Le Pasefika Runway PDX is casting models for its fifth annual show, and no runway experience is required.
The Portland nonprofit holds open casting Sunday, Aug. 30, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Hoku Events on Madison, 1125 SE Madison St., Unit 101.
Models of all genders, body types, sizes, abilities and cultural backgrounds can walk in wearing fitted black clothing and boots or heels.
The organization says on its casting page that many of its models got their start at the event.
The casting feeds into the Saturday, Oct. 24, show themed "Cultural Avant-Garde." Designers will present eight-piece collections blending traditional Pacific cultural textiles with experimental silhouettes. The venue has not been announced.
Tickets range from $25 for standing room to $125 for a VIP experience with front-row seating and a swag bag, according to the group's tickets page.
Andrew Fa'alogo, founder and executive director, started Le Pasefika Runway in 2022 as a platform for Pacific Islander, BIPOC and LGBTQ2SIA+ designers.
Fa'alogo has worked in fashion since 1994, spanning retail, visual merchandising and show production. The show is the only Pacific Islander-rooted runway event in the Pacific Northwest, KOIN first reported, as cited by Hoodline.
It has grown steadily since its debut at the Native Arts + Cultures Foundation's center in 2022. The second year moved to Avenue Portland. The third landed at The Redd on Salmon Street in 2024, and last year's show filled Porsche Studio Portland.
The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) that casts models directly from the community. Community backers for the 2026 season include Ka 'Aha Lahui O 'Olekona, the Hawaiian Civic Club of Oregon and Southwest Washington, and the Samoa Pacific Development Corporation, according to the group's about page. Vendor and small-business tables will also be available alongside the runway program.
Selected models attend a boot camp Sunday, Sept. 20, and final fittings Saturday, Oct. 17, both at Hoku Events. Tickets are on sale at lepasefikarunway.com.
