Piergiorgio Del Moro on Bringing the Supermodels Together for CR Runway

In the months leading up to the inaugural CR Runway x LuisaViaRoma show, casting director Piergiorgio Del Moro was presented with what felt like a near-impossible task: To corral many of the world’s top supermodels, past and present, fly them to Florence—a little-league city compared with the majors, like New York, London, Milan, and Paris—and have them share a single runway.

“None of the models live here, so it was a challenge,” Del Moro says. “But it’s good to see all of them together and have fun.” On the day of the show, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief—the entire production was coming together. The models were here, the lineup was finalized, the fittings were finished, and the rehearsal went without a hitch.

“We’re almost at the end of it,” he says with a smile. “It’s going to be fun because there are so many models who are great performers on the catwalk. Usually in a fashion show, you see one, two, or three of them, but tonight, you’ll see everyone from Doutzen [Kroes] to Mariacarla [Boscono]—all of them have a different way of walking, a different way of performing.”

The renowned casting director, whose work has been seen at prestigious runways like Versace, Louis Vuitton, Dries Van Noten, Givenchy, and Saint Laurent, chats with CR about the future of casting, supermodel trends, and having loyalty in the industry.

When did you meet Carine?
“I started my career with Carine—she was one of the first people to give me the opportunity to work in this job. When I moved to New York, I was introduced to her and she asked if I wanted to do the casting for CR Fashion Book, so I did the issues 1, 2, and 3. I’m a very loyal person, so when she asked me if I wanted to take this on, I said yes, but I didn’t realize how big this was going to be.”

How has the casting process been for CR Runway?
“These girls have been with Carine since day one. I think about 90 percent of the models said yes to this. People are very loyal in this business. This show is a beautiful gift to Carine. It’s never been done before, but that’s what Carine does.”

How has the casting process evolved over the years?
“Casting comes in different stages in the same way fashion does. So there were supermodels, then there was street casting, and then girls with new faces. This is what I always advise models: Be confident, show who you are, and express your personality through how you walk and how you move in front of the photographer.”

We have Gigi and Bella Hadid, who are today’s supermodels. Do they remind you of the supermodel era in the ‘90s?
“It’s a different way to be a model today because the business has changed. What I find interesting is that you have Gigi Hadid, who is a perfect combination of being a great model, being great in front of the camera, and being a great performer. At the same time, she has huge visibility. I recently learned that Stephanie Seymour was a best-seller. Everyone who saw her would buy the magazine. I think Gigi is a great model because she has that same visibility—she makes you want to click on the picture on Instagram.”

There’s been more talk about diversity in casting. Do you think that’s the future?
“I think it will go in that direction. Everyone’s going in that direction.”