Raymond Price, mass communication freshman, stepped onto the Fashion Week New Orleans runway as a hopeful contestant and walked off as a champion.

Price ripped the runway for Fraques NOLA Outfitters at the Board of Trade on March 21 and was named the model walk-off second place winner.

John Robert Powers Performing Arts Academy presented him with five weeks of free acting or modeling classes.

Price said his Fraques runway experience took him out of his comfort zone. He said he even wore pink lipstick for first time, which he admits smelled funny.

“It smelled like something that comes out of a chemistry lab that you don’t want to spill,” Price said.

Price said he was fully clothed with grey skinny jeans and a red plaid button down. He also wore a backpack and carried an umbrella that he said he struggled to open.

“I thought it was a regular umbrella where you press a button, and it pops open,” Price said. “No, I was fighting with it.”

Price said he had fun throughout his experience and really felt like he was in a fashion family. He said he still can’t get over how Tracee Dundas, Fashion Week NOLA founder, remembered him at orientation.

“It made me smile that she knew who I was before I even walked down the practice runway,” Price said.

Dundas said Price was hard to forget.

“In addition to being tall, dark and handsome, I would say Raymond is humble, polite and soft spoken,” Dundas said.

Price said he’s learned to remain level-headed and continue being “patient, gracious and humble.”

“That’s the only way you’ll get booked for more jobs, because no one wants to work with a snob no matter how good looking and talented you may be,” Price said.

Alysha Jean, A’11, is the marketing and promotions director at JRP Performing Arts Academy. She said the academy tag-teams with Fashion Week NOLA every year to shine the spotlight on talented models and help their careers soar.

She said models that trained at their academy have graced runways in Paris, New York, Milan and China’s fashion week.

She said their clients have also signed major modeling contracts with Top Agencies such as Wilhelmina and have modeled for major names such as Micheal Kors, Vogue, Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana and Glamour magazine.

“We help models gain the opportunity to have a successful modeling career. Not just print, but commercials and film as well,” Jean said.

Jean said they teach aspiring models and actors the ins and outs of the business, giving them the tools to take on the industry.

“Believe it or not there is a lot of work that goes into being a model and taking pictures is just the fun part,” Jean said.

Dundas said this award will enhance Price’s career because training is crucial in perfecting any skill.

“The training with JRP will enhance his skill set in modeling and acting, which can only help excel his opportunity to work as a professional,” Dundas said.

Price said he can’t wait to utilize his acting classes. He said modeling is fun, but he aspires to become an actor. For that reason, he said his award is going to benefit him tremendously.

“I’m going to learn from industry professionals who know how the business works and give me really good tips,” Price said.

Price said his main goal is to travel the world, and he doesn’t care whether acting or modeling is the journey to take him there.

“If acting and modeling take me to Europe, South Africa or India, it would be a dream come true,” Price said.

Jean thinks Price was a great choice for this award.

“I can’t wait to see him around at the academy,” Jean said.

Diana Mirfiq may be reached at [email protected]