News · Fashion
Chloe for Killstar.
Chloe fronted a campaign for Killstar, the gothic fashion label, shot in London in August 2026 — platinum hair in plaits, dark lip, choker, deep burgundy styling and a bat-shaped bag held straight to camera. It is exactly what an alternative model gets booked for, and why the category is harder to cast than it looks.
Subculture brands cast for credibility
A label like Killstar sells to an audience that knows the difference between someone who belongs in the clothes and someone who has been styled into them for a day. That audience is vocal, and a mis-cast does not just produce a flat image — it reads as the brand not understanding its own customer.
So the brief is rarely about conventional prettiness. It is about whether the model can carry a strong aesthetic without sending it up. Chloe’s frame works because nothing in it is apologetic: the look is committed, the expression is direct, and the styling reads as hers.
What alternative fashion asks of a model
Heavy styling means longer in the chair and more to protect between setups — structured pieces, hardware, built hair that cannot be casually fixed. The model’s job includes holding the look through a long day and flagging problems early.
The other demand is tonal. Push the attitude too hard and the images tip into fancy dress; play it too safe and the clothes look borrowed. The models who work repeatedly in alternative fashion hold a still, unbothered presence and let the styling do its work around them.
Casting an alternative model in London
If you are casting for a subculture or dark-fashion brand, send us the reference and be honest about how far the look needs to go. We put forward the faces who genuinely fit — and, just as usefully, we tell you who on the board does not, before it costs you a shoot day. Start with the FACES board or send the brief to the booking desk.
For models: a credit like this proves range, and range is what turns one booking into a season of them. If you are built for this category — or want to find out — apply through Get Scouted. There is no fee, ever.
Quick answers
What is an alternative model?
An alternative model works outside the conventional commercial look — gothic, punk, rockabilly and subculture styling. Brands in that space cast models who genuinely carry the aesthetic, because their audience can tell the difference at a glance.
Do alternative models only work for alternative brands?
No. A model who can hold a strong subculture look and still shoot a clean commercial or beauty day is more bookable, not less. Range across categories is exactly what a booker wants to put in front of casting directors.
How do I book an alternative model in London?
Send the brief — dates, usage, location and budget — to the booking desk and we come back the same working day with options who genuinely fit the reference, not a costume version of it.