work and they’re both into acting, dancing, singing, so we’re hoping television and commercials are going to be our outlet.”
The little sister has been in “a lot of commercials” and one TV show, “Evil Lives Here,” a true crime show, and hand modeling.
“My dad always wanted to be a hand model so I kind of stole his spot. It never worked for him,” Lucia said, laughing again. “I get paid like $900.”
“It’s ridiculous,” her mom added, “for picking up a piece of chicken” in a recent Zaxbys chicken hand modeling gig.
“No, not even that,” Lucia said. “All I had to do was take these napkins and place them down.”
“We need to get insurance on those hands,” her mom said, laughing with both of her daughters.
Frankie just did a modeling retreat in Texas.
“I got to stay overnight for three nights with different models from all over the country. You make friends, you do photo shoots and have parties. It’s a great experience,” she said.
As if they’re not busy enough, both girls have additional interests, Frankie with sports including tennis and field hockey and Lucia with dance. (“I like to groove to the beat.”) They have been in multiple pageants, both in Little Miss Ocean City and Frankie in Junior Miss Ocean City, along with pageants outside the resort.
The girls love some of the dresses they get to wear — and some to take with them — but never know the choices until they’re at the fashion shows and they always have to send in their measurements ahead of time.
Frankie talked of how one particular dress made her feel “super confident.” While in a Drisha Closet headpiece with a feather on it she thought “I was a whole different person when I was walking in that outfit.”
Lucia liked a long green gown with sequins she wore on the runway in Paris. “It was flow-y and I had this cool little shawl around my neck. When I walked down the runway it would all flow behind me.”
She added while in Paris, “We climbed the Eiffel Tower and it lit up while we were on it. That was an experience I’ll never forget. It was really pretty.”
Getting that look down
Fashion models are often known for their expressions on the runway — disaffected, bored or even angry. Not a lot of smiling.
“It’s kid of fun, honestly. I kind of prefer it,” Frankie said of not smiling.
“She’s very good at that resting (blank) face,” her mom laughed. “She’s got that down pat. They have a commercial walk and the high-fashion runway. Most of the time when they’re walking for big designers, it’s that very serious look. When they’re doing a kids show, they can be happy, peppy, so it depends on the show and the designer.”
“I still don’t smile,” Frankie said, before smiling at her own comment.
– STORY by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
Photos courtesy of Erica Schaffer
