More than 60 models will strut their stuff on the catwalk but the 2011 Perth Fashion Festival may well be 'faceless'.
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The ambassador and star of advertising and publicity material for next month's event is Australind-born, US-based supermodel, actress and designer Nicole Trunfio.
However, just three weeks out from what is being touted as the biggest and best festival in its 13-year history, event organisers are yet to receive an official RSVP from Trunfio.
"She keeps us hanging. She might attend, she might not," festival director Mariella Harvey-Hanrahan told WAtoday.com.au at last night's model casting.
"I feel like I have a dandelion and I'm pulling off the petals saying 'she loves me, she loves me not' and I'm hoping the week of the festival it'll be that 'she loves me' petal and she'll appear."
Perhaps the eagerly anticipated answer will come after tomorrow when 25-year-old Trunfio launches her second jewellery collection for 812 Jewellery in the US.
"Yesterday someone asked me what I am most proud of....... I couldn't answer. But, in a few more days, I can show you.......... xxnt," Trunfio tweeted while enjoying some downtime in St Tropez earlier this week.
While the finishing touches for the six-day festival are being put in place and last minute schedule checks with Trunfio continue, it was announced last night that another homegrown catwalk star, feisty Tiah Eckhart, is keen to come home.
The agency of the redheaded and tattoo-emblazoned model, who will star in the upcoming Myer swimwear campaign, confirmed she will be available for the festival at "a special price".
"I'm flattered and all, but do you really think it's appropriate to wolf-whistle at a woman pushing a stroller?" leggy mother-of-one Eckhart tweeted recently.
The Sydney-based model, actress, blogger and writer is a favourite of Wheels & Dollbaby designer Melanie Greensmith and may return to help celebrate the silver jubilee of the rock'n'roll inspired label.
Both Trunfio and Eckhart established their careers at Perth Fashion Festival in the early 1990s by way of the reality series Search For A Supermodel and this year Harvey-Hanrahan hopes to elevate another fresh face.
"I feel really lucky in Perth that I can do this entire festival with all Perth girls, I don't have to bring anyone in," Harvey-Hanrahan said.
While designers including Poppy Lissiman, Alvin Fernandez, Shane Newton and Zhivago duo Lara Kovacevich and Lydia Tsvetnenko penciled in their favourite girls and guys at the casting call, Harvey-Hanrahan and festival owner Tony Sage were after the perfect "blank canvases".
"She should be able to wear street punk one day and beautiful couture the next, that's what a model should be," Harvey-Hanrahan added.
"She should be a blank canvas that you can turn into whatever you want.
"Strong walkers are also important, they have to be able to walk to carry off what we are doing.
"I wanted a range to choose from because more than ever we have more capsule shows and more designers doing their own shows, so to me there had to be a variety so that enough designers could choose enough girls that would suit their aesthetic and their brand."
