F10+

Fish Fiorucci Wants to Shake Up Texas’s Modeling Scene

as seen on VOGUE

THE FOUR FASHION CAPITALS—NEW YORK, PARIS, LONDON, MILAN—ARE THE OBVIOUS DESTINATIONS WHERE ASPIRING MODELS FLOCK TO IN THE HOPES OF GETTING DISCOVERED AND MAKING IT BIG. BUT IN SOUTH TEXAS, EMERGING MODEL FISH FIORUCCI IS HOPING TO FOSTER A DIFFERENT KIND OF FASHION COMMUNITY—ONE WHERE UNDER REPRESENTED TALENT CAN FIND WORK, AND IN THE PROCESS, MAYBE EVEN GIVE THOSE IN MAJOR COSMOPOLITAN CITIES A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY.

by CHRISTIAN ALLAIRE

If you’re unfamiliar with 23-year-old Fiorucci’s work, you’re about to see a lot more of their face. Fiorucci is originally from Brownsville, Texas, but now divides their time between there and New York (where they are currently represented by Joseph Charles Viola). The nonbinary model’s striking look, which includes no eyebrows, corsets, and eight-inch heels (they have more than 100 pairs of heels alone), has landed them a recent campaign with Lady Gaga’s Haus Laboratories and shoots with legendary photographers such as Tim Walker. They’re also a fashion month fixture, and have walked shows for Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, Luar, and Palomo Spain.

Growing up in Texas, Fiorucci often struggled with their identity and longed to express themself through fashion. “In South Texas, it’s extremely hard to find individuality,” says Fiorucci. “Homophobia is so big down there, and I grew up in a very homophobic family. I wasn’t able to show them how I wanted to dress. I was always having to hide my heels, skirts, and dresses.” Their modeling work revolves around taking on jobs that allow them to share their authentic self with others while also challenging beauty norms.

As Fiorucci’s star climbs, they’re using their growing platform to help out other models on the scene as well. Last September, Fiorucci launched their own casting and management agency, f10, which represents models in Texas who are mostly queer or POC. They wanted to create an environment where individuality in modeling would be encouraged back in their home state—something that wasn’t always the case for them when they were first starting out there.

When Fiorucci signed with their first agency at 18 in Austin, Texas, the model says they were often put into a box, and put up for commercial or strictly menswear jobs. “I used to do a lot of heterosexual work,” says Fiorucci. “I was doing a lot of jobs that were very straight-presenting, and that made me feel uncomfortable. I’ve even been in situations where agencies would cut me because I was doing jobs that were gender neutral.” Fiorucci hopes that f10, then, will serve as a space where Texas-based models can be put up for more creative and inclusive projects. “There is nobody [in South Texas] to represent the nonbinary or trans supermodels,” says Fiorucci. “But there’s enough of us out there to want to make change.”

So far, Fiorucci has been able to scout models such as Alejandro Garcia from all over Texas. They’ve scored their models jobs for buzzy shows such as Bode, and have even gotten a few models signed to bigger agencies as well, such as IMG and New York Models. Ultimately, the goal of the agency is to help Texas-based models not only get work, but the right kind of work. “I want to book them jobs that are over-the-top and extra,” says Fiorucci.

As their own modeling career takes off internationally, the model hopes to continue using their own experiences to empower local talent in Texas to embrace their uniqueness and weirdness. “Through my travels, I gain a certain knowledge that helps me build my community, and I want to bring that back.”